Electric Revolution: Static on AM Radio Fallout

⏱️ 14 min read        

We're now entering a world rapidly embracing EV cars. As a result, AM radio faces an unexpected threat: electromagnetic interference causing static and noise. Carmakers argue it's a necessary consequence of innovation, while broadcasters fear losing a vital connection to millions who depend on AM for news and emergencies. This is a clash between cutting-edge technology and a century-old medium. What does it mean for the future of communication?

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The iconic AM radio dial may be headed for the scrapheap, a casualty of the electric vehicle revolution. For generations, AM radio has been the audible co-pilot for drivers across America, delivering a motley crew of news, sports, weather, and more in that distinct crackly transmission. But as electric cars go mainstream, their electromagnetic emissions throw a wrench into AM reception.

Automakers like BMW are pulling the plug on AM radios in their electrified lineups to avoid the buzz and static that plagues the antiquated broadcasting technology when zapped by an EV's electromagnetic fields. Unlike the more robust FM band, AM signals are highly subject to interference from the strong electrical systems that power EV motors.

The Origins of AM Radio Broadcasting

The broadcast technology we know as AM radio originated from ‘amplitude modulation’, the first method employed for transmitting radio signals. AM radio's widespread adoption in the 1920s revolutionized how Americans consumed information and entertainment. Families huddled around their receivers, tuning in to live sporting events like baseball and football games, presidential inaugurations, musical performances, and the iconic fireside chats of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It wasn’t Pandora, but it delivered.

The Rise of FM Radio's Superior Sound Quality

Frequency modulation, or FM broadcasting, emerged in the early 1930s, offering a significant improvement in sound quality over its AM counterpart. Despite its clarity advantage, FM initially struggled to gain traction as most households possessed only AM receivers, and FM programming options were limited. The tide began to turn in the 1960s when FM receivers became more affordable and accessible, automakers integrated FM radios into their vehicles, and the Federal Communications Commission opened up additional channels for FM stations. By the late 1970s, FM radio had surpassed AM in terms of listener preference.

While some may not care about the demise of AM's tinny sound quality, the move has broadcasters sounding the alarm. Dropping AM radio embedded in dashboard infotainment systems could cut off a vital lifeline, keeping drivers plugged into emergency information on the road. 

As electric vehicles rapidly proliferate, an iconic slice of Americana may fade into static.

The AM radio exodus is accelerating, with juggernauts like Tesla, Audi, Porsche, Volvo, and even Ford's electric F-150 Lightning. These companies are tossing out the antiquated technology from their EV lineups. 

So why is this happening

Automakers insist it's a reception issue. The electromagnetic muscles flexed by EV powertrains create inescapable interference, rendering AM broadcasts a crackly, static-filled mess. The National Association of Broadcasters is understandably riled up about losing this long-standing pipeline into the dashboards of America.

However, not everyone is convinced that AM radio static is truly unavoidable. Experts like Pooja Nair from HD Radio owner Xperi, argue that some strategic electromagnetic shielding and rejiggering of components could keep AM alive. 

The catch? It would require carmakers to open their wallets for the costly renovations on behalf of a dwindling fanbase. With AM falling out of favor across the pond, manufacturers may decide the endangered radio standard isn't worth the investment for their next-gen EVs.

The AM airwaves could be going the way of the vent window and ashtray - reminders of a fading automotive era drowned out by the relentless march of electrification. For some, it's the inevitable demise of an obsolete technology. For others, it's a sad loss of the ubiquitous AM companion narrating road trips since the dawn of motoring.

Car with vintage AM radio. Courtesy of LinkedIn

The electric revolution may be music to environmentalists' ears, but it sounds like a death bell for AM radio broadcasters. As more automakers ditch AM radios from their EV lineups, stations risk losing that all-important commuter connection with their audience.

Morning and evening rush hours are the bread and butter for many radio stations across the United States. If people can't tune in on their way to and from work, you might as well be broadcasting into a black hole.

The numbers highlight the predicament. Nielsen data shows around 82 million Americans still loyally consuming AM radio - a full 20% of total radio listenership. Skewing older, with a third over 65, these AM fans have been increasing their daily dose recently to over 2 hours. 

In rural areas, people tune in to AM radio to hear important announcements, making it "a cornerstone of everyday life for many that also serves a critical life-saving function during extreme weather and natural disasters," National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said in a statement.

But with the electromagnetic chaos making AM untenable for electric cars, that robust audience could start fading.

While the static future may seem like an inevitable consequence of technological progress to some, the AM diehards aren't broadcasting their surrender just yet. But keeping those golden-age airwaves alive in our electrified future means giving drivers a reason to keep themselves digitally tuned in.

The airwaves fracas goes beyond mere nostalgia. AM radio may be an aging technology, but it still plays a vital role for communities that have found their voice on those wavelengths. From ethnic broadcasters connecting migration communities to niche religious stations ministering to the faithful - the humble AM dial is a cultural lifeline.

The Reach of AM Radio Signals

Despite the superior sound quality of FM broadcasting, AM radio maintains a distinct advantage, its lower frequency and larger wavelengths enable the signals to traverse greater distances and penetrate solid barriers more effectively. This characteristic grant AM radio a wider broadcast range, particularly during nighttime hours, allowing its transmissions to reach audiences hundreds of miles away from the source station. The expansive coverage area of AM radio ensures a broader listenership, making it an enduring choice for broadcasters seeking to maximize their audience reach.

And then there are the listeners in AM's literal fringe areas. "We're talking about the rural heartlands here," argues Brian Winnekins of Wisconsin's WRDN. His station sends agricultural reports to farmers toiling in info blackspots, where AM's superior range is the only link. "If these automakers can make self-driving supercars, they can damn well install a decent radio that picks up our signals, says Brian.

Even Native Voice One's Nola Daves Moses, an electrification advocate, can't stay fully charged about losing AM radio connectivity. Her network's Indigenous language programming fights to preserve the languages of America's first peoples. "Radio is our modern smoke signal," she says. "Losing that avenue would be devastating - a catastrophic game over for cultures already hanging by a thread."

The AM diehards aren't just complaining over dwindling listening options. For some communities, archaic audio technology is an indispensable mouthpiece crying out to be heard. As the electro wave washes over our dashboards, will their voices be garbled into static - or amplified on new airwaves?

The electric upheaval rocking the auto industry has stirred an unlikely advocate into the AM radio static maelstrom - Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts. In a bold letter to 20 carmakers, Markey threw the weight of the public safety argument behind keeping AM radios wired into EVs.

Disaster Benefits

"When disaster strikes, broadcast radio is the most reliable way to reach the masses with vital emergency information," Markey proclaimed. "Phasing out AM altogether would create a hazardous communication blackout when citizens need those lifeline updates most desperately."

It's a familiar scenario to broadcasters like Diane Newman of New Orleans powerhouse WWL. She vividly recalls the chaos of Hurricane Katrina, where her AM signal was the sole conduit for conveying evacuation routes, relief efforts, and pleas for rescue amid the devastation. "With cell and internet networks shredded, we were the only connection keeping the community tethered," Newman recounts. "Stripping AM radio from cars severs that absolute lifeline when people need it most."

As climate change escalates natural disaster risks, the everyman urgency of Markey's appeal is striking a nerve. While streaming and data have become powerful communication tools, their utility crumbles under catastrophic infrastructure failure. In those direst moments, the old-school AM radio remains the most democratically accessible way to broadcast across the afflicted population.

Data am/fm radios in cars. Courtesy of Edison Research

As electric cars aim to revolutionize transport, will their adoption come at the cost of this vital emergency channel? Or can innovative engineering strike the right tuning to keep the affordable all-hazard airwaves humming? The static-charged feud puts carmakers in the harsh spotlight between progress and public safety.

But hold your horses there, radio rebels - automakers aren't ready to rip those AM dials out yet. After all, kids can just stream those dusty old stations on their phones if they're craving some classic talk radio. Hyundai, for one, insists they're keeping those AM/FM knobs firmly planted in their EV cockpits.

And some skeptics argue this whole electro-interference hoo-ha is just a lot of static. "AM's bigger threat isn't under the hood; it's the demographic shift," says Michael Stamm, a pop culture prof at Michigan State. "Let's be real here - does Gen Z even know what an AM radio is, let alone care?"

Well, Stamm might want to take that millennial shade up with Alex Cardenas-Acosta. At just 34 years young, this New Jersey gearhead is firmly parked in the AM camp when it comes to getting his sporting fix. "You want score updates, news, the real meat - that's what AM's for," Cardenas-Acosta shoots back. "All that other stuff on FM is just noise."

Strolling around the Tesla lot in Springfield, it's clear electric patrons aren't exactly up in arms over the AM radio exile. For many, it's a shoulder shrug at most.

"AM who?" Let’s face reality, the younger generation today love their EV cars, and couldn't care less about those retro stations."

Not that the Tesla crowd is immune to some gentle ribbing over the AM axing. There were definitely some laughs when a 2018 Wall Street Journal headline ripped "Your Tesla Can Go Zero to 60 in 2.5 Seconds, but Can't Get AM Radio." Priorities, people!

But tapping into that nostalgic groove just doesn't seem to be revving too many engines around here today. As the electric revolution kicks into higher gear, AM's faded cultural currency may be its ultimate undoing behind the wheel. Unless it can tune into a new generation's wavelength, those airwaves could be left eating the new industry's dust. 

What can we learn from this story? What's the takeaway?

Disdain for AM radio isn't solely from car manufacturers; even radio audiences are losing interest in having an AM tuner in their future vehicles.

Moreover, if you think your station's "AM status" is the primary obstacle, seek out an FM frequency in your area to transition to. Even top-performing AM stations will face increasing difficulties as this trend of abandonment continues. Securing a position on the FM band is a prudent move.

I wish I had better news and advice.

Well, there you go, my friends; that's life, I swear

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