AM Radio Bill: House Moves New-Car Radio Rule Forward

The AM Radio Bill has passed the U.S. House and now moves to the Senate. Learn how it could affect EVs and new vehicles sold across America.

The House has advanced the AM radio requirement

The AM Radio Bill has cleared the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, also known as H.R. 979, on September 15. The measure now sits on the Senate legislative calendar.

The bill would require automakers to include AM broadcast radio in new vehicles without an additional charge. The proposed requirement would apply to vehicles manufactured or imported for the U.S. market.

The legislation is not law yet.

The Senate must still consider the measure before it could move through the rest of the federal process. As of September 21, the bill has already reached the Senate calendar.

The proposal comes as some automakers move away from traditional AM receivers.

That change is especially visible in electric vehicles. Manufacturers have cited electromagnetic interference as one of the technical challenges involved in keeping AM reception in some EVs.

Electric motors and their power electronics can generate electromagnetic noise. That noise can interfere with the frequencies used by AM broadcasts.

Automakers can design around the problem. Possible solutions include better shielding, filtering and changes to the position of antennas or other electronic hardware.

Those solutions can also add cost and engineering complexity.

Why EVs are at the centre of the discussion

The connection between the AM Radio Bill and electric vehicles is important because the legislation would also cover new EVs sold in the United States.

Some automakers have already removed AM radio from selected electric models. Other brands have moved toward streaming and digital audio instead.

The bill would change that direction.

If enacted, the government would require access to AM broadcast stations as standard equipment rather than leaving the decision entirely to automakers.

The legislation focuses on access to AM broadcasts, not on one specific hardware design.

The House legislation directs the Department of Transportation to establish the requirement. The proposed framework also allows digital technology to be considered when providing access to AM stations.

That could give manufacturers some flexibility in how they meet the rule.

The bill also includes a requirement for vehicles that lack AM access before the new regulation takes effect. Automakers would have to clearly disclose that information to consumers.

Supporters of the legislation have pointed to emergency communications as a major reason for keeping AM available.

The Senate Commerce Committee noted that 60 senators had already become cosponsors earlier in the year. The House passage now moves the debate to the next stage.

The Senate will decide what happens next

The AM Radio Bill is now waiting for action in the Senate.

The House approved the measure by voice vote on September 15. It reached the Senate on September 16 and was placed on the legislative calendar.

That means the proposed requirement is closer to becoming federal law, but new vehicles are not currently required to include AM radio under this bill.

The Senate process could still determine the final outcome and timing.

For automakers, the debate involves both regulation and technology.

Keeping AM reception available in modern vehicles can require additional engineering in some EV applications. At the same time, the proposed legislation would prevent manufacturers from charging a separate fee for the required AM capability.

For buyers, the key point is simple.

The House has passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, but the measure still needs Senate action before it can become law.

If it eventually takes effect, AM radio access would become a federal requirement for new vehicles covered by the rule.

The next major step is therefore in the Senate, where the legislation is now awaiting consideration.