The lack of AM knobs on their radios is a new trend that many electric vehicle (EV) owners are noticing in their mode of mobility. The argument that more recent automobiles produce electromagnetic fields that interfere with the radio spectrum has been covered by The New York Times and other publications, although not everyone agrees with it. According to Fox News anchor Mark Levin, the entire scheme is an attempt to prevent conservatives from using some of their preferred venues.
EVs interfere with AM radio signals, resulting in annoying buzzing or static in the sound systems of the cars. Instead of looking at alternate options, eight out of twenty manufacturers have decided to completely remove the choice to allay consumer annoyance. They give pragmatic explanations, such as Volkswagen’s worries about the extra cost and weight such fixes could add to their vehicles.
Mark Levin Accuses Auto Manufacturers of Removing AM Radio to ‘Attack’ Conservative Talk Showshttps://t.co/ZLriapPX8P
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) April 10, 2023
Levin thinks he is calling them on it. According to Mediaite, the Fox News host attacked leftist efforts to encourage people to buy electric vehicles rather than gasoline-powered ones, linking them to his imagined plot against AM radio.
The host of Levin’s April 7 program claimed, “They finally figured out how to attack conservative talk radio,” and went on to imply liberals planned to have EVs’ AM bandwidth cut in order to get around the FCC, advertisement boycotts, and other tactics they might otherwise use to crush the strongly right-wing venue. Media Matters posted a portion of the transcript from Levin’s broadcast. The host observed that many of the listeners’ favorite talk shows, the majority of which are on the AM band, are heard on their radios when they are driving.
Some automakers are making efforts to keep AM radio in their electric vehicles. Stellantis, which makes Jeep and Chrysler, decided to spend extra money on shielding for its cables and connectors.
Additionally, it has redesigned its models such that the radios in its most recent models are as far away from the EV components as is practical. AM radio is no longer offered by manufacturers, but they claim that customers can still get all of their favorite programming in their cars through applications and digital streaming services.
