A move in the US Senate on Wednesday to require automakers to continue to include AM radio in all vehicles failed to be passed by unanimous consent.
If only one Senator objects, such a vote can’t be made and Kentucky’s Rand Paul made the objection.
The bipartisan AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act has support in both chambers. Several manufacturers say they no longer want to provide AM radio in their vehicles, particularly in EVs saying too few people listen to AM and cite electromagnetic interference in electric vehicles.
On the Senate floor on Wednesday Sen. Ben Ray Lujan said AM is needed particularly during emergencies like last year’s Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire.
“As we have been reminded this is not just a challenge in my state, or in Texas or in Massechutess but in every one of the 50 states across the country,” he said. “The federal government should be doing more to make it easier for Americans to access potentially life saving emergency broadcasts. The physics and the electromagnetic of this are plain and simple and that’s why I hope we can get this done.
Lujan says other manufacturers have already figured out how to deal with any electromagnetic problems.
The National Association of Broadcasters strongly supports the legislation. In a statement the NAB says with 192 cosponsors in the House and 44 in the Senate, the bill has gained remarkable momentum, highlighting the widespread recognition of the importance of AM radio to the American people.
It adds that the bipartisan collaboration reflects a shared dedication to ensuring that AM radio remains a dependable and accessible medium for all.
