First they came for our cigarette lighters, then they came for our AM radio
Several major automakers have stopped offering AM radio in their new electric vehicles, according to an article in the Washington Post, which predicts this will be the death blow to many of the country's 4,000 or so AM stations. Ford is eliminating it from all vehicles.BMW, Mazda, Tesla, and VW say the reason they're removing AM is due to the interference from the engine to the sound of AM radio.The article in the Post says that over 82 million Americans listen to AM stations each month and half of all AM radio listening happens in cars. Many weather stations broadcast over AM - crucial in tornado-prone areas and other emergencies. So it may be a public service to keep AM radio alive. Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Jaguar Land Rover say they have no plans to eliminate AM.