Need FM Radio

[cvollers]

I’ve had a few folks tell me to just stick with FM for the audio setup—but I’m curious what the rest of you think. Personally, I don’t use FM or AM much anymore—I’m all about streaming—but I know some of you still love the analog charm.

If adding AM means another knob or switch (and a bump in cost), is it really worth it? Would love to hear what you use and why. Is there still a place for AM in a modern build?

AM sports radio is just about the only reason I switch the radio on. For FM it’s NPR for jazz, news, and All Things Considered. Otherwise I can stream any music I can find on FM and do it without commercials.

 

[AngryMedic]

[/QUOTE]
I would 100% take one, and I am not a boomer. can we make that center dial be a push to turn on and off? e-ink display an option, I honestly do not know.

 

[SlateModGarage]

I would 100% take one, and I am not a boomer. can we make that center dial be a push to turn on and off? e-ink display an option, I honestly do not know.
[/QUOTE]

That’s exactly what I was thinking—keep it simple. A black-and-white screen with white text, and a large knob that you press to cycle through options. Hold the knob to power off, and a single press to turn it back on. The knob would also control both volume and tuning.

Here’s how the full control flow could work, all with just that one knob:

• Rotate (Default): Adjust volume, tune stations, or scroll presets depending on the current mode.
• Short Press: Cycles through modes—Volume, FM, Bluetooth, (optional AM), and Presets.
• Long Press: Powers the unit off. One tap turns it back on.
• Preset Programming: Handled via a phone app—clean, easy, and customizable.

No extra buttons, no clutter—just a clean, minimal control that feels great to use. If this ends up working like I hope, it could be one of the slickest parts of the dash.

that is what I was thinking. Simple. Black and white screen with screen letters white and push the big knob to flip through option and hold knob to turn off and one press to turn back on. Knob then would control stations and volme

 

[cvollers]

I would 100% take one, and I am not a boomer. can we make that center dial be a push to turn on and off? e-ink display an option, I honestly do not know.

That’s exactly what I was thinking—keep it simple. A black-and-white screen with white text, and a large knob that you press to cycle through options. Hold the knob to power off, and a single press to turn it back on. The knob would also control both volume and tuning.

Here’s how the full control flow could work, all with just that one knob:

• Rotate (Default): Adjust volume, tune stations, or scroll presets depending on the current mode.
• Short Press: Cycles through modes—Volume, FM, Bluetooth, (optional AM), and Presets.
• Long Press: Powers the unit off. One tap turns it back on.
• Preset Programming: Handled via a phone app—clean, easy, and customizable.

No extra buttons, no clutter—just a clean, minimal control that feels great to use. If this ends up working like I hope, it could be one of the slickest parts of the dash.

that is what I was thinking. Simple. Black and white screen with screen letters white and push the big knob to flip through option and hold knob to turn off and one press to turn back on. Knob then would control stations and volme

Do you have a business that manufactures these types of things or are you just providing ideas for Slate?

 

[SlateModGarage]

I work in the smart home tech world. So I have connections with manufacturers overseas so finding this stuff and getting made is easy. The app side is the hardest part for me to find someone to do. My hope is I have like severalproducts I can come out with like this for the slate truck and sell them on a little e-com site. I have reservations for 5 and with some 3d scanners we can get some cool stuff done.

 

[Adam W]

In this interview, the CEO Chris Barman casually stated that the center dash opening is sized for a double din head unit. First time I heard that info. So AM/FM/Tape/CD is no problem, just BYOR. (Bring your own radio)

I might have to invest in a new CD folio and keep a book of burned bootlegs in the truck like it's 1999.

 

[cvollers]

In this interview, the CEO Chris Barman casually stated that the center dash opening is sized for a double din head unit. First time I heard that info. So AM/FM/Tape/CD is no problem, just BYOR. (Bring your own radio)

I might have to invest in a new CD folio and keep a book of burned bootlegs in the truck like it's 1999.

Maybe a double din head unit mounting kit (complete with wiring harness) will get added to the accessory portfolio. It’s something I would think about getting along with some nice speakers and a sub under the passenger seat.

 

[SlateEVconvert]

Slate: Develop a basic single speaker radio we can plug into the center dashboard. Thank you

Totally agree. The extent of needed features for me is-
Operating Windows
Heat and AC
FM radio.
If the seat is only positionable once and it fits my butt, don’t need even need a sliding seat.

 

[Letas]

I trust you have a phone? iTunes, for example, is free. Why not just Bluetooth to the accessory speakers.

Bluetooth is great for speakers. It’s portable, relatively easy to use, can connect to multiple devices.

But it’s such a no-go in a car. Needs to be charged, connect every time, easily interfered with. Hardwired speakers are the only permanent solution in any car

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Slate: Develop a basic single speaker radio we can plug into the center dashboard. Thank you

I believe Slate has said they are designing the dashboard to have easy installation of a double din aftermarket radio. Then you have the option of the Bluetooth Speaker mount for your own speaker or their built in premium speakers option.

 

[Luxrage]

I'm no boomer or gen-X'er, I was 100% laser targeted by that flower-stickered Slate and that pickleball video, but I'm 100% on team "I'm gonna slap a radio in this thing no matter what." whether it's a double-din (ideally) or mount a radio under the dash like I'm adding one to an old fleet-model. All we need is one 12v constant, a switched 12v, and a ground... and a dream and a sawzall.

I just want to know how Slate will do antennas, figure some fleets might need them. If the plastic fenders are cheap I'll happily drill a hole and mount a whip-style to one. Same with the door panels and the front dash panels. If those are cheap and easy to replace I don't mind cutting holes in them for fitting my own speakers. That way I can just replace them with nice OG blanks if I sell it / ruin them.

I love Android Auto and Waze, as well as Pandora and running my music directly off my phone playlists in my Element which has a fully integrated touchscreen radio. But I'm also a lazy b-word who sometimes just wants to get in, turn the truck on, and leave the radio on whatever I set it to last, and go.

 

[RetiredOnPaper]

Most cell phones already have an FM radio chip in them. I guess us old boomers pay more attention to things like that. To me the fun of a Slate will be finding ways to kluge things together and have them work. (Part of that DIY thing.) Hmm, maybe I'll build a reverb speaker for it.

 

[Blackspots76]

Most cell phones already have an FM radio chip in them. I guess us old boomers pay more attention to things like that. To me the fun of a Slate will be finding ways to kluge things together and have them work. (Part of that DIY thing.) Hmm, maybe I'll build a reverb speaker for it.

Not so true anymore. My last three cells phones didn't have a built in FM radio. The FM Radio requirement was a thing from Obama's administration that I believe Trump had repealed. Because phones I bought between 2016 and 2019 had a FM Radio chip in it, but none of the phones I bought after 2020 had FM Radio.

 

[AZFox]

Not so true anymore. My last three cells phones didn't have a built in FM radio.

If those were Android phones chances are they had an FM chip inside, but it wasn't activated.

 

[AZFox]

Engineering an FM radio into the design costs money.

Engineering the vehicle to be easily serviced (for example) also costs money.

I'd rather Slate Auto spend their limited development budget on the latter.