AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

Key Points

• The Department of Transportation must create a rule within one year requiring all new cars sold in the U.S. to include AM radio as standard equipment. This ensures drivers can access the national emergency alert system during natural disasters or other crises when cell phone towers might fail.
• Car manufacturers would have about two years to comply with the new rule, though smaller companies that make fewer than 40,000 cars a year would get four years to adjust. Until the rule officially starts, any new car sold without AM radio must have a clear warning label so the buyer knows it is missing.
• This policy addresses concerns that some modern vehicles, especially electric ones, are removing AM radio because of engine interference. Supporters argue that AM radio is a vital safety tool because its signals travel much further than FM or cellular signals, especially in rural or remote areas.
• The government will also study how well different technologies send out emergency alerts to the public. This includes checking if the system allows the government to reach at least 90% of the country during a crisis. The entire law is set to expire eight years after it is signed.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.