The U.S. House is expected to vote the week of Sept. 14 on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says he will bring the measure up as a standalone bill. It would require AM radio receivers to be included in new vehicles at no extra cost to buyers.
Supporters, including the National Association of Broadcasters, say AM radio remains a critical source of emergency information during disasters and power outages. If approved by the House, the bill would still need Senate approval before heading to President Trump. Radio World
3 comments
I feel a big question everyone should be asking is – why the FCC, who has always been heavy-handed in virtually all instances of telecommunications rule-breaking, has done nothing at all about the massive RFI that Tesla motors cause to the AM radio spectrum.
Most people don’t even know how to turn on AM radio in their cars, so I am skeptical of the “emergency” utility of AM. I understand that streaming is now starting to eat broadcast radio’s lunch, but I’m not sure that forcing automakers to subsidize the terrestrial broadcast business model is a good move.
Keep the radios. This is a no brainer. Who in the US Congress thought this was a good idea?