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AM Radio: An Indispensable Emergency Lifeline for Intelligent Vehicles

Release time：

2026-06-15

While debates over the merits of touchscreens versus physical buttons linger, the rivalry between traditional AM radios and digital online audio services has largely reached a conclusion.

AM Radio: An Indispensable Emergency Lifeline for Intelligent Vehicles

While debates over the merits of touchscreens versus physical buttons linger, the rivalry between traditional AM radios and digital online audio services has largely reached a conclusion.

Recently, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2024 by a vote of 45 to 2. The bill mandates that all vehicles manufactured and sold in the United States must be equipped with AM radios, and it is now pending a full review by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Coincidentally on the same day, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) launched a public consultation on the draft revision of the mandatory national standard for Vehicle-mounted Wireless Broadcast Receiving Systems. The proposal requires automakers to install wireless broadcast receiving systems in all new vehicles. According to the consultation document, such systems serve as critical infrastructure that enables the public to receive official emergency information promptly and effectively during crises. The consultation period is currently underway.

As a core component of vehicle-mounted wireless broadcast receivers, AM radios have long been a standard automotive feature and a trusted companion for drivers and passengers on the road. Users can tune into favorite radio stations via physical buttons or knobs. In recent years, however, as the automotive industry advances rapidly toward intelligence and digitalization, new energy and smart vehicles have increasingly phased out AM radios, replacing them with internet-based music streaming and other audio services.

Incomplete statistics show that major new energy vehicle brands including Tesla, Polestar, BYD and Xpeng, as well as traditional automakers such as Ford, Mazda and BMW, have omitted AM radio functionality from their latest models. For instance, Tesla removed AM radios from its China-made Model Y and Model 3 back in 2021; certain Xpeng and AITO vehicle models no longer come with built-in radio modules; and the 2024 Ford Mustang also excludes AM radio capability.

Some automakers argue that wireless broadcast systems are outdated. They also point out that the powertrains of electric vehicles generate electromagnetic interference with AM signals. In their view, digital streaming and online broadcasts can fully replace traditional AM radios, offering better technical adaptability to meet consumer demands.

Why has the AM radio, once gradually discarded by carmakers, staged a strong comeback through regulatory policies? As stated in the Proposal for Mandatory National Standard Project released by China’s MIIT: "Vehicle-mounted wireless broadcast receiving systems are vital infrastructure to guarantee timely and reliable access to official emergency alerts amid unexpected crises. They boast unique advantages in proactively delivering warnings about natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, as well as other safety notices to vehicle occupants."

Specifically, FM radio stations have a coverage radius of over 100 kilometers, while medium-wave AM stations can transmit signals for thousands of kilometers. Given the long distance between broadcast towers and vehicles, the chances of both being hit by the same disaster are slim. By contrast, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G cellular networks rely on wireless transmission spanning only several hundred to over a thousand meters between user terminals and base stations. This means vehicle occupants and nearby base stations are highly likely to be affected simultaneously during disasters. When cellular base stations are damaged by earthquakes, floods, typhoons or other emergencies, vehicle-mounted wireless broadcast systems become indispensable.

AM radio systems play a pivotal role in emergency communications during natural disasters and crises, delivering real-time evacuation and safety guidance to the public — an irreplaceable function when network signals are unstable or completely cut off. Antwane Johnson, Director of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System at the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), noted that AM radio has repeatedly proven its reliability amid the most devastating natural disasters. Additionally, radio broadcasting is free of charge, with a single station able to reach millions of people.

Beyond the United States and China, the European Union and other regions have also introduced relevant standards and mandatory requirements for vehicle-mounted wireless broadcast devices. For example, the EU issued the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU in 2014. It stipulated that starting from June 13, 2017, only radio equipment complying with the RED and bearing the CE mark could be sold within the EU market. Vehicle radios, digital audio broadcast receivers and in-vehicle wireless communication terminals all fall under the scope of this directive.

A recent study published in Nature Geoscience suggests that under high-emission scenarios, 70% of the global population will likely experience extreme weather events over the next two decades. Equipping vehicles with AM radios will greatly improve people’s chances of receiving emergency alerts and critical warnings while traveling amid severe weather.

Foreign media reports indicate that if the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2024 is eventually enacted, it will mark a major shift in automotive regulation and the radio broadcasting industry. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will issue detailed rules requiring automakers to comply within two to three years. All new vehicles will be fitted with AM radio receivers, with no extra charges imposed on consumers.