US House backs mandatory AM radio in new cars — TechCrunch
The US House of Representatives has approved a bill that could require automakers to install AM radio in new passenger cars, trucks and SUVs at no additional cost to buyers. The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.
As TechCrunch reports, in a rare case, the bill received broad bipartisan support in the House of Representatives. It provides that the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will require automakers to include an AM receiver as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles.
Support in the Senate
Supporters of the initiative consider AM radio an important channel for disseminating information in emergencies, as its signal can be transmitted over long distances. The Senate version of the bill was jointly backed by Senators Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Ted Cruz of Texas.
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Earlier this year, the senators secured the support of 60 co-sponsors for their version of the document. This number is important for overcoming the filibuster procedure in the Senate. Cruz, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Markey called on the Senate to pass the bill after the House vote.
Manufacturers are abandoning receivers
Some automakers are gradually moving away from the traditional AM band in favor of software-defined vehicles and streaming services, including TuneIn and SiriusXM. This particularly concerns electric vehicle manufacturers: electromagnetic interference from electric motors can affect AM radio frequencies and worsen signal and sound quality.
Traditional AM receivers are no longer installed by some automakers, including BMW, Rivian, Tesla and Volvo. Ford had also previously removed AM radio from some vehicles but later reversed that decision. Base versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y do not have AM receivers. The new Rivian R2 is not equipped with an FM or AM receiver, but offers free access to AM/FM radio through the digital iHeartRadio platform.
