House and Senate lawmakers on both sides of the aisle launched a coalition Wednesday to keep AM radio available in new vehicles.
Republicans and Democrats released bills in both chambers that would direct federal regulators to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.
The AM for Every Vehicle Act would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a rule that requires automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee, or surcharge.
Carmakers say the motors on new electric vehicles interfere with AM radio frequencies.
The legislation also would require any automaker that sells vehicles without access to AM broadcast radio before the effective date of the NHTSA regulation to clearly disclose to consumers that the vehicle lacks AM radio.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) would study whether alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM broadcast radio for alerting the public to emergencies.
The legislation was introduced after Sen. Edward Markey, Massachusetts Democrat, sent a letter last year to 20 of the world’s leading carmakers, requesting that they maintain access to AM broadcast radio in their vehicles.
Of the 20 carmakers, eight had removed AM broadcast radio from their electric vehicles.
“For decades, free AM broadcast radio has been an essential tool in emergencies, a crucial part of our diverse media ecosystem, and an irreplaceable source for news, weather, sports, and entertainment for tens of millions of listeners,” Mr. Markey said. “Carmakers shouldn’t tune out AM radio in new vehicles or put it behind a costly digital paywall.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, said of the legislation, “Each day, millions of Americans turn to AM radio to stay up to date on life in their community, engage on the issues they care about, or to be simply entertained during rush hour.”
“AM radio is a critical bulwark for democracy, providing a platform for alternative viewpoints and the ability for elected officials to share our efforts with our constituents,” he said.
In February, seven former Federal Emergency Management Agency administrators wrote in a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and several congressional committees that the federal government should seek assurances that car manufacturers will keep AM radio in their vehicles.
These car companies include Ford Motor Co., Tesla, BMW, Mazda, Volvo and Volkswagen. They say the motors on their new Electric Vehicles generate electromagnetic frequencies on the same wavelength as AM radio signals, creating a buzz that interferes with the AM radio frequencies.
However, according to the Detroit Free Press, Ford plans to eliminate AM radio in all its new cars, including vehicles with combustion engines.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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