1 of 1- RadioActive
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Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
Last year, a story surfaced about several automakers in Europe testing the idea of charging car owners for features that are built into their vehicles - like heated seats - but won't work unless they pay a monthly subscription to keep them running.
Fast forward to 2023, and at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, there are whispers about manufacturers pondering whether to charge future car buyers to keep their built-in AM/FM radios working. Not SiriusXM - a regular, run-of-the-mill free-to-air broadcast radio, the kind that have been standard in automobiles since at least the 50s.
A public backlash kept the "seats service" from progressing too far, but now they're back at it. I can honestly say I would never buy any car from a manufacturer that tries this blackmail, but what would happen if they all went this route? Would you be willing to pay a monthly fee to be able to turn on your car radio? I can only wonder what broadcasters would think of this idea.
Some auto makers moving toward making free, over-the-air AM/FM radio in vehicles a “pay to play” feature
- Chrisphen
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
They can take a long autopilot drive off the shortest pier.
- The Weed
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
I'd be looking at a car that had the option of no radio and having my own installed.
- RadioActive
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
The Weed wrote:
I'd be looking at a car that had the option of no radio and having my own installed.
And you know what? If the automotive industry were to take this position as a group, I'm sure you would see an entire industry of relatively cheap "radio only" installers pop up to remove the non-working device from cars and install a different one that would bypass this "subscription service."
If it ever came to pass, I can't help but wonder who would make the money - the manufacturers or the aftermarket?
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Thread Starter- Glen Warren
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
Q: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
A: No.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
Is there a Canadian equivalent to this article? Is this just an American thing? Or will Canadian car companies follow suit?
- Radio Bob
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They can take a long autopilot drive off the shortest pier.
Puh-leez. "Autopilot" is so 20th century. It's now called autonomous driving.
- radiokid
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hmmm want to push people off broadcast for good... do this.. Ask cable how this is working out for them in 2023? Hell even the ONTV network in the usa with pay tv over the air, that flopped huge! Not sure how they would expect people to accept this.
I think people will just bring their own systems into the car if they take that choice OR pick cars that have a normal free option if they care that strongly..
Last edited by radiokid (January 6, 2023 8:11 pm)
- RadioAaron
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
Is there a Canadian equivalent to this article? Is this just an American thing? Or will Canadian car companies follow suit?
Canadian car companies?
- Radiowiz
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
Is there a Canadian equivalent to this article? Is this just an American thing? Or will Canadian car companies follow suit?
Canadian car companies?
Oh sorry, I mean cars that are made here, as in places like Oshawa or something...
Or maybe just dealerships here in general, regardless.
Last edited by Radiowiz (January 6, 2023 8:09 pm)
- turkeytop
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
Why stop at that?
A subscription to unlock the doors.
A subscription to start the engine.
A subscription to run the AC.
There's no limit to the possibilities for sucking money from the drivers of their product.
After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
- Tomas Barlow
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
I have heard that some optional features like heated seats and heated steering wheels will be included on every car in order to make the manufacturing process more uniform and cheaper but you'll have to buy subscriptions to activate them.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Would You Pay A Subscription To Run The AM/FM Radio In Your Car?
I have heard that some optional features like heated seats and heated steering wheels will be included on every car in order to make the manufacturing process more uniform and cheaper but you'll have to buy subscriptions to activate them.
This isn't radio, but yeah, Toyota is finding a new way to make money: