- The R2 model will receive radio through the iHeartRadio app
- Customers have reported possible problems with mobile signal.
- More and more automakers are phasing out radio tuners in their vehicles
Several automakers have begun phasing out AM and FM radio tuners from their vehicles, instead relying on connected apps to tune to digital and FM radio channels.
Tesla abandoned FM and AM tuners in some of its new cars this year, while BMW, Volkswagen and Mazda began removing AM radio tuners in the early 2020s, citing interference from electric powertrains.
It turns out that Rivian, the maker of rugged electric off-road vehicles, will be joining that growing list of manufacturers that don’t ship models with an AM or FM tuner, as eagle-eyed Internet sleuths discovered that the latest R2 uses an iHeartRadio app for its music, news, and radio-based entertainment.
The news emerged after an image of an owner’s manual began circulating on Reddit forums, which appeared to show a list of media sources offered by the R2, but FM radio was not among them.
Some off-road enthusiasts have voiced complaints about the decisions, stating that cellular signal is often spotty or sometimes nonexistent in remote areas, while emergency broadcasts and road-specific information are still transmitted on AM carrier waves.
“I listen to sports radio shows, and while I can access them via bluetooth on my phone through an app, sometimes I just want to listen to them live in the car while I’m out for a quick ride,” one Reddit user commented.
While another said: “You do realize that large areas of this country still don’t have data coverage, right?”
Analysis: Rivian could alienate buyers
In 2023, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation to prohibit automakers from removing AM radio broadcasting in their new vehicles, citing that the law undermines a federal system for delivering key public safety information to the public, according to PakGazette.
The bill hasn’t passed yet, but numbers suggest traditional radio listeners are declining, and Edison Research found that AM/FM radio’s share of ad-supported in-car audio fell from 90% in 2019 to 83% in 2025.
The picture is even bleaker for AM radio in the UK and Europe: the BBC reports that fewer than 100 stations across Europe still carry AM services. The BBC is even closing its Radio 4 Long Wave service after almost 100 years of broadcasting.
That said, Europe has made the switch to digital (or DAB) radio much faster than the United States, where AM radio remains popular. According to data from Nielsen, about 82.3 million Americans still listen to AM radio each month, which is roughly one in three radio listeners in the United States.
The decision to remove the Rivian R2’s traditional radio tuners might not exactly affect the younger demographic Rivian is targeting, but it could still limit its appeal to a broader audience, one that may be considering trading in an older gas-powered 4×4 or pickup truck for something modern and electric.
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