Americans ages 13 to 34 now spend more of their in-car audio time on a smartphone than on the car’s AM/FM receiver, according to Edison Research’s Share of Ear study. Mobile devices account for 46% of that group’s daily listening time in the car.
The built-in radio receiver accounts for 43%. The phone has taken the lead by three points — reversing what was once a 47-point advantage for the radio set.
The finding measures the device, not the content. Some of the phone time is still radio: streams of AM/FM stations played through CarPlay, Android Auto, or a Bluetooth hookup. Edison is tracking how young listeners hear audio in the car, not what they hear. Share of Ear subscribers can see the content split separately.
The crossover is the latest chapter in a longer shift. Across Share of Ear’s history, the smartphone has become the default audio device for younger consumers in most rooms of the house. The car was the last holdout. That gap has now closed.
The distinction matters for radio companies and advertisers. Weeks ago, Edison reported that AM/FM still takes most of this age group’s ad-supported in-car audio time. The new cut shows the device pipe has changed even when the product has not. Young listeners are bringing their phones into the dashboard. The radio receiver is no longer the automatic first screen.