Does anyone plan to use AM radio in their Mach-E?

JCHLi

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Does the MME come with a tape player? I can plug my portable CD player in using my tape deck adapter. Then I'll download all my music, burn it to a writable CD and get CD carrier for my sun visor...
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It better work fine. I know that the BMW i3 disabled the AM radio. My previous BMW 330i had horrible AM reception. So maybe the German's don't know how to get it to work?
 

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No, I like to ride in total silence!
Me too. I'm happy to find out that I'm not alone.

For the 7 years in my CMax I've never once used AM/FM/CD. I occasionally play music from my wife's iPhone (through USB). Maybe 3 times a year.
 

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The U.S. MME will support AM radio. Not sure about the other regions, as their sites aren't this specific.

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I'm surprised this was even a real question. I assumed the OP was just thinking out loud. I can't even imagine a vehicle sold in the US (especially a high tech one) wouldn't have something as fundamental as AM radio. That's like not having cup holders.
 


macchiaz-o

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I'm surprised this was even a real question. I assumed the OP was just thinking out loud. I can't even imagine a vehicle sold in the US (especially a high tech one) wouldn't have something as fundamental as AM radio. That's like not having cup holders.
There really are cars that lack AM radio, though.

BMW i3:
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098893_bmw-i3-electric-car-quirk-no-am-radio--but-why

Tesla Model S and X owners can actually pay $2,500 to have their AM (and FM and satellite) radio removed:
https://www.tesla.com/support/infotainment

Tesla Model 3 and Y do not support AM radio. The first customers receiving Model 3s got them without support for FM radio or even Bluetooth audio streaming. Tesla pushed those features as an OTA update sometime after initial deliveries.
 

RyZt

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Tesla Model S and X owners can actually pay $2,500 to have their AM (and FM and satellite) radio removed:
https://www.tesla.com/support/infotainment
It may sound absurd. But There's reasonable technical explanations.

The newer AM/FM antennas in S/X communicate with the newer head unit using digital signals. The older AM/FM antennas in S/X communicate with the older head unit using analog signals. Therefore, if you retrofit older cars with the newer head unit, the head unit and the antennas become incompatible. Presumably, replacing the antennas is impractical because it requires tearing too many things apart.
 

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Yep. I don't listen as much as I used to, but AM radio is still a big deal here in Metro Detroit.
 

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I don't always listen to radio . . . but when I do, it is am.

Our local am station is the only one that carries the High School Football games here in Canton, OH, and if you don't think HS Football is a big deal here, you've never been here.

Seriously, I am in the same boat with Podcasts as some of the rest of you. 99% of what I listen to is Podcasts or Audible books. The Apple Podcast app does not give stats, but I listen to the shows on the Twit Network, The Daily, Serial, Freakanomics, Mindscape, if you love history all the Dan Carlin Podcasts, and now also inside EV's.

I have also been an Audible listener for a long time. I have 390 titles in my library. When I started this job 5 years ago and have a daily 100 mile total commute, I went to the 2 book a month subscription.

The interesting thing is that I hardly EVER listen to music in the car. When I do, it is when I am on some sort of a binge - Like a Queen binge after seeing Bohemian Rhapsody. Music is for when I am on my bike or working out.
 

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It may sound absurd. But There's reasonable technical explanations.

The newer AM/FM antennas in S/X communicate with the newer head unit using digital signals. The older AM/FM antennas in S/X communicate with the older head unit using analog signals. Therefore, if you retrofit older cars with the newer head unit, the head unit and the antennas become incompatible. Presumably, replacing the antennas is impractical because it requires tearing too many things apart.
you just made all that up so you could "say" head unit right? ;)
 

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Yep. Local news, weather, and traffic with one button push.

But I usually like to listen to the sound of the engine. Shift, crackle, pop!
 

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It may sound absurd. But There's reasonable technical explanations.

The newer AM/FM antennas in S/X communicate with the newer head unit using digital signals. The older AM/FM antennas in S/X communicate with the older head unit using analog signals. Therefore, if you retrofit older cars with the newer head unit, the head unit and the antennas become incompatible. Presumably, replacing the antennas is impractical because it requires tearing too many things apart.
This is puzzling. If the antennas are the same because they're impractical to access/replace, then those original antennas are still suitably designed for AM and FM reception.

It's also unlikely that the old AM/FM antennas are useful to any new capability of the new MCU (aside from AM/FM reception, but they specifically excluded that). The only new radio signal the manufacturer's page mentions is support for 5 GHz WiFi. Using antennas designed for vastly different wavelengths might work, but not well. More likely, the 5 GHz antenna is packaged somewhere near or inside the new MCU.
 

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Yes, most definitely, I use AM most of the time for local news, talk and sports. I hate using a smartphone as suggested with apps, just a pain changing channels. AM has so many commercials I am a station changer. I rarely listen to music in the car unless on a long trip.
 

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ChasingCoral

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I'm surprised this was even a real question. I assumed the OP was just thinking out loud. I can't even imagine a vehicle sold in the US (especially a high tech one) wouldn't have something as fundamental as AM radio. That's like not having cup holders.
Maybe. I use my cup holders all the time. AM, not so much.

Starting cranks used to be fundamental in cars too. In a few years we’ll say the same thing about gas tanks.
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