Yes, some car manufacturers are selling cars without AM radio

AM and FM radio receivers have been a feature in cars for decades. While AM radio isn’t as popular as FM, many Americans still listen to it for talk shows, traffic information, sports and even emergency alerts.

Over the last couple of years, some lawmakers have been working on legislation designed to keep broadcast AM radio in all vehicles sold in the United States. This effort recently made the news once again when Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) sent a Jan. 29, 2024 letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging them to require warnings on cars sold without broadcast AM radio.

 In the past year, some people on social media have expressed outrage over the removal of broadcast AM radio from cars, claiming that it’s an effort to silence conservative talk shows. VERIFY reader Mary texted us asking if it was true that AM radio might soon be unavailable in some vehicles.

THE QUESTION

Are some car manufacturers selling cars without broadcast AM radio?

THE SOURCES

• Responses from 18 automakers to questions about the availability of broadcast AM radio in their cars

• National Association of Broadcasters

• Alliance for Automotive Innovation

• Ford CEO Jim Farley

• House and Senate versions of AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2023

• IEEE Spectrum, a magazine run by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

THE ANSWER

Yes, some car manufacturers are selling cars without broadcast AM radio. So far, the only cars being sold without AM radio are electric vehicles.

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WHAT WE FOUND

Over the last several years, some car manufacturers have removed broadcast AM radio from their new electric vehicle models.

In March 2023, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) released responses from a letter he earlier sent 20 automakers about whether they were discontinuing broadcast AM radio from any of their cars. 

Seven manufacturers said they were selling electric vehicles without broadcast AM radio (and still don't):

• Mazda

• Polestar

• Rivian

• Tesla

• Volvo

• Volkswagen and Audi

• BMW

Nine others said all of their cars come equipped with broadcast AM radio:

• Lucid

• Mitsubishi

• Nissan and Infiniti

• Stellantis

• Subaru

• Toyota and Lexus

• Hyundai

• Jaguar and Land Rover

• Kia

Two others, GM and Mercedes-Benz, did not respond. 

At the time, the last manufacturer, Ford, did sell electric vehicles without broadcast AM radio and the company reportedly planned to sell their gas-powered 2024 Mustang without broadcast AM radio. In May 2023, Ford CEO Jim Farley announced on X that the manufacturer would reverse course and include broadcast AM radio in all vehicles. Ford also released software updates for its 2023 electric vehicle models to give them broadcast AM radio capabilities.

Some automakers have sold electric vehicles without broadcast AM radio for years. For example, BMW has not had AM radios in its i3 electric vehicle line since its 2014 model, according to an article in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) magazine.

A few of the automakers noted that drivers could still get access to AM radio stations and programming through the use of their cars’ built-in digital radio, through streaming apps available in their cars’ touchscreens or through the use of apps on their phones, which can connect to the vehicles with Bluetooth.

The reason some vehicle manufacturers have opted not to include broadcast AM radio capabilities in their electric vehicle models is because the high-voltage electrical systems and onboard electronics distort AM radio signals, making it hard to listen to, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation says.

The Alliance says that manufacturers can work around this with various changes to vehicle parts and design. But they argue that these fixes add weight that reduces vehicle battery range and are costly to install. It argues that not enough people listen to AM radio to make the fixes worth it.

The National Association of Broadcasters argues that broadcast AM radio is necessary, claiming that more than 80 million Americans listen to AM radio each month. They say broadcast AM radio serves minority communities through niche and in-language broadcasting, and rural communities with poor or non-existent cellular or broadband coverage since AM has a uniquely wide geographic range. 

Digital AM radio does not guarantee the same range or programming as broadcast AM radio does since digital radio is transmitted through a different signal.

The argument made for AM radio by some members of Congress, including Rep. Gottheimer, is that “AM radio is the backbone of America’s National Public Warning System.” Groups representing vehicle manufacturers argue that the vast majority of Americans receive emergency alerts through their cell phones and that many vehicles still allow consumers to access AM radio programming through digital or satellite radio. They claim only 1% of adults receive emergency alerts through AM radio nowadays.

There are bipartisan bills in both the House and Senate that would require auto manufacturers to keep AM radio in their vehicles, but neither bill has been voted on since their introduction in May. The NHTSA has not issued any regulation requiring vehicles keep AM radio or clearly label cars without it.

This story is also available in Spanish / Lee este artículo también en español: Sí, algunos fabricantes están vendiendo coches sin radio AM