Car manufacturers claim they are promoting safety in removing AM radios from their latest models. The excuse is that AM is a source of radio-frequency emissions that interfere with autopilot functions in cars. Some say the change improves safety on the road. Others suspect a censorship goal, since AM is a common medium for conservative talk hosts.
The issue first came up in late 2020, and Ford Motor Company is the latest to pitch AM. Citing safety concerns, Ford announced last week that it is transitioning away from AM radio in “most new and updated models” beginning in 2024. Interestingly, signal interference supposedly occurs in electric vehicles, but Ford is removing AM radio in its gas-powered products, too.
Company spokesman Wes Sherwood told the Detroit Free Press that Ford’s commercial vehicles “will continue to offer AM radio because of longstanding contract language.” The outlet offered no explanation as to why safety concerns would not trump old contracts or necessitate their redrafting.
But is AM radio so expendable? NextNewsNetwork provided some commentary on that crucial topic here:
However, it is not just conservatives who are concerned about axing AM. Massachusetts Democrat Senator Ed Markey is pushing back, having sent a letter in December to automakers. In it he urged them to keep AM radio in cars “for the sake of public safety.” (Emphasis added.)
Last month he released responses from top manufacturers. Eight of them have already removed AM radio from their EVs: BMW, Ford, Mazda, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo are among these. Ten others still maintain AM radio, including Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota. Why it is a safety hazard in some and not in others remains a mystery.
Markey said many automakers suggested other communication tools such as internet radio, but he pointed out that in an emergency, AM is often the only option. He called it “irreplaceable.” Because it “operates at lower frequencies and longer wavelengths” than FM radio, “enabling it to pass through solid objects and travel further than other radio waves,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Public Warning System relies on it. Markey is urging vehicle manufacturers to invest in updated technology that will not be debilitated by AM signals.
Seven former FEMA officials penned a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in February, protesting the loss of AM radio in cars and emphasizing its importance.
