Todd Epp, Northern Plaines News LCC
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, has joined a bipartisan effort to ensure AM radio remains available in all new vehicles, citing the medium’s importance for rural communities and emergency communications.
Rounds is among 60 senators now co-sponsoring the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would require automakers to maintain AM radio capability in new vehicles at no additional cost to consumers.
Rounds said he grew up listening to KCCR on 1240 and KGFX on 1060 while delivering newspapers in Pierre.
“Free AM broadcast radio has been an important resource for decades,” Rounds said in a 2023 news release when he initially co-sponsored the legislation. “Whether someone is in their car or tractor, AM radio is a valuable tool to share local news and emergency information.”
The bill, initially introduced by Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has now reached a critical threshold with 60 co-sponsors — enough to overcome a potential filibuster in the Senate, according to a statement from Markey’s office. The legislation was reintroduced in January as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025.
“AM radio is a lifeline for people across the country for news, sports, and especially emergency information,” Markey said in a recent press release.
Johnson, Jackley among supporters
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has been a vocal supporter of the legislation. In October 2024, he joined 11 other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the bill.
“AM Radio is important in rural states like South Dakota where people can turn to for severe weather updates and emergency information along with local news and sports,” Jackley said in an Oct. 4, 2024, news release.
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, was among over 100 lawmakers who signed a letter to automakers in May 2023 expressing concerns about removing AM radio receivers in vehicles. The letter highlighted the need for rural Americans to access AM radio, given limited internet and cell phone connectivity.
The legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require all new vehicles manufactured or imported for sale in the United States to include AM broadcast radio receivers at no additional cost.
It would provide small vehicle manufacturers at least four years after the Department of Transportation issues the rule to comply. The measure would also require automakers to inform consumers, during the period before the rule takes effect, that their vehicles do not maintain access to broadcast AM radio.
U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, is not among the legislation’s co-sponsors. The bill has passed the Commerce Committee and awaits action by the Senate.
Some automakers removing AM radio from new vehicles
Major automakers have already begun removing AM radio, particularly from electric models. BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Volkswagen, Tesla and Ford are among the manufacturers that have either eliminated or announced plans to phase out AM radio from their newer vehicles, according to a March 2023 statement from Markey’s office.
Manufacturers typically cite electromagnetic interference as the primary reason. “Electric motors can interfere with AM radio signals, causing undesirable static noise during broadcasts,” The Hill reported last year.
In a joint letter to Congress, the Zero Emission Transportation Association, Consumer Technology Association, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and TechNet argued that “requiring manufacturers to use a particular technology will slow innovation and reduce consumer preference.”
John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and other industry leaders warned in their letter that “to accommodate analog AM radio, certain carmakers may need to scrap advanced safety features.”
Albert Gore, executive director of ZETA, said in a statement to Reuters, “Requiring the installation of analog AM radios in automobiles is an unnecessary action that would impact EV range, efficiency, and affordability at a critical moment of accelerating adoption. Mandating AM radio would do little to expand drivers’ ability to receive emergency alerts.”
The Consumer Technology Association compared the mandate to requiring outdated technology.
“Mandating AM radio would be like mandating CD or cassette players in new vehicles,” the group said in a statement to The Washington Post. “This outdated and counterproductive measure will stifle innovation and impose unnecessary costs on automakers, ultimately increasing prices for consumers.”
Broadcasters, FCC commissioner, FEMA support AM radio in cars
Curtis LeGeyt, National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO, issued a statement praising the Senate Commerce Committee’s endorsement of the bill: “In just one week since its introduction, this legislation has already gained nearly half of the Senate as co-sponsors and cleared a key committee, demonstrating the broad recognition of AM radio’s vital role in keeping Americans informed and safe.”
Nathan Simington, a commissioner with the Federal Communications Commission, also weighed in on the agency’s website.
“The Commission should not be shy about asking auto manufacturers to serve the public interest by continuing to serve AM radio listeners,” he wrote.
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s board of directors issued a warning in a public statement.
“Failure to approve this critical AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will allow automakers to eliminate access to critical information to the people we serve,” the statement said. “Rural and urban residents should not be forced to subscribe to an unreliable data stream for urgent information.”
Manny Centeno, program manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, has emphasized that AM radio is the backbone of the nation’s public warning system. Nearly 80 AM radio stations nationwide are Primary Entry Points for emergency alerts distributed by FEMA and the National Weather Service, covering approximately 90% of the U.S. population.