In the era of streaming music and satellite radio, traditional broadcast stations are easy to overlook. AM radio, in particular, has fallen out of favor with younger drivers. So it’s perhaps no surprise that some automakers have begun dropping it from new vehicles. Congress, however, wants to put a stop to that.
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 979 , the “AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025.” The bill is now on the Senate’s legislative calendar and has broad bipartisan support. The Senate also has a companion bill, S. 315 , which cleared committee last year and is awaiting a floor vote.
While AM radio is dominated by political talk shows, religious programming, and sports, it still draws a sizable audience. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which supports the congressional effort, says more than 80 million Americans listen to AM each month.
The group describes AM radio as “a platform for locally produced content that is relevant to their audience and speaks to their unique cultural and linguistic needs.” It also notes that AM stations have historically provided an entry point into radio ownership for racial and ethnic minorities.
Automakers, meanwhile, are grappling with tariffs and rising component costs, and looking for ways to trim expenses. Removing AM radio wouldn’t shave hundreds or thousands of dollars off a vehicle’s price, but it could offer modest savings.
Electric vehicle makers face another challenge: The technology that powers EVs can interfere with AM radio reception.
“The high-voltage electrical systems in EVs generate electromagnetic interference that, according to the Center for Automotive Research, ‘distorts AM radio signals, affecting the listening experience for drivers and passengers.’ In other words: really staticky,” said John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, in 2024 congressional testimony . “It’s not possible to eliminate that interference, and techniques to reduce interference add weight and mess with battery range and would cost an estimated $3.8 billion.”
Bozzella also argued that requiring AM radio amounted to a government mandate with no public safety justification.
Supporters of the legislation dispute that argument. AM stations play a significant role in the nation’s emergency alert infrastructure, including a FEMA-supported network of radio stations equipped to continue broadcasting during disasters.
Bozzella’s position was echoed by the then-president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, who wrote in a letter to the editor of The Washington Post that “a federal mandate that every car comes equipped with an AM radio in 2024 and beyond is like mandating that they come equipped with ashtrays or 8-track players.”
Still, traditional radio may have more life left in it than skeptics think, even as music streaming subscriptions approach 1 billion worldwide .
As more Americans return to the office, radio has benefited from renewed interest . Edison Research’s “Share of Ear” report , released in July, found that AM/FM radio accounted for 62% of ad-supported audio listening among adults, compared with just 6% for Spotify ’s ad-supported service. In cars, AM/FM commanded an even larger share of ad-supported audio listening: 82% among adults 18 and older.
Whether the Senate will vote on the AM radio bill before November’s midterm elections remains unclear. And despite its bipartisan support, its prospects at the White House are uncertain.
The auto industry may oppose the measure, but it has some influential backers beyond the broadcasting industry, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, AARP, and a coalition of public safety organizations.
