Big Tech is ripping radios out of cars, and if you think that’s just progress, think again. This isn’t about sleek dashboards or “upgraded” software — it’s about control. Control over what you hear, when you hear it, and whether or not you get to hear it at all. And surprise, surprise the people who will decide this are the same, notoriously left-wing tech overlords and corporate cronies that already decide what stories pops up in your feed.
Tesla has already yanked AM radio out of some of its models. Now it’s FM’s turn. The Model 3 and Model Y, their so-called “entry-level” cars, are being stripped of AM and FM radio altogether. Meanwhile, General Motors is disabling Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — you know, the stuff people actually like — in favor of their own Big Brother-style infotainment system. Translation: You’ll use what they tell you to use–AND you’ll have to pay them for it.
And don’t buy the spin. This isn’t about innovation. It’s about building a walled garden where only approved content gets through. Just like Facebook and Google already do on the internet, now your car’s dashboard will become one more place where freedom of information gets filtered, reshaped, or flat-out blocked.
It’s also a safety issue. When disaster strikes and your cell service is toast, AM and FM radio are still there. Emergency alerts? Weather warnings? Local updates? All coming through the good old car radio–until next year that is.
Thankfully, there’s a bill in Congress — the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act — and it’s got bipartisan support. Which is saying something these days. Call your lawmakers and tell them to pass it before Big Tech turns every car into a censorship machine on wheels.