Today, Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Jim Farley announced a significant change in the company's approach regarding broadcast AM radio in its vehicles. Previously, Ford had not included AM radio in its electric vehicles and had plans to eliminate it from most new gasoline-powered vehicles starting in 2024. However, after discussions with policy leaders emphasizing the importance of AM broadcast radio as part of the emergency alert system, Ford decided to reverse its course.
In a tweet, Farley stated, "After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we've decided to include it on all 2024 @Ford & @LincolnMotorCo vehicles. For any owners of Ford EVs without AM broadcast capability, we'll offer a software update."
This change in stance by Ford comes in response to a bipartisan bill introduced by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and other U.S. lawmakers. The bill aims to mandate AM radio inclusion in new vehicles, countering the recent trend of EVs being manufactured without this feature. Auto makers have cited interference from EV motors as a challenge for AM signals.
Sen. Markey praised Ford for addressing the concerns of listeners, broadcasters, and emergency management officials who advocated for the retention of AM radio in vehicles. Markey stated, "Ford's reversal reflects an overdue realization about the importance of AM radio, but too many automakers are still going the wrong direction. Congress must pass my AM for Every Vehicle Act to maintain access to AM radio for years to come."
Back in March, Sen. Markey reached out to 20 car makers and found that eight of them had removed broadcast AM radio from their EVs. These companies included BMW, Ford, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo.
Many claim the REAL reason they were eliminating AM in their cars was due to major corporations caving to the radical woke.
What do YOU believe?