The author of this commentary is the publisher of Inside Music Media, where this commentary first appeared. Subscription info can be found here.
It doesn’t have a radio — not even a touchscreen — and it doesn’t even have paint, but the stripped-down new $20,000 electric Slate Truck, backed by Jeff Bezos and other big-name investors, is betting that forcing radio out of the dashboard to save consumers money will be a winner.
- As of now, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act requiring all new cars to include AM radio at no extra cost has not yet passed Congress — the legislation remains stalled with no immediate vote scheduled.
- Loophole alert: Manufacturers producing fewer than 40,000 vehicles annually like Slate Auto would have a four-year compliance window from the rule’s effective date — to incorporate AM radio into their vehicles unless they adjust their rollout schedule or the legislation does not pass.
- Ironically, the AM bill does not mandate FM.
- Even a last-minute industry “Hail Mary” may be too late to preserve radio’s hallowed home — the dashboard.
No frills, no radio
- The Slate Truck includes a built-in universal phone mount on the dashboard to hold a phone or tablet that the driver supplies – this “bring your own technology” could catch on with consumers if they like not paying for infotainment centers.
- The vehicle also provides USB power, allowing drivers to charge their device while using it for navigation, music or other functions available on a phone or tablet.
- By omitting built-in infotainment systems, Slate reduces manufacturing costs and complexity, passing those savings on to consumers.
- Notable: There is substantial research indicating that many car buyers are dissatisfied with current complex digital infotainment systems.
Consumer Sentiment
- They are frustrated with complex infotainment systems, preferring the simplicity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (J.D. Power 2024 TXI Study).
- Built-in infotainment systems, even in luxury cars, often frustrate drivers, while simpler setups in mainstream brands earn higher satisfaction. (Consumer Reports).
- Nearly 90% of drivers prefer physical buttons over touchscreen controls, citing better safety and ease of use. (What Car? Study).
What it means
- The fancy dashboard revolution is actually annoying a lot of drivers, adding to the pressure to eliminate some features.
- Even though nothing is simpler than the old dashboard radio, recent studies indicate that many car buyers prefer smartphone integration systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto over traditional built-in radios (or complex infotainment systems).
- Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen and Ford have dropped AM radio from certain EVs, citing technical interference from electric drivetrains.
- Mazda and Volvo have scaled back AM availability.
- Automakers see cutting traditional radio as a way to reduce costs, simplify vehicle electronics and prioritize features most drivers actually use.
- It’s not the end of the world, it’s the beginning of yet another manufacturer attempting to do away with car radios.
- The significance of new stripped-down models like the Slate Truck is that, despite political attempts to save car radio, manufacturers seem to be proceeding with plans to go the opposite way.
The bottom line: The bigger threat isn’t that radio disappears physically — it’s that it becomes irrelevant and that’s a fight radio stations should be having now, not firing personalities and delocalizing stations.
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[Related: “The Satellite Radio Time Bomb“]
