AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

The bill would direct the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission, to issue a rule within one year of enactment requiring AM radio receivers to be installed as standard, no-extra-cost equipment in all new passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States. Vehicles made after the rule's effective date would have to include a device capable of receiving over-the-air AM signals — including digital audio AM broadcasts — in a manner easily accessible to drivers. Large manufacturers would have up to two years after the rule is issued to comply; smaller manufacturers that produced 40,000 or fewer vehicles for U.S. sale in 2022 would have at least four years.

During the gap between enactment and the rule's effective date, manufacturers that omit AM radio would be required to label vehicles clearly to inform buyers and would be prohibited from charging a separate fee for AM access. The bill also preempts any state or local law on the subject, directs the GAO to study emergency-alert dissemination including AM radio's role, and requires DOT to report to Congress every five years on the rule's impacts. The entire Act — including DOT's enforcement authority — would sunset eight years after enactment.

Passenger vehicle manufacturers operating in the U.S. market — including foreign manufacturers who import into the United States — would face the core compliance obligation. Consumers who purchase new vehicles, particularly buyers of electric or high-end vehicles that have recently dropped AM tuners, would be the intended beneficiaries. Emergency managers, first responders, and broadcasters are consulted stakeholders in the GAO study.

For manufacturers, the rule would effectively reverse a recent trend of dropping AM radio from new vehicle infotainment systems, requiring redesign or inclusion of hardware at no extra charge to buyers. For drivers and the general public, the change would preserve access to an over-the-air emergency alert channel that does not depend on cellular networks or internet connectivity — a gap that becomes significant during widespread disasters when other systems can fail.

DOT would first submit a public report to Congress evaluating potential safety and innovation impacts — particularly for vehicles with automated driving systems — before finalizing the rule. The rule itself would set a compliance date of up to two years for large manufacturers and at least four years for smaller ones. DOT may assess civil penalties using existing motor vehicle safety penalty authority, and the Department of Justice may seek injunctions. The GAO would brief Congress within one year of enactment and submit a final report 180 days later. DOT would conduct five-year reviews of the rule's impact until the Act sunsets.