Mobile connectivity has sure come a long way. These days, being able to use a phone in the car is a baseline expectation instead of a premium feature. Modern vehicles let people connect their phones to not only make calls, but also lock/unlock the vehicle, remote-start it, adjust the climate control, or even check diagnostics. But a few decades ago, the in-car tech landscape was very different.
In 2024, Hagerty put out a brief history of phones in automobiles. Believe it or not, the first wireless phone call from a vehicle was made in June 1946 — some 80 years ago — using a car phone made with vacuum tubes that filled up most of the car’s trunk. By the time I started getting into the automotive enthusiast realm in the 1990s, in-car cellular technology had evolved into something slightly more compact.
One of the items of memorabilia in a display case at my home is an accessory telephone from the 1992 Acura Legend. It makes a great conversation piece when people visit, but unfortunately, analog cell phones don’t work on any public mobile networks today. The cell towers and radio frequencies required to support them aren’t operational, so the device is just a paperweight, but it’s still fun to hold it up and pretend I’m a high-roller from the 1990s.
I found a brochure tucked away in my stash of literature that went with the phone. (You know a feature was a big deal if an automaker was putting out marketing materials specifically dedicated to it.)
The pamphlet says, “Searching for a pay phone can be time-consuming and frustrating; having the world at your fingertips is not only a time advantage, it’s a comfort.” Acura offered integrated, dealer-installed phone systems for the Integra, Vigor, Legend, and NSX models.
The technology was innovative for its time, and it used voice command. “All cellular telephone operations are confirmed by Acura’s exclusive Voice Response System. At the touch of a button, your preset locations of your most important or frequently called numbers are confirmed through a spoken voice message.” The system would auto-mute the stereo during incoming and outgoing calls.
One thing from the brochure that stood out to me was that the phone could be financed along with the vehicle purchase. It was an expensive option; according to a price sheet I found, it ran around $1,100 (which comes out to about $2,500 in 2026 dollars).
But hey, it was a small price to pay for something that was such a status symbol!
