The US House of Representatives passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act on Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support, sending the bill to the Senate where it has a strong chance of becoming law.
What the Bill Does
The legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require automakers to include AM radio in all new passenger vehicles — cars, trucks, and SUVs — as standard equipment at no additional cost to consumers.
Why It Passed
AM radio proponents argued successfully that AM signals serve as a critical emergency communication lifeline because they travel long distances without requiring internet infrastructure. The bill gained support from Democrats and Republicans, the broadcast industry, emergency responder organizations, and former FEMA administrators.
Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who co-sponsored the Senate version of the bill, have already secured 60 co-sponsors — the critical threshold needed to overcome a filibuster.
Industry Context
A growing number of automakers — including BMW, Rivian, Tesla, and Volvo — have removed AM radio from new vehicles in recent years, arguing that electromagnetic interference from electric motors degrades AM signal quality. EV manufacturers have been particularly aggressive in the move, replacing AM radio with streaming services like TuneIn and SiriusXM.
Tesla does not include AM receivers in base Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Rivian's new R2 SUV has no FM or AM receiver but offers AM/FM through the iHeartRadio digital platform for free.
Ford had previously removed AM radio from some vehicles but later reversed course, illustrating the political sensitivity of the issue.
The Senate is expected to take up the bill in the coming weeks.
