# AM radio being removed from cars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** radio-podcast\ **Created:** [May 15, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081 "2023-05-15T14:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/162 "2024-05-02T13:54:35Z")
The obvious solution is to sell small AM radio receiver gizmos that connect via USB to modern cars to provide power to the gizmo and send audio back to the entertainment system. The very few people who _need_ AM radio can have it that way. Just as in the early days the very few people who “needed” to play their own tapes (8 track or cassette) bought adaptors that let them play those content sources into their cars’ AM/FM only radios. In this case we’re accommodating “late adopters”, not early adopters, but the sentiment and the efficient solution is the same. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/163 "2024-05-02T14:32:37Z")
All I can say is - “Cars have AM radios?” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/164 "2024-05-02T14:37:46Z")
I don’t know without checking if my new car has an FM radio ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/165 "2024-05-02T14:51:43Z")
Now this is the bipartisanship I know! Intervening in the private market under a flimsy public safety justification to satisfy the demands of a small but very vocal constituency. I love politics. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/166 "2024-05-02T14:54:46Z")
My 2020 vehicle does . It also has FM and Sirius and I can play music/podcasts from my phone over the car’s system. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if I use the AM radio more than any one of the other three. Because I can’t get local news or talk or baseball on the others. Although I don’t know that the government should have gotten involved in this. > [@hajario](#): > > So now we all have to pay more for something that a very tiny minority uses. It’s definitely a minority - but I don’t know that [around](https://www.westwoodone.com/blog/2023/06/09/new-nielsen-report-of-am-listening-by-state-and-dma-reveals-strength-of-listening-across-the-country/#:~:text=It%20was%20just%20a%20month,listen%20to%20AM%20radio%20monthly) 25-30% using it at least once a month is “tiny” . ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/167 "2024-05-02T15:11:47Z")
I admit that I forgot that sports broadcasts are widely on AM. That accounts for a lot of the listeners. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/168 "2024-05-02T15:13:58Z")
It’s the only times I’ve ever used the AM band in my car. But if there’s a Dodger game on…. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/169 "2024-05-02T15:41:30Z")
Both our 2014 and 2019 cars have AM radios. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/170 "2024-05-02T15:47:58Z")
Big cats or little radios? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/171 "2024-05-02T16:01:07Z")
I _was_ wondering if it being now these years later they were going to trade in their 2014 cat for a 2024… > [@doreen](#): > > Because I can’t get local news or talk or baseball on the others. Although I don’t know that the government should have gotten involved in this. The former leads to the later: the broadcasters lobby “gently reminded” the elected officials of where the “local news or talk” action happens for radio listeners. It’s _not_ concern about emergency communications it’s dear Congressman do you want both Morning MAGA Mike _ **and** _ the Afternoon Blue Crew Ladies banging a drum on how you are helping doom the hometown station and forcing everyone to pay a monthly subscription to stream. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/172 "2024-05-02T16:16:54Z")
This shouldn’t cost buyers anything extra. Cars have come equipped with AM/FM radios since the early 70’s. AFAIK that hasn’t changed. Now the car makers want to take away AM. Talk radio is important to a lot of people. I like the sports discussions, there’s also religion and politics. Somehow, I don’t expect cars to get any cheaper by removing a small feature like AM. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/173 "2024-05-02T16:21:20Z")
In the NY metro area, the sports talk and broadcasts have moved to FM so my AM is no longer needed unless I’m traveling fairly far by car. The 660 AM will make it almost to Boston heading North and to 695 around Baltimore heading south. So pretty rarely and I could live without AM with ease. But I do occasionally flip to an AM News station while driving. Again, I could live without this with ease. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/174 "2024-05-02T16:23:10Z")
Consider a Bluetooth FM transmitter. You can get them for less than 20 bucks on Amazon. Getting one of these was a “game changer” for road trips in our house before Bluetooth in new cars became common. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/175 "2024-05-02T16:25:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Cars have come equipped with AM/FM radios since the early 70’s. AFAIK that hasn’t changed. Have you read the thread? Millions of cars have been made without AM radios. They would have to remanufacture to add them again. The proposed law isn’t about not removing them. The law is about forcing manufacturers to include them who have not had them in certain models for years and in some cases ever. I’ll also note that you don’t have the education or work experience to intelligently speculate on what the costs would be nor on the technical difficulties. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/176 "2024-05-02T16:44:50Z")
No. The problem the auto manufacturers are complaining about is the cost of electrical shielding in the car, not the additional cost in the radios. As to remanufacture, this is not a problem: the industry has switched from AM/FM radios to fancy automotive infotainment systems which are in-car systems that combines entertainment such as radio and music playing with driving information, including navigation, ADAS, and vehicle settings. And there are very frequent changes in these–so adding AM radio would be just one of many updates to be made. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/177 "2024-05-02T16:47:20Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > No. The problem the auto manufacturers are complaining about is the cost of electrical shielding in the car, not the additional cost in the radios. I think we are in agreement here. I was including things like the shielding as an additional cost of adding the radio, not just the single component which is inexpensive. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/178 "2024-05-02T17:06:38Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Now the car makers want to take away AM. No, the car makers want to take away the antennas on the outside of the vehicle, all of them. They would prefer that everyone used thier in vehicle celluar data to stream services that they can charge you for. Providing AM is cheap since as you noted it has been paired with FM for decades now. Antennas cost money and they distract from the style lines of the car. In the not too distant future it will be common for vehicles to not have antennas or side mirrors. And as mentioned, electrical shielding cost money as well. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/179 "2024-05-02T17:43:22Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Antennas cost money and they distract from the style lines of the car. Eh, neither my 1999 Camry and 2009 Accord, both AM/FM/CD equipped, had any protruding or visible external aerial. Their antennae were embedded in the windshield perimeter as are those of many current vehicles. Sure, though, the makers would want to save themselves whatever _that_ costs… ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/180 "2024-05-02T17:52:12Z")
Most cars have Sirrius XM these days, which is why you see so many external antennas now. That and putting antennas in the glass is expensive to manufacter and expensive to replace. They want to get back to those 1999 styles. Adding streaming service is going to be a major revenue stream for car manufactuers going forward. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081/181 "2024-05-02T17:53:17Z")
It’s _always_ greed with corporations. If they didn’t think they’d make more money by removing AM function from radios then they wouldn’t do it. Whether it’s a good idea or not doesn’t come into the decision making process. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-radio-being-removed-from-cars/984081.md?page=10)