Best and worst car audio systems: Kia tops the ranking, Tesla and BMW fail
19 May 2023 · News · Technology News
Now that Ford, Holden and Toyota have ceased manufacturing cars in Australia, there is only the option of buying new cars made overseas, where some markets have moved away from AM.
By contrast, Austr...
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Discovered last week during an extended test drive of a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: excellent audio system, but there is no way to tune the radio to a station that isn't where you are - you can only seek to a station that is strong enough for the radio's pleasure. Really??
Yes, it was impossible for me to pre-tune to stations that I knew would be appearing down the road. Since I was being sent to check some transmitters, edge-of-coverage assessments on approach was kind of important, and the car wouldn't let me do that. Inability to pre-tune would be a trivial issue for most buyers, but... well, listening to stations is part of my job as a broadcast engineer. Do I want to buy a car that might not help my employability?
Thought bubble: in Australia, how important is AM reception to regional residents? In a country with large distances between towns, I fully concur with giving non-AM-capable radios the thumbs-down. Additional check for the ranking: how many stations can you store in the radio, and does the tuner have an auto-seek function? The Outlander: only 12, and no. BAH! Not happy. Might not buy it after all.
Greetings Radio People,
"First time commenter, long time reader"
As a motoring columnist and 40 year radio person, I can assure you there is nothing about "radios", or lack thereof, in cars of the future, to fear.
We will simply "talk" to our car, then be immediately directed to a radio station/program of choice.
The tech is here now; will only improve in ways we can yet fully imagine.
I for one cant wait.......
"Nothing to fear, but fear itself". Enjoy the ride.
Tony McManus
6PR Perth
I have been consistent in my view that one should not believe the rhetoric that AM is ditched from EV cars because of electrical interference from electric motors affecting AM reception.
The Kia EV6 is all electric and has all three methods of demodulation of broadcast radio signals!
It is also ironic that a petrol engined BMW i118 has no FM reception. FM is resistent to electrical interference.
So much for the rhetoric which is all bull!*@t!
It would be difficult to replace the fitted infotainment system with an aftermarket radio with all three three demodulators especially if (1) it may not interface with the car's engine management and (2) there may be aesthetic issues with the radio unit fashioned to the aesthetics of the car's dashboard. Also (3) there may be no antenna in the car in the car's rear window or on the roof.
Thank you
Anthony, my Camry Hybrid has all three methods of demodulation but is not listed above, Belfield in the land of the Wangal and Darug Peoples of the Eora Nation