Radios have long been standard equipment in cars, and the vast majority of vehicles still include them. In recent years, however, automakers including Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo have dropped analog AM radios from some newer models—particularly electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids—because EV motors and high-voltage systems can generate electromagnetic interference that distorts AM signals and produces static.
John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, told Congress in April 2024 that “EVs and AM broadcasting technologies don’t always mix,” describing the interference as creating a “really staticky” listening experience. Auto industry research also indicates that drivers rarely tune in to traditional analog AM, preferring streaming services, satellite radio, or digital AM and FM broadcasts.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) counters that analog AM remains essential for public safety. Fewer households keep a traditional radio at home, yet it can serve as a critical source of emergency alerts during hurricanes, wildfires, or other crises when cell networks fail or become overloaded. “When the power goes out, radio can often be that sole lifeline, and AM radio in particular has a reach and a durability that other media just don’t simply have,” said NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt.
Car listening is also economically vital for radio: according to the NAB, 53 percent of the AM/FM audience tunes in while driving. More than 4,000 AM stations still operate nationwide, per the Federal Communications Commission, carrying sports, talk, religious programming, and foreign-language content. The NAB estimates that 82 million Americans listen to AM radio each month, with the service especially important in rural and tribal areas where internet and cellular service can be unreliable.
As of July, the second-quarter count put the number of AM stations at 4,300. That figure reflected a decline of 83 stations over the prior six quarters, a period in which broadcasters continued pressing the FCC for looser AM ownership limits as part of the 2022 Quadrennial Review. Salem Media has advocated eliminating the caps entirely, while the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) has warned that removing the subcaps could speed the sale of minority-owned AM stations to larger competitors.
Year-over-year, AM was down 85 stations (2.0%) and commercial FM was down 54 (0.8%). Educational FM rose by 85 stations (1.8%), a sharp slowdown from the 353-station (8.1%) gain recorded in the 12 months ended September 30, 2025. Overall, the combined AM and FM total fell by 54 stations, or 0.3%, from a year earlier.
Automakers, for their part, cite cost as a practical reason for removal. Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds, notes that an AM radio adds less than one-tenth of 1 percent to the cost of building a typical new car—an amount that becomes meaningful when multiplied across millions of vehicles. Manufacturers further argue that Congress should not direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to mandate equipment outside its core vehicle-safety role, equating radios to features unlike seat belts or airbags. Bozzella testified that NHTSA “should be a vehicle safety agency—and an agency with boundaries.”
Legislation to require AM radios in new vehicles has bipartisan support and is advancing to the Senate. Supporters hope it can pass during the lame-duck session after the midterm elections. “If it was put up for a vote tomorrow, it would pass overwhelmingly,” LeGeyt said.