No AM radio

Optheduim said:

Anyone notice there is no AM radio?

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Why electric vehicles are increasingly leaving out AM Radio — Autoblog

When the BMW i3 landed in the States more than 8 years ago, it did so without an AM radio. A year after arrival, hackers had figured out how to tweak the hatchback's software to restore AM radio and extend range in the i3 REx model. When

apple.news

Harley said:

Old news. AM’s been omitted on a lot of car…..for quite some time (in case folks haven’t purchased a new vehicle in a while).

Why electric vehicles are increasingly leaving out AM Radio — Autoblog

When the BMW i3 landed in the States more than 8 years ago, it did so without an AM radio. A year after arrival, hackers had figured out how to tweak the hatchback's software to restore AM radio and extend range in the i3 REx model. When

apple.news

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Knucklehead said:

I’m more (mildly) upset that we don’t have FM HD stations in the US. I could care less about AM.

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Knucklehead said:

I’m more (mildly) upset that we don’t have FM HD stations in the US. I could care less about AM.

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The shift to EVs is slowly killing off AM radio — and that’s bad for emergency broadcasts

AM radio can interfere with EVs.

www.theverge.com

“[T]oo many automakers are ignoring the critical safety benefits of AM radio,”[Senator] Markey said in a statement this week. “Although many automakers suggested that other communication tools — such as internet radio — could replace broadcast AM radio, in an emergency, drivers might not have access to the internet and could miss critical safety information.”

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According to Markey, AM radio operates at lower frequencies and longer wavelengths, enabling it to pass through solid objects and travel further than other radio waves — a feature not shared by FM broadcasts. As a result, FEMA’s National Public Warning System — through which FEMA delivers critical safety alerts to the public — operates through broadcast AM radio stations.

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Ford reverses plan to ditch AM radio after congressional attention

Pending legislation would mandate an AM radio in all new cars.

arstechnica.com

After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we've decided to include it on all 2024 @Ford & @LincolnMotorCo vehicles. For any owners of Ford EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update.

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stevelup said:

There's no 'compliance' issue though. Ford just bowed to pressure in it's biggest market.

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julianm said:

Sorry, “potential future compliance issue” would be more accurate, yes.

I spent the last week ferrying my parents around. Even going up into some local county parks we didn’t have cell signal, and their local information broadcasts were AM.

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clivem said:

To you maybe.



Have you thought maybe not everyone lives in a city? As for equating AM with crumbling third world, get a clue.

Just to drive to the other end of our state is 3000km and I'll have phone signal for 5 - 10% of it, FM for even less, and DAB for exactly 0. A couple of medium wave transmitters can cover the whole lot.

I get there are challengers with low frequencies and EVs, just try driving near a train line with overhead electric wires in any vehicle with AM. The interference makes it unusable. And kind of a moot point in an EV as there is currently insufficient charging infrastructure to do the trip anyway.

Anyway, the point is everyone in this country knows you tune to ABC AM for emergency information and God knows there's been enough of those lately.

Can AM be made to work in an EV (easily), no idea. What's a viable alternative that will work in as many places as possible? Again, no idea. Sign all our cars up for Starlink? Said that half in jest but it probably is the future?

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clivem said:

Just to drive to the other end of our state is 3000km and I'll have phone signal for 5 - 10% of it, FM for even less, and DAB for exactly 0. A couple of medium wave transmitters can cover the whole lot.

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Amphicar770 said:

No 8-track either! Can't recall the last time I used AM radio. These days it has become a wasteland of fundamentalist preachers and right wing extremists.

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stevelup said:

Have you thought perhaps that it's not the car that's the problem, but instead it's the ancient, crumbling, third-world-esque infrastructure?

Maybe they'd be better off dealing with that via legislation!

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julianm said:

I do wish congress had used this opportunity to provide funding to move all the emergency broadcast systems onto something like HD FM, rather than mandate everyone continue using AM.

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julianm said:

Literally what I meant! Re-quoted below. I completely agree and am frustrated that congress is trying to force companies to adopt old stuff rather than provide funding to help government agencies get onto stuff that makes more sense.

It’s wild that Ford plans to re-enable AM radio with software. I was hoping to see comments from other car companies proposing, well, money for better broadcast tech! And I’m curious to hear what Volvo/Polestar think that should be.

I can be simultaneously frustrated that cars sold in this market don’t work with this market’s broadcast tech (no HD Radio either), while frustrated that my government doesn’t help fund our broadcast tech infrastructure, especially within the realm of other government agencies.

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eGuru said:

If Ford can enable AM with software, kudos to them.

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eGuru said:

They don't have any vested interest in the broadcast technology being used.

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