By Alix Martichoux, Nexstar / The Hill | Your next car might be missing a button – the one to switch between AM and FM radio. Car manufacturers are increasingly opting to eliminate AM radio in their new vehicles.
BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Volkswagen and Tesla, among others, have either already removed or plan to remove AM radio from at least some electric models. Ford is going even further, reports the Detroit Free Press, and ditching AM in all new cars – gas or electric.
Car manufacturers typically cite electromagnetic interference as the reason for removing the radios from EVs. Electric motors can interfere with AM radio frequencies, making it sound staticky over the airwaves.
But in a statement to the Free Press, Ford also said it’s just changing with the times.
“A majority of U.S. AM stations, as well as a number of countries and automakers globally, are modernizing radio by offering internet streaming through mobile apps, FM, digital and satellite radio options,” said company spokesman Wes Sherwood.
But for many listeners, AM radio isn’t a thing of the past. The Washington Post reports there are still over 4,000 U.S. AM radio stations that broadcast news, talk shows, sports and more.
“This is a tone-deaf display of complete ignorance about what AM radio means to Americans,” Michael Harrison, publisher of radio industry journal Talkers, told the Post.
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Here’s where to find the rest of the story:
https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4004678-say-goodbye-to-am-radio-why-carmakers-are-removing-it-from-new-models/
[Thanks to Alex Teitz for contributing this article! http://www.femmusic.com]
Say Goodbye to AM Radio: Why Carmakers are Removing It From New Models
