There's Bipartisan Support in Congress for Automotive AM Radios

In Congress in 2025, there aren’t a lot of cases where you’ll see the likes of Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz on the same of a given issue. We’re living through a time of intense political divides right now, and it can be useful to see precisely what politicians across a broad ideological spectrum can agree on. And the answer is, of all things, AM radio.

Specifically, AM radios in cars. In 2023, a number of automakers began phasing AM radios out of their vehicles entirely, including Ford and Tesla. Turns out that there are some very good reasons to keep AM radios around, even if you haven’t listened to an AM station in years. One big reason for those frequencies’ continuing importance is the presence of public warning systems on the AM band.

That’s one of the main reasons for the bipartisan support for the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which has bipartisan support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. As Senator Ed Markey — one of the bill’s co-sponsors — told Autoweek’s Jim Motavalli, the law would “[ensure] drivers and passengers have reliable access to emergency alerts when they need them most.”

For their part, the National Association of Broadcasters — which also supports this proposed law — shared some data explaining why drivers having access to AM frequencies matters. The organization noted that stations that are part of the Emergency Alert System “cover 90% of the American population” and can communicate vital emergency information to affected populations.

Ford, BMW and Tesla Are Removing AM Radio From New Car Models

The format still attracts 82 million monthly listeners

If this bill is signed into law, it could pose a technological challenge to EV manufacturers, as the systems keeping EVs running can interfere with the reception of AM frequencies. That said, if you can design an electric system that keeps a car or truck running, figuring out a way to run an AM radio without interference shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…