AM FM radio in Cybertruck?

[HaulingAss]

I wish Tesla had XM radio, pretty inexcusable for a $120k vehicle to not have AM or XM. I could live with one of these options, but having neither stinks. I'm often in areas with no cell signal, it turns into a pretty crappy drive in a Tesla.

I assume this is an upcharge tactic to sell more Starlink. One of the reasons I tend to chose to drive my Lightning over my Model 3 is XM/AM radio.

I think it's odd to claim it's inexcusable for Tesla to not have AM radio and XM satellite. If people actually cared about those things, Tesla wouldn't have the best selling car in the world, the Model Y.

Consumers vote with their pocketbook, if you don't like what Tesla offers, buy another brand. So far consumers have voted for no AM and no XM by making the Cybertruck the most pre-ordered vehicle in automotive history and the Model Y the best-selling vehicle of 2023. It seems new car buyers don't want what you think they want, maybe you are living in the past.

Sponsored

 

[CyberGus]

I think it's odd to claim it's inexcusable for Tesla to not have AM radio and XM satellite. If people actually cared about those things, Tesla wouldn't have the best selling car in the world, the Model Y.

Consumers vote with their pocketbook, if you don't like what Tesla offers, buy another brand. So far consumers have voted for no AM and no XM by making the Cybertruck the most pre-ordered vehicle in automotive history and the Model Y the best-selling vehicle of 2023. It seems new car buyers don't want what you think they want, maybe you are living in the past.

It's odd to believe that a statistically significant number of buyers would make a purchase decision based solely on the radio. AM radio, no less.

 

[Crissa]

Yea, but the 10 kHz wide AM channel is small compared to the 150 kHz FM channel.

But it can fit multiple HD channels inside it, plus piggyback packets.

Regrettably, a lot of caching rules are dictated by legal agreements. The "free" services are mostly like to have issues, since caching can require higher license fees.

This is when the client should lie to the service.

-Crissa

 

[HaulingAss]

It's odd to believe that a statistically significant number of buyers would make a purchase decision based solely on the radio. AM radio, no less.

Exactly! People are buying a car or a truck. Tesla would only worry about not including it if they were losing too many sales due to that decision. They have to weigh the cost of including it against how many buyers they might lose.

 

[CyberGus]

Exactly! People are buying a car or a truck. Tesla would only worry about not including it if they were losing too many sales due to that decision. They have to weigh the cost of including it against how many buyers they might lose.

Engineering choices are driven by the promise of sales, but it is not the only factor.

I mean, look at the shape ffs lol

 

[Cybertruck2024]

I think it's odd to claim it's inexcusable for Tesla to not have AM radio and XM satellite. If people actually cared about those things, Tesla wouldn't have the best selling car in the world, the Model Y.

Consumers vote with their pocketbook, if you don't like what Tesla offers, buy another brand. So far consumers have voted for no AM and no XM by making the Cybertruck the most pre-ordered vehicle in automotive history and the Model Y the best-selling vehicle of 2023. It seems new car buyers don't want what you think they want, maybe you are living in the past.

Model Y is an upscale vehicle in quality and price. CT at $120k is priced against luxury vehicles. I'm not mad my M3 doesn't have AM or XM, you get what you pay for when you shop at a discount. MY falls into the same category.

Tesla has an issue being known as a "California car," this is one of those things that doesn't matter much when you're in a city. "Just stream" doesn't work in the middle of nowhere. The fact my Lightning has working AM and is an EV means the interference issue must have a workaround. Streaming XM through my phone in a Tesla is fine... until I have no signal in rural areas and I'm in silence. Likely another reason people in the sticks aren't lining up to buy Teslas. Why do you think other brands beat Tesla regionally? They don't have the features people want outside of cities.

 

[Woodrick]

Model Y is an upscale vehicle in quality and price. CT at $120k is priced against luxury vehicles. I'm not mad my M3 doesn't have AM or XM, you get what you pay for when you shop at a discount. MY falls into the same category.

Tesla has an issue being known as a "California car," this is one of those things that doesn't matter much when you're in a city. "Just stream" doesn't work in the middle of nowhere. The fact my Lightning has working AM and is an EV means the interference issue must have a workaround. Streaming XM through my phone in a Tesla is fine... until I have no signal in rural areas and I'm in silence. Likely another reason people in the sticks aren't lining up to buy Teslas. Why do you think other brands beat Tesla regionally? They don't have the features people want outside of cities.

Price doesn't make the definition of a luxury vehicle. I wouldn't call sports cars, luxury vehicles, they are priced higher.

Tesla decided to drop Sirius/XM over 6 years ago.

 

[Cybertruck2024]

Price doesn't make the definition of a luxury vehicle. I wouldn't call sports cars, luxury vehicles, they are priced higher.

Tesla decided to drop Sirius/XM over 6 years ago.

I've owned German luxury vehicles and I've owned Buicks. I tell anyone looking at Tesla M3 or MY it's much more comparable to a Buick then a BMW. There's the acceleration per dollar and general driving experience which is top of its class, which is what separates things amongst similarly priced cars. But then there's the no frills aspect of the vehicle, like no AM/XM which make it feel lesser than a Buick. I drove a Regal 15 years ago that was nicer inside than my M3.

 

[Jimbo Ringo]

I do not think that we disagree except that you appear to be ok with jettisoning AM without an existing replacement, and I am not. SOLVE the problem; don’t hypothesize a solution. You are sounding like a researcher, and I say that with all due respect. What we need is a policy, a plan, and funding to see it through. Given Washington the way it is now I suspect that AM will vibe around a long time. The big question is whether Washington will mandate auto makers to support AM. That would be an easy out for politicians and really sad. SNAFU :-(

No 8 Track or Cassette Player as well! Plenty of AM stations, for those that do it, on digital sources from the Tesla computer. Teslas do not have a separate radio. Old AM radio frequencies subject to motor electronic noise Interfearance.

 

[rudedawg78]

I'm just as upset that they didn't have a phonograph built into the center console

You think we will eventually have an 8-track accessory option? I sure do hope so.

 

[Cybertruck 1974]

Woah. The back screen can’t play movies while in motion? My kids are not going to be happy on road trips ?

it can and does. also the CT has games you can play while driving so kids will be very happy which means parents very happy. lol

 

[Woodrick]

it can and does. also the CT has games you can play while driving so kids will be very happy which means parents very happy. lol

Just a little semantics clarification.

"also the CT has games that the kids can play while you are driving so kids will be very happy which means parents very happy"

You the driver can't play. Heck the vehicle won't even move out of neutral with a game up on the front console.

 

[HaulingAss]

Likely another reason people in the sticks aren't lining up to buy Teslas. Why do you think other brands beat Tesla regionally? They don't have the features people want outside of cities.

Tesla doesn't go out of their way to cater to new car buyers in the sticks. Most people in the sticks buy used cars, people in the suburbs and cities are the ones with money to afford new car purchases. The real issue is the population density is so low in the sticks, very few potential customers, even if they did have plenty of money to spend on new car purchases.

Think about it, spending extra money on every car to cater to less than 5% of the market would be the definition of insanity. I'm a rural person who largely travels between a small town and an even more remote town on a dead-end road with a population less than 300 people that lacks any cellular service for miles. I just download Hi-Fi versions of the music I love from Tidal and put them on a 500 GB SSD. Sounds better, never have to worry about buffering.

I don't want to know what people on the radio are saying, for the most part they add nothing you need to know. A real waste of time. I would rather listen to a high-quality podcast or some really excellent music in Hi-Fi.

How about that stereo in the Cybertruck? From all reports, it sounds like it might be one of the best sounding stereos available in a stock vehicle today, at any price, with recording studio sound dynamics. Two large subwoofers, rich, clear, dimensional sound with excellent volume, it would be a real shame to waste that on AM with a bunch of idiots talking in your ear. ?

 

[HaulingAss]

You think we will eventually have an 8-track accessory option? I sure do hope so.

We can only hope there will be an 8-track option! I'm a modern guy so I won't miss the lack of phonograph! I like the 8-track tape hiss and cross-channel bleed you can't get with other formats. The best part is when it changes tracks in the middle of the song, that 1 second drop out and then that satisfying mechanical clunk. I miss it so much when listening to a cassette tape because you learn to expect the dropout at specific point of certain songs and it's such a letdown when it doesn't happen!

 

[Cybertruck 1974]

Just a little semantics clarification.

"also the CT has games that the kids can play while you are driving so kids will be very happy which means parents very happy"

You the driver can't play. Heck the vehicle won't even move out of neutral with a game up on the front console.

Yep, kids can play, aka in back.

Sponsored