Ford decides to keep AM radio on 2024 models, will restore AM on two electric vehicles from 2023

AP ^ | May 23, 2023 GMT 1 of 2 | TOM KRISHER and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

[conservative98]

DETROIT (AP) — Owners of new Ford vehicles will be able to tune in to AM radio in their cars, trucks and SUVs after all.

CEO Jim Farley wrote in social media postings Tuesday that the company is reversing a decision to scrub the band after speaking with government policy leaders who are concerned about keeping emergency alerts that often are sounded on AM stations.

“We’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” Farley wrote on Twitter. “For any owners of Ford’s EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update” to restore it, Farley wrote.

The move comes after a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require AM in new vehicles at no additional cost.

Sponsors of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” cited public safety concerns, noting AM’s historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, especially to rural areas.

[conservative98]

Ford caves. Great news.

[conservative98]

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.

Customers can currently listen to AM radio content in a variety of ways in our vehicles – including via streaming – and we will continue to innovate to deliver even better in-vehicle entertainment and emergency notification options in the future.

Thanks to our product development and manufacturing teams for their quick response to make this change for our customers. — Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) May 23, 2023

[refreshed]

Alternate headline: “corporation, decides not to bite the hand that feeds them.“

[eyeamok]

Is it true they are also giving a case of Bud Light to all EV buyers?

[HamiltonJay]

The funny thing is having AM is literally a software setting the cars were always physically capable of having AM they just were not going to let you access it

See how they “fixed” the 23 models? A software update

[lee martell]

Well now! A rare example of the manufacterer listening to it’s customer base. Many other corporations could learn from this.

[PUGACHEV]

When I bought a Mini Cooper I had to pay extra for a software update which “unlocked” XM Radio. This was in addition for what I had to pay XM Radio for the service.

[Leaning Right]

AM radio? Meh. I’m still waiting for them to put 8-track players back in their vehicles. My road trip collection is worthless without one.

[Sirius Lee]

Would probably cost them more to retool to NOT include AM in the radios they are already making with FM.

[billorites]

You listen to Anne Murray and Tom Jones on your road trip?

Aren't you oodles of fun! ;-)

[WaterWeWaitinFor]

Well......... about time some sanity back in the news.
Do NOT let the left erase AM radio. Too important for weather alerts, local news, talk radio. What would RUSH say? Sure miss him.

[fretzer]

>See how they “fixed” the 23 models? A software update

They may be using software defined radios (SDR) which is a very cool technology.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_radio

[Myrddin]

My local Fox affiliate was on AM 1240 in Pocatello, AM 590 Idaho Falls. Today, FM 92.1 Pocatello, FM 103.6 Idaho Falls, AM 590 Idaho Falls. The AM 1240 was retired. The station also streams. Over the weekend, the FM 92.1 and FM 103.6 were dead. No carrier over the air. The internet stream was working fine. The station has been a train wreck for years. Mis-timed content with commercials playing over the "top of the hour" news feed. Lots of dead air on weekends with content that should have been switched by a network computer to pick-up feeds. The big money programming is Glenn Beck in the morning (live) and Jimmy Failla (Fox) in the old Rush time slot.

I would approach them to get the station squared away (I have the right FCC licenses), but it would be a HUGE pay cut.

[Political Junkie Too]

Yes. This wasn't a cost-savings measure due to parts.

It was a political decision to cut off listeners from a radio market.

-PJ

[House Atreides]

Smart move …. correcting a stupid move.

[William of Barsoom]

I remember back in the 1960s and 1970s,the AM radios in cars were super-sensitive, and tuned in all sorts of “out of local area” stations.

Whattya bet the “new” ones are somehow range-limited.

Tight squelches, or deliberately reduced sensitivity to cover the God-awful interference all the damnfool computers and high-power, high-current switching to regulate the energy fed to the motors causes.

[Myrddin]

A bit like buying current EVs. The manufacturer delivers a full hardware package and a crippled software platform. If you want certain features, you have to pay for a "subscription" to apply a software update to make the hardware you purchased operable. It's a money grabbing scam. I considered purchased of a "Zero" electric motorcycle. I dumped the idea quickly when I discovered Zero operates on a crippleware/subscription model of software support. No deal.

[cyclotic]

That’s good. My company car gets turned in sometime late this year or early next. I have to drive F-150’s and listen to mostly AM talk radio

[sasquatch]

AM broadcast capability

Mobile broadcasting??
or reception. Amazing.