WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

CHILL RIDES

Profile America — Saturday, November 28th. One of the comforts most Americans take for granted while driving was displayed for the first time this month in 1939 at the 40th Chicago Auto Show. The Packard Motor Car Company unveiled the first U.S. car with air-conditioning. The cooling and heating equipment in the Packard was located behind the rear seat in the trunk. Treated air reached the passenger compartment through ducts mounted between the seats and the rear window. Air-conditioning did not become a widely available, affordable option until well after World War II. Starting in 1969, the majority of new cars and trucks made in the U.S. have been equipped with air-conditioning. While Packard is long gone, the remaining manufacturers produce almost $109 billion worth of automobiles annually You can find more facts about America's people, places and economy, from the American Community Survey, at www.census.gov.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 5449
Packard display: https://www.yahoo.com/autos/bp/november-4-packard-offers-first-car-air-conditioner-132542726.html
Air conditioning timeline: http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3854
Automobile production: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-155.html?eml=gd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

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SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau