AM Broadcast Radio - A Last Line of Comms

[MaverickNH]

WSJ News Exclusive | Electric Vehicles Need AM Radio, Former Emergency Officials Argue

Ex-FEMA heads say the band is important in emergencies, while auto makers say EV motors interfere with the signal.

www.wsj.com

"The lack of AM radio in some new electric vehicles could cut off drivers from important safety alerts broadcast over the medium, warned a group of former emergency officials in a letter Sunday...

“When all else fails, radio stations are often the last line of communications that communities have,” Craig Fugate, the head of FEMA during the Obama administration, said in an interview. Mr. Fugate is one of the signers of the letter.

More than 75 radio stations, most of which operate on the AM band and cover at least 90% of the U.S. population, are equipped with backup communications equipment and generators that allow them to continue broadcasting information to the public during and after an emergency, FEMA said.

“Should this continue, it will represent a grave threat to future local, state, and federal disaster response and relief efforts,” the letter said.

An estimated 47 million people listen to AM radio, according to media-tracking firm Nielsen."

 

[cockpitbob]

Car companies say the motors on such vehicles generate electromagnetic frequencies on the same wavelength as AM radio signals, creating buzzing and signal fading from the interference.

Oh good. Now I can look forward to my AM talk station turning into a buzz when I'm surrounded by Teslas on the highway.

 

[snax]

I have 2 cars where the AM radio reception sucks. 4 others built around the same time work excellent. Couldn't ever figure out why. The two that suck ate the same brand.

 

[ToddDubya]

Don't they have highway info on AM? I never listened to it or paid attention enough to know if there are also FM broadcasts.

I guess Tesla doesn't even care about the geriatric 80m demographic. Figures.

 

[appraiser]

long discussion over on one of the radio boards I contribute to if you want to read it

https://www.radiodiscussions.com/threads/in-a-future-filled-with-electric-cars-am-radio-may-be-left-behind-off-topic.757378/

 

[VetteGirlMA]

So is the idea that we need some government regulation to force manufacturers to put AM radios in cars or car I just buy a handheld AM/FM radio on Amazon for <$20 if it matters that much? Because chances are if the .gov mandates it the $16 radio will end up adding $300 to new car cost.

 

[ToddDubya]

Are they going to be testing your AM radio during inspections now that it's a safety feature?

 

[LTCRN]

Nothing good comes from EV! Al, Mr. Freeze, and Poca-haunt-us, should just go away!

 

[TG Pioneer]

You could beam back in time to 1996, put on the Howie Carr show, and it’ll be the same crap it was back then.

“266-6868! What are your supermarket gripes?”
“266-6868! The Winter Hill gang Yada Yada Yada!”