The user interface appeared to be the same on AM and FM although I was unable to find AM stations that showed me things like cover art or alternate channels but I did find HD AM channels. The other advantage that HD radio has is that with the digital song information provided the Model S can provide cool things like cover art that you can’t easily get on standard radio. From what i’ve read you can have 3 full HD channels at the same frequency and i’ve found stations in my area that offer that. In the photo i’m tuned into FM 102.5, but I have 2 stations there I can pick from, each playing something different but run by the same station. HD radio allows stations to offer multiple formats or programs at the same time on the same frequency. The Model S supports both “standard” and HD radio which embeds a digital signal in the AM or FM bands that provides extra information. Tesla has done a really nice job on building an interface to AM/FM radio in the Model S. Like many cars you can press to set/save a station for later. The seek right or left buttons search for stations with good signals. With the radio interface you get a standard tuning dial you can swipe your finger over to tune up or down bands. Tesla has done a really nice job on building an interface to AM and FM radio in the Model S. I’ll cover the standard radio offering in this post and the internet radio offering in my next post. With the radio offerings you can only change the channel.Īll that being said, as I settle into the Model S I wanted to explore every area and so I spent some time with both the standard and internet radio offerings.
With Slacker you can skip to the next song, pause the current song, and you can indicate that you like or dislike a song. With Slacker you have more input over your preferences and there are no ads. Thats one reason i’m a big fan of the Slacker internet music offering on the Model S. but delivery will take a year or more for new reservations.I’ve never been a huge radio or TV fan - I just can’t stand ads. According to its website, deliveries are beginning in the U.S. The Tesla 3 promises 220 miles of range on an electric charge. One thing seems likely: Concerns for radio managers about the design of car interiors is likely to get a lot hotter in the age of new designs as well as electric and autonomous driving. They were worried that when BMW earlier omitted AM reception from certain models, citing electrical noise concerns. Radio people, of course, are watching all such auto dashboard design developments with concern over their future prominence - or even presence. The Drive subsequently updated its story, saying Tesla has told it that any features missing but listed on the Model 3 website - which do include FM radio and Bluetooth media streaming - “will be activated soon via an over-the-air update.” But no mention of AM. However, early reports of specific car model features can be misleading or incomplete. There is satellite radio and podcasts galore …” The Verge also reported that Tesla was said to be negotiating with major labels about licensing a proprietary music service that would come bundled with its cars. “Another confusing aspect is the apparent lack of FM radio in the Model 3. Another media outlet, The Verge, described the situation a bit differently based on a peek at a video of a car demo. The vehicle notably uses a controversial and dramatically powerful touchscreen in place of physical controls even for functions like shifting, wipers and mirrors.Įarlier the automotive website The Drive had reported that Slacker Radio apparently was the only option at present for North American drivers, and that there was apparently no radio. The question came up via reports on automotive and consumer tech websites, asking about audio options on the car, marketed as a more affordable all-electric vehicle with a price tag starting at $35,000. But it appears that the car will have at least FM reception. The question of whether the new Tesla Model 3 has broadcast radio, or indeed other common audio features, has been swirling.