US House Votes to Mandate AM Radio in New Cars, Bucking Automaker Pushback

A rare moment of bipartisan agreement in Washington has put AM radio back in the spotlight. The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve legislation that would require AM radio to be included in new vehicles at no extra cost, a move that directly challenges several automakers’ recent decisions to drop the band from their lineup.

Automakers have argued that electric vehicle powertrains generate electromagnetic interference that can degrade AM reception, and some have cited declining listener interest as a reason to remove the feature. That engineering rationale has now collided with a political wave: lawmakers across the aisle framed the vote as a public-safety and consumer-choice matter, warning that removing AM radio would leave drivers without a critical emergency information channel.

The proposal still needs to clear further legislative steps before it becomes law, and the auto industry is expected to keep lobbying for flexibility. If enacted, the requirement would force manufacturers to rethink audio system designs — especially in EVs, where shielding and component placement could add cost and complexity.

For now, the House vote signals that AM radio’s fate is no longer purely a product decision. It has become a test case for how much say Washington has over what features automakers can — or cannot — leave out.