New Yorkers rely on AM stations 1010 and 880 during their morning commute for the up to date weather and traffic—not to mention the news, sports and various other programs. It seems that soon you will no longer have that choice as EV’s, or electric vehicles, grab a bigger share of the automotive market.
An increasing number of electric models have dropped AM radio in what broadcasters call a worrisome shift that could spell trouble for the stations and deprive drivers of a crucial source of news in emergencies.
Carmakers say that electric vehicles generate more electromagnetic interference than gas-powered cars, which can disrupt the reception of AM signals and cause static, noise, and a high-frequency hum. (FM signals are more resistant to such interference.)
For nearly 100 years, drivers have been listening to AM radio, and it’s become an American institution, complete with the crackling static and weak signal that cuts in and out as you travel along. But that dashboard staple may be about to meet the same fate as the manual-crank windows and car ashtrays.
“Rather than frustrate customers with inferior reception and noise, the decision was made to leave it off vehicles that feature eDrive technology,” BMW said in a statement, referring to the system that powers its electric vehicles.
Tesla, Audi, Porsche and Volvo have also removed AM radio from their electric vehicles, as has Volkswagen from its electric SUV, ID.4, according to the carmakers and the National Association of Broadcasters. Ford said that the 2023 F-150 Lightning, its popular electric pickup truck, would also drop AM radio.
Some experts say the reception problems are not insurmountable. Electromagnetic interference could be controlled with shielding cables, filters and careful placement of the electrical components in the vehicle, said Pooja Nair, a communications systems engineer at entertainment technology company Xperi Inc., which owns HD Radio technology.
But such changes require money and effort, and it’s not clear whether carmakers are willing to spend more in the service of AM radio fans. The Drive, a car news site that has reported on the trend, noted that AM radio has lost favor in Europe, so carmakers there might see less of a need to keep it.
If more electric vehicles drop AM radio, some broadcasters say they could lose a connection to their core listeners.
“It’s a killer for us because most of our listening audience is in the morning drive and afternoon drive, when people are going to work and coming from work — and if we’re not there in their car, we’re nonexistent,” said Ron January, operations manager at WATV-AM, an adult contemporary station in Birmingham, Alabama.
