I owned two teslas (current owner of one) and the AM problem isn’t as bad as you think. My old model S had AM on it. It was usable just not in deep fringe. The model Y that I have now doesn’t have AM but the RFI problem isn’t as bad as people think. There’s more RFI from older ICE cars than in a tesla. In fact the newer teslas have gotten better, not worse.

I suspect though that tesla wants to get rid of radio, period, to cut costs since streaming is essentially “free” in the infotainment system. The cellular and wifi radios are there, as are the other parts to stream audio. Tesla charged $500 extra for a radio module when replacing the infotainment system in the older model S. It is a real cost for them.

Ria

We know the real story (problem) here is that those vehicles cannot suppress the RFI they generate. In the range .5 MHz to 1.5 MHz (and other parts of the spectrum) they are individual RFI polluters. AM radios lasting value to the public is information dissemination, not music anymore.

Bob Famiglio, K3RF

Director - ARRL Atlantic Division

610-359-7300

Serving NNY, WNY, WPA, EPA, SNJ, DE and MD/DC sections

www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF

From: arrl-odv <arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org> On Behalf Of Morine, Bill, N2COP (VD, RK)
Sent: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 3:19 PM
To: arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org
Subject: [arrl-odv:34644] Seven Former FEMA Administrators say Ford & Tesla Should Not Remove AM Radios

Dear ODV Members:

I regret this story is behind the Wall Street Journal’s paywall, but seven former FEMA administrators have sent a petition to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg asking that Ford and Tesla not drop AM radio from their electric vehicles. https://www.wsj.com/articles/electric-vehicles-need-am-radio-former-emergency-officials-argue-9e69e297

Among the former FEMA Directors saying access to AM radio in emergencies is critical is ARRL member Craig Fugate, KK4INZ.

73 de Bill Morine

Roanoke Division Vice Director