No more radios in cars?

I didn't watch the video but can a monthly fee to listen to your car's radio be that far away?

 

there'll be bluetooth alternatives. i don't use the radio, just a usb stick

 

From the video, it is much worse than that. No AM/FM radio at all, not even Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, just curated content selected for you by the corporate-controlled platform and its algorithms, depending on how much you are willing to pay.

 

buying crutchfield stock

 

Our first radio-in-car, with our 81 Civic, was when the kids in the back seat brought along a little AM radio, turned it on and up pretty loud, as we were driving out through our apartment complex. It's was playing that notorious stripper theme song...

 

really? our 55 chevy had a radio

 

So called "modern" entertainment systems in cars are a mess these days... It has more to do with selling stuff than being useful.

 

I didn't watch the video either; but it sounds like they're taking a page out of the airline industry. You need to bring your own devices, if your in a newer plane - there are no screens or earbud connections.

 

If you watch the video, you will see that they will still provide screens and audio. But they will control what content is available.

 

So traveling down the road i won't be able to tune in to local travel info?

 

Only if your cell phone is linked to it and your phone is setup to notify you of travel delays in your app.

There's always one of these: https://www.newegg.com/p/0PD-00XX-002D9

 

I wouldn't put it past the OEMs to try this but broadcast radio, even AM-JAM is still a 'thing' and I'm pretty sure that the FCC will not go quietly into that good night,
Still.....
We were butt-raped in the early 2000s by digital TV.
This was done with the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 following the time honoured tradition of naming a law for the opposite effect that it has on the nation.
(Think: Affordable Care Act, Inflation Reduction Act, Gun Control Act.....)

Big Broadcast is still LEGALLY required to broadcast but the now 10-year-old ATSC 1.0 standard practically forced many people to abandon over the air reception.....and if you think THAT's bad.......juuuuuuust wait until you find out what's ahead with ATSC 3.0.....

Motorola put the first radios into cars in the 1930's - which is sorta WHY they named the company MOTOR (car) OLA (Victrola.)
Some BEVs have eliminated AM radios from their cars - which is both ironic (FM is ALSO range limited) and yet another reason to hate BEVs.

 

The current administration FCC director threatened to pull broadcasting licenses of stations; if they didn't remove, muzzle certain people from asserting their first amendment rights....... Your not allowed to call-out the dictator-n-chief - he's made it clear that he'll go after you with the full weight of the government. Even inciting vigilante groups to go after you, and dangling pardons to convicted felons - claiming that they were 'treated unfairly'. Give me a break, they were convicted by a jury of their peers, and in some cases plead guilty....... At least they were given 'due process', unlike the jack-boot- thugs currently running the streets. No ID, No badges, No body-cam, and in most cases NO due process. I really don't mind law enforcement, but I really need to see your face, badge, and credentials. I'm not a cartel member and hanging out at the immigration office to arrest someone, really doesn't require tactical gear and none of the afore mentioned credentials to be visible. I'm sure a judge would ask the same. I just heard that Caroline Leavitt's brother's, baby mama just got released from detention. Do you think she wouldn't be back in Brazil by now or dumped in some random country; if she didn't tell them she knew someone. Rules matter and it should protect us all; that's why due process exist. Laws aren't just made-up for fun; People's basic rights were violated - that's how these laws came into existence in the first place. 'regular-joes' needs to remember this, especially if you don't know anyone in 'high-places' and I don't mean the marijuana shop.....

Getting off my soap-box now.....

 

Guess they'll have to give out a website address? But remember, don't use your phone while driving... Classic example of political leadership in our country only getting elected to get paid to benefit the wealthy with no awareness of how easy legislation could be created to ensure that basic traffic and safety information shouldn't depend on a private 3rd party for-profit corporation.

 

Guess what. Manufacturers build things to make money.

There are reasons to keep FM and AM radios in cars, but they only make money by being on a few people's list of requirements.

On the other hand, there are more ways of making money if you don't include the radio.

Why did iPod and iPhone never have FM reception as an option whereas nearly all MP3 players and Android phones did at one time? Why do most Android phones today no longer support FM reception? The reason is simple: companies like Apple also sell music and music subscriptions. Others, like Google, offer free music that generate ad revenue. And other companies make money by preinstalling music apps.

Then add to that how people changed the way they access things like news and music. How many people today buy cellphones with an FM receiver as a requirement? Not many. Yet many do use their phone for music. How? Well, the internet of course. Now that nearly everyone has unlimited data and cellphone coverage is nearly everywhere it makes more sense to the average listener to listen on the internet where there's more variety, better quality and better reliability.

What about cars though? All things are becoming "smart" or "software defined" including cars. Or in layman's terms: they're becoming connected to the internet with apps. So, if cars are becoming tablets on wheels, how many drivers are going to be choosing local broadcast radio over apps like Spotify? Likely not many.

While there are many reasons a person might want FM and AM radio to persist being included in cars (such as natural disasters, local news and stations, and areas where there is no 4G or 5G), the reality is FM and AM radio is becoming an expense that doesn't make that much sense to include anymore as far as the manufacturer is concerned. If new car customers want Pandora, Sirius XM, Apple Music and Spotify, then that's what car manufacturers are going to be putting in their cars. And as things transition to that eventually the great majority of new car buyers won't even notice if an FM and/or AM radio is included in their vehicle or not.

 

...AND they should be allowed to succeed or fail on their own merit!
I do not think that car (or phone) manufacturers should be forced to install a radio in their cars, but it is one option that I am still willing to pay for as a backup for news and local info.

meh.
AGAIN.....there are laws that prevent the arbitrary revocation of FCC broadcast licenses.
Since I'm old enough to remember to remember when 'X' was called 'Twitter' and what happened THEN, I'm a little less than worried about someone locking the doors to our local 5,000w broadcast station.

 

Listening local AM news radio on my daily commuting was my routine. I got most of "newsworthy" information that way. This was before the time of podocast and smartphone.

All the cars I purchased in the last 10 years came with satellite radio, but I never subscribed. I don't know when was the last time I listened to radio. Is there still radio broadcast program worthy of tuning in?

 

Up here CBC radio is a godsend.

 

depends on what you like. npr radio is still around, sports proliferates, and someone must be listening to all the music. foreign language stations are numerous, between boston and orlando at least