Vehicles in the not too distant future may soon have heated windshields, in-wheel motors and be produced by 3-D printers. And with the help of some legislation, they may even continue to play AM radio through their speakers.
That’s the hope of a host of bipartisan and bicameral legislators in reintroducing the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 that would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act was first introduced in May 2023. It continued to take on new co-sponsors through the fall of 2024. It was reintroduced as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 with 62 cosponsors. Upper Midwest senators showing support for the bill include Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer R-North Dakota, and Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, DFL- Minnesota.
“AM radio is essential for North Dakotans, especially during weather-related disruptions in power. It provides dependable emergency updates, helping to keep Americans safe,” said Hoeven in a news release. “Additionally, AM radio delivers entertainment from music and sports to current events. This legislation guarantees that this critical service remains in vehicles, ensuring individuals can access important information, entertainment and emergency broadcasts when needed most.”
AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act by Michael Johnson on Scribd
If enacted, the bill would require the Department of Transportation to issue a rule requiring new vehicles to maintain access to broadcast AM radio at no additional cost to the consumer and provide small vehicle manufacturers at least four years after the date DOT issues the rule to comply. The act also requires automakers to inform consumers, during the period before the rule takes effect, that the vehicles do not maintain access to broadcast AM radio.
Klobuchar shared of her support of the legislation in a 2023 column :
“Auto executives have threatened to pull AM radio out of newer models of some of their vehicles,” she wrote. “Maybe from their headquarters it doesn’t seem like people care about AM radio anymore, but I bet if they took a drive through rural Minnesota, they would take a different view.”
The National Association of Broadcasters applauds the senate reintroduction.
“With 82 million Americans tuning in each month, AM radio delivers more than just emergency alerts. It connects communities through hyper-local content, including news, weather and diverse cultural programming,” according to a news release from the National Association of Broadcasters.
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They note that more than 125 organizations, including the National Emergency Management Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation, endorse this legislation.
Testimony in support of the legislation has centered around the importance of AM radio especially for rural, remote areas with limited media access, as opposed to more urban areas with an abundance of options. While FM radio has superior sound, AM radio has superior reach with far fewer transmitters, making it an ideal choice for sparsely populated regions.
Testimony in opposition has come from such individuals such as John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation. Bozzella gave testimony in April 2024 that analog AM radio does not contribute to motor vehicle safety.
"As previously communicated to Congress, Auto Innovators and its members remain committed to ensuring drivers have access to free, public alerts and safety warnings through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) 2," he wrote. "Automakers consider several factors when making decisions on vehicle design and features. This may vary among manufacturers but is based on extensive research, testing and regulatory analysis — while prioritizing safety and consumer preferences. Any decision by an automaker to remove analog AM radios in vehicles does not eliminate consumer access to emergency alerts or even access to AM radio.
Bozzella noted that analog AM radios are not classified as safety equipment in the U.S. or any country around the world.
"While they may be a source for emergency alerts, among a variety of other options already accessible in modern vehicles, analog AM radios are primarily used for entertainment or news programming," he added in his testimony before the subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce for the U.S. House of Representatives.
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