No real AM or FM radio in the R2

[chrismc]

Folks seem to be missing an important aspect of the streaming “FM radio”, which is the fact that it is an absolutely miserably shitty user experience if you are in a marginal/weak cell area with slow data (I’ve seen this with TuneIn on my R1T). When the cell data rate is too slow to keep up with the audio stream rate, the service will be constantly dropping the stream and rebuffering. Every time that happens, you get to re-enjoy the pre-roll ads yet again. It just plain sucks and I end up just turning the stereo off and listening to the wind and tire noise as it’s less jarring.

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[SwampNut]

My post clearly says USB-C.

Yes, that part also makes no sense. You seem to have a lot of ideas mixed up.

 

[Longreach]

Folks seem to be missing an important aspect of the streaming “FM radio”, which is the fact that it is an absolutely miserably shitty user experience if you are in a marginal/weak cell area with slow data (I’ve seen this with TuneIn on my R1T). When the cell data rate is too slow to keep up with the audio stream rate, the service will be constantly dropping the stream and rebuffering. Every time that happens, you get to re-enjoy the pre-roll ads yet again. It just plain sucks and I end up just turning the stereo off and listening to the wind and tire noise as it’s less jarring.

This is so true… and everyone knows it (although some won’t admit it).

These is no way pre-rolls, inserted commercials, paid services, reconnections, dongles, hot spots, phone streaming, portable radios or whatever workarounds proposed can in any way, shape or form be better than simply turning on the car and instantly listening to your favorite station via the radio.

And having a radio does not prevent streaming users from accessing their preferred services, so it’s inexplicable why so many streaming users feel compelled to condemn or criticise those who do prefer to listen to the radio.

Mainstream owners still use their radio, so there’s bound to be warranty problems when drivers keep bringing in their R2 because the ”apparent radio” keeps cutting out. Not to mention potential class action suits because Rivian’s user interface implied there actually was a radio.

Removing the radio will prove to be a very short sighted mistake on Rivian's part.

 

[MajorVex]

Super bummed. First thing I do when I get in my Tesla is tune into KGLT - a fantastic local (non-NPR) radio that station that plays mixed programming of great music all day.

non-NPR
hehe, no love-:

I guess we gonna have to break out a razor blade, some wire, a battery an and an old speaker to make our own receivers. Progress.

 

[rfkxyz]

Crappy way to save a few bucks even though over 50% of potential buyers could care less.

Probably not a deal breaker but to me it sucks.

Removing the radio will prove to be a very short sighted mistake on Rivian's part.

Its a miscue on mass-market vehicle, if only for the negative vibe its creating. For me, less about AM/FM but rather lack of XM antenna/receiver for our 'adventures' (Boy Scout campouts away from cell towers). Had no idea R1 skipped this too until very recently. Poor choice for cost-cutting.

Another miss is the only size of BFG T-T T/A+ that's not 3PMSF comes w/ Perf AT. Many may not care, but if you're tuned-in on tires (sorry for radio reference, but not really) then it matters.

Another miss is removal of amber rear turn signals which are known to be safer. They had them, and then they removed them -

Stock closed Mon at $16.68, down 87% all-time. Rivian needs to stop doing stupid stuff.

 

[chococar]

I also don't like this. Maybe someone can put together some simple kits for olde skool receivers and/or satellite. Adventure folks aren't always in good cell reception areas, especially since it is AT&T only AFAIK.

 

[rfkxyz]

I also don't like this. Maybe someone can put together some simple kits for olde skool receivers and/or satellite. Adventure folks aren't always in good cell reception areas

 

[SteveInBend]

Super bummed. First thing I do when I get in my Tesla is tune into KGLT - a fantastic local (non-NPR) radio that station that plays mixed programming of great music all day. Nice to have a free airwaves/no app/no subscription. Crappy way to save a few bucks even though over 50% of potential buyers could care less.

I will do another demo and see if I can connect as some have suggested.

Probably not a deal breaker but to me it sucks. When traveling it is sometimes nice to just find local radio especially in university towns/cities.

KGLT 91.9 is available via TuneIn. As others have said, you might get an ad when first selecting the station but shouldn't have more after that.

 

[usulio]

Such a slap in the face to buy an expensive car and have it play an ad to you every time it starts (especially when you were going to listen to an ad-free station).

Stock closed Mon at $16.68, down 87% all-time. Rivian needs to stop doing stupid stuff.

I love my R1S, but so many frustrating cases where they over-think, over-engineer, or reinvent the wheel instead of using the simple way that works. Then there is shortsighted cost cutting like the radio or capacitive exterior buttons. Designers seem to need someone with common sense to reign them in sometimes.

 

[NY_Rob]

Yes, it's idiotic they can't just have a 1 buck receiver.

It's the "let's be the coolest" effect.... where you just look stupid.

IMO, it's more due to the fact that they have 20 something year olds designing vehicles nowadays. We have quite a few family members (including my own kids) between 20-30 years of age and I've never been in one of their vehicles where they were listening to FM radio. It's always a streaming service 100% of the time. It's like they don't even know FM radio exists, so if there was ever a design discussion on "do we need FM radio?" we already know how that meeting ended.

 

[SwampNut]

I love my R1S, but so many frustrating cases where they over-think, over-engineer, or reinvent the wheel instead of using the simple way that works.

This is why we chose the Rivian over the others. We got in the Lightning and thought, "Grandpa's truck, nope!" If someone told me that stupid throwback was my dad's 90s F250, I would believe them. And the Chevy is more of a joke. Then the Dodge, that never appeared, but had more old-think than a 747.

We will never improve if we're willing to accept things that "just" work without looking at how they could work better.

IMO, it's more due to the fact that they have 20 something year olds designing vehicles nowadays. We have quite a few family members (including my own kids) between 20-30 years of age and I've never been in one of their vehicles where they were listening to FM radio. It's always a streaming service 100% of the time. It's like they don't even know FM radio exists, so if there was ever a design discussion on "do we need FM radio?" we already know how that meeting ended.

I'm 61 and thought that FM died 25 years ago when we got MP3 players so we're not stuck with the stupid ads and talking head idiots.

 

[Jeremy3292]

IMO, it's more due to the fact that they have 20 something year olds designing vehicles nowadays. We have quite a few family members (including my own kids) between 20-30 years of age and I've never been in one of their vehicles where they were listening to FM radio. It's always a streaming service 100% of the time. It's like they don't even know FM radio exists, so if there was ever a design discussion on "do we need FM radio?" we already know how that meeting ended.

The chief design officer is 46 years of age. Boomers have largely all retired now and the vacuum is being filled by millennials and Gen X. Rivian, like Tesla, is a tech focused car company. There are plenty of legacy OEM's with FM radio. That's not Rivian's target demographic.

Younger people - generally millennials - are the ones buying EV's, not older people. That's just the facts of sales numbers for EV's, not my personal opinion. There's always subsets of generations that buy outside of their demographic, but it's small numbers compared to those moving sales needles.

 

[LevelHeaded]

The chief design officer is 46 years of age. Boomers have largely all retired now and the vacuum is being filled by millennials and Gen X. Rivian, like Tesla, is a tech focused car company. There are plenty of legacy OEM's with FM radio. That's not Rivian's target demographic.

Why did they go through the engineering effort to make AM and FM interfaces for Internet streaming then? “That’s not their target demographic”

Teslas have FM tuners. I don’t believe any other manufacturer omits the FM tuner in their automobiles in the US.

 

[Jeremy3292]

Why did they go through the engineering effort to make AM and FM interfaces for Internet streaming then? “That’s not their target demographic”

Bc compromise.

 

[NY_Rob]

The chief design officer is 46 years of age. Boomers have largely all retired now and the vacuum is being filled by millennials and Gen X. Rivian, like Tesla, is a tech focused car company. There are plenty of legacy OEM's with FM radio. That's not Rivian's target demographic.

Yeah, Max is 46yo, but his underlings and sub-system designers are considerably younger. One was mentioning that he was in his mid 20's, doesn't own a vehicle (I don't remember if he said he even had a drivers license?) and takes a bus to work every day.

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