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Radio can still be the star of the car, but I don't necessarily agree with two aspects of the article.
First, the idea that AM radio should be phased out of car radios is wrong. Given that software defined radio ('SDR') can implement any kind of modulation system, beit AM, FM, DAB+ or DRM+, why not continue to include AM decoding? It is surely not expensive to implement SDR compared to putting in an envelope detector and other circuitry.
Removing AM radio from the car radio may apply to metropolitan areas where AM and FM broadcasts are simulcast on DAB+, but DAB+ is on VHF which does not go the distance if listening in non-metropolitan areas.
Sure there are AM-to-FM conversions in rural areas, but only where the ACMA's engineering advice allows for such conversions.
The idea of phasing out AM may apply in crowded areas such as Europe, where it may well be feasible to mandate the analogue AM and FM transmissions, BUT not in Australia.
At the moment, there is not much in favour of DRM+ modulation in by the industry in Australia despite being implemented in the MW, SW and VHF bands and delivering clear audio signals.
So the idea of phasing out AM in cars may not apply to Australia.
Secondly, the excuse to eliminate AM radio from hybrid and electric cars because the signals from the electric motors in the car's drive train interfering with AM reception is nothing but b/s.
I drive a hybrid car in the Sydney metropolitan area and occasionally listen to "The Voice of Charity" broadcast from a 500W transmitter at Mt Druitt at 1701kHz.
A hybrid car's motion can be provided by either an electric motor or petrol motor or battery power or a combination of petrol and electric. The contribution of the car's engine, battery and electric motor can be monitored on the infotainment unit's screen.
There is no difference in the reception quality whether the car is using the battery, engine or electric motor.
Therefore the idea that receiving AM transmissions is a problem on a hybrid car is pure b/s. An SDR implementation of any modulation system would not be an economic burden compared to building a receiver from discrete electronic components.
A final remark. The idea of implementing IP radio in a car has been discussed before on this site, The three concerns are (i) implement IP-oriented content may come as a cost to consuming data when IP data is delivered through the mobile phone networks, (ii) mobile phone coverage may be patchy if travelling long distances between towns, (iii) disable any interactivity where IP radio is concerned while driving because drivers should concentrate on the road. Taking attention away from concentrating on the road may be fatal. So disable interaction with the radio while driving in the same way as disabling videos from a car's infotainment units. Then (iv) there should be a privacy button to stop other party's from snooping in whether by legal or person-in-the-middle attacks.
Conclusion: I don't agree with the idea of phasing out AM demodulation in cars especially when travelling between towns. AM radio can be easily implemented by SDR so should not be an economic burden to build a comprehensive infotainment unit. The idea that hybrid and electric cars have AM removed is pure b/s. From my experience I have not noticed any degradation of signal quality while listening to a low-powered AM station in a metropolitan area while the hybrid car's electric motors were operating. Finally, IP radio may be fine, but may not work in areas where mobile coverage is patchy in metropolitan and rural areas. IP radio delivered by mobile phone networks may be costly depending on the data plan, and the driver should be able to control the amount of privacy.
Thank you,
Anthony, broad sweeping concepts may not apply to Australia, Belfield, in the land of the Wangal and Darug Peoples of the Eora Nation