Several electric vehicles (EV) manufacturers are removing AM radios from their vehicles, which government officials fear may endanger people in an emergency. During natural disasters and other catastrophes, AM radio is one of the most important ways for federal, state, and local governments to communicate with the public. Drivers who do not have access may miss critical safety alerts. According to automakers, the electric motors of EVs interfere with AM frequencies, resulting in irritating buzzing noises and faded signals. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass. ), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, urges automobile manufacturers to keep unfettered access to broadcast radio as a public safety measure. According to the Wall Street Journal, seven former FEMA directors addressed the concern in a recent letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and various congressional committees.
According to automakers, people are shifting away from radio and television for news and information
On the other hand, automakers argue that as people shift away from radio and television for news and information, the government’s emergency management system must adapt to new technologies as well. Customers can still get transmissions through other means, such as digital streaming packages or Bluetooth connections to smartphone apps, according to those who have ditched AM radio (though such services sometimes require a subscription).
According to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, FEMA’s public warning system is designed to provide redundant alerts through multiple channels, including text messages, the Emergency Alert System on radio and television stations, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather radio.
“The intent is not for the public to rely on one sole source to receive the alerts but to create a ‘net’ of sources in which the public can receive them,” wrote Garrick Francis, the alliance’s vice president of federal affairs, in a letter to Markey.
“Although many automakers suggested that other communication tools — such as internet radio — could replace broadcast AM radio, in an emergency, drivers might not have access to the internet and could miss critical safety information,” says Markey.
“The truth is that broadcast AM radio is irreplaceable.”
Different automaker’s stances on AM radio
Terrestrial radio (both AM and FM) reaches 92% of the U.S. population, more than any other medium, according to media tracking firm Nielsen.
According to Nielsen numbers published by the National Association of Broadcasters, about 50 million people listen to AM radio.
Where it currently stands: Sen. Markey investigated 20 automakers, and eight of them — BMW, Ford, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, VW, and Volvo — had removed AM radio from their EVs.
Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Lucid, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, and Toyota are the only ones who still have it. GM and Mercedes-Benz waited for the alliance’s reaction.
While radio spectrum interference is widely understood, only a few automakers have taken steps to prevent it. Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler and Jeep, uses shielded high-voltage cables and connectors to reduce interference. It is also relocating radio receivers in its next-generation infotainment systems away from EV components.
Volkswagen, on the other hand, claims that due to the additional weight, such solutions have a substantial influence on the range and performance of their EVs. You may not have turned on your AM radio in years, but the technology is far from dead.
