US Congress just passed legislation forcing automakers to include AM radio in every new vehicle, solving a problem most EV drivers didn’t know existed. The House bill mandates AM radio across all cars, including electric vehicles that currently omit the technology due to interference issues.
The push comes as AM radio disappears from new cars, particularly EVs where electric powertrains create interference that distorts AM frequencies. Most automakers simply dropped the feature rather than engineer expensive solutions for a technology few customers actually use.
Republican lawmakers are driving the mandate despite their usual anti-regulation stance, citing emergency broadcast concerns. AM radio acts as the backbone for emergency alerts since it doesn’t require paid subscriptions or internet connectivity like smartphone alternatives.
Industry experts note that automakers want to ditch AM frequency from EVs because of interference distorting quality, but regulators still rely on AM frequency for emergency alerts that don’t require paid subscriptions for drivers to access.
The generational divide is stark here. EV adoption skews younger, meaning the average electric car driver represents exactly the demographic least likely to care about AM radio preservation. Tech-savvy millennials and younger buyers rely on smartphones and digital services for emergency information, making congressional urgency seem oddly misplaced.
Congress laid the groundwork for alternative emergency systems in the 2015 Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act, but never agreed on uniform replacement technology. Rather than modernize emergency communications, lawmakers are essentially forcing outdated technology back into modern vehicles.
The irony runs deep. A Republican-controlled Congress that typically opposes automotive regulations is mandating technology inclusion for emergency preparedness and simultaneously threatening other important automotive safety standards elsewhere.
The Senate still needs to pass companion legislation before this becomes law, but the House’s overwhelming committee support suggests momentum for preserving 1920s broadcast technology in 2025 vehicles.
