Ford Motor Company is not just phasing out AM radio in American-made vehicles - the move appears to be global.
Ford’s Canadian division says Canada will no longer have access to the AM band in upcoming vehicles. Radio Ink says it is the first confirmation that removing AM from dashboards will not be isolated to the U.S.
A Ford Canada spokesperson says all drivers have to do is link their phones to the vehicle’s entertainment system and stream the stations they are looking for, but given less than ideal data coverage in remote areas, this is not a viable option for many drivers.
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters says this marks another profound challenge to AM radio.
“It’s unfortunate that the assumption is made that internet streaming of stations will be a suitable substitute in remote Canadian areas,” the group says.
Canada has more than 180 AM radio stations.
