House Overwhelmingly Approves Bill Requiring Free AM Radio in New Cars

TL;DR

• The House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, requiring automakers to include standard, free AM radio in all new passenger vehicles.
• Supporters say AM remains critical for FEMA emergency alerts, rural coverage, and local news, reaching over 80 million Americans monthly when cell and FM signals fail.
• The bill now heads to the Senate, where bipartisan sponsors are pushing for quick passage, with automakers facing a multi-year phase-in and compliance penalties if they fail to comply.

A Rare Bipartisan Win in a Divided House

In a moment of near-unanimity rarely seen on Capitol Hill, the U.S. House of Representatives this week passed legislation that would stop automakers from phasing out AM radio.

The bill, known as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, passed by a margin of more than 390 votes, with both Democrats and Republicans backing the measure. Only a small handful of lawmakers voted against it, largely over concerns about government mandates on private industry.

The legislation would require all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in the United States to come equipped with AM radio as standard equipment, at no extra cost to the buyer. Automakers would be prohibited from charging a subscription fee, hiding AM behind a paywall, or burying it in an optional trim package.

Co-sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., in the Senate and by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., in the House, the bill has become one of the few truly bipartisan tech and transportation efforts in this Congress.

Why AM Still Matters in the Streaming Era

To many younger drivers who live on Spotify, Apple CarPlay, and podcasts, AM radio can feel like a relic. But federal regulators and broadcasters argue it remains irreplaceable infrastructure.

About 4,400 AM stations are still on the air across the U.S., reaching more than 80 million listeners a month. The band travels much farther than FM, especially at night, and can cover vast rural stretches of the Midwest, South, and West where cellular data is spotty or nonexistent.

For rural drivers, farmers, truckers, and older Americans, AM remains a primary source for local news, farm reports, sports, talk radio, and religious programming — often free and without needing a data plan.

The Lifeline for Emergency Alerts

The core argument that won over the House was public safety.

AM radio is the backbone of the federal Emergency Alert System. FEMA's National Public Warning System relies on 77 primary AM stations, known as Primary Entry Point stations, to broadcast alerts about tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and national emergencies.

Unlike cell towers and internet service, which can go down in a disaster or become overloaded, AM's low-frequency signals can travel hundreds of miles from hardened transmitter sites with backup generators. During Hurricane Helene, the Los Angeles wildfires, and recent Midwest tornado outbreaks, officials noted AM stations stayed on air when power and mobile networks failed.

Former FEMA administrators from both parties, along with the National Association of Broadcasters and emergency management groups, lobbied heavily for the bill, calling AM a last-mile lifeline.

Why Automakers Wanted to Kill It

The push for legislation came after a wave of automakers, particularly electric vehicle makers, began dropping AM from new models.

BMW, Tesla, Rivian, Ford, and others cited electromagnetic interference from EV motors and batteries, which causes static and buzzing on AM frequencies. Fixing it requires additional shielding and filters, adding cost and engineering complexity.

Automakers also argued that drivers are migrating to streaming anyway, and that federal mandates stifle innovation. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most major car companies, opposed a mandate and instead proposed voluntary commitments and putting emergency alerts into streaming apps.

Ford initially announced it would drop AM from 2024 models before reversing course after public backlash. That reversal helped spark the current legislative push.

Under the House-passed bill, automakers would have two to three years after enactment to comply, depending on vehicle type. Small-volume manufacturers would get extra time. The Government Accountability Office would also be required to study the future of emergency communications in cars.

What Comes Next for Automakers and the Senate

The fight is not over. The bill now moves to the Senate, where its prospects look strong but not guaranteed.

The Senate Commerce Committee already advanced its version with bipartisan support, and Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have both signaled openness to a floor vote before year's end. President Donald Trump has previously voiced support for keeping AM radio free, increasing pressure for final passage.

If signed into law, automakers that fail to comply could face civil penalties enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, similar to other vehicle safety standards.

Consumer advocates say the House vote sends a clear message to Detroit, Silicon Valley, and foreign automakers: emergency access cannot be a luxury upgrade.

For now, AM's static-filled future in the dashboard looks a little clearer — thanks to one of the most lopsided, bipartisan votes of the year.

AndroGuider Team

Articles written by the AndroGuider team. We try to make them thorough and informational while being easy to read.