HB 979, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025, would direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring passenger motor vehicles to include devices capable of receiving and playing AM broadcast stations as standard equipment. The rule would apply to vehicles manufactured in or imported into the United States after the rule’s effective date, and it would require AM access to be easily available to drivers. Manufacturers could satisfy the requirement by installing devices that receive digital audio AM broadcasts as defined in the bill.
The bill also requires a pre-rule report evaluating whether AM reception in vehicles could adversely affect automotive innovation or the safety of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems, and what mitigation options manufacturers could use. It creates a temporary labeling and pricing requirement for vehicles sold before the rule takes effect if they do not include AM capability, and it bars states and localities from imposing their own AM-access requirements for passenger vehicles. The bill authorizes civil penalties and injunctive enforcement, directs a GAO study on emergency alert dissemination and IPAWS, requires periodic five-year reviews, and sunsets the act after eight years.
Impact
The bill would add a new federal motor vehicle equipment requirement under the Department of Transportation, effectively standardizing AM radio access in passenger vehicles nationwide. It would preempt state and local laws or regulations on AM access in passenger motor vehicles, and it would interact with existing federal motor vehicle safety and enforcement authorities by tying violations to civil penalties and federal court enforcement. The measure also affects automakers, especially manufacturers of passenger motor vehicles, with a longer compliance period for smaller manufacturers, and it implicates emergency communications policy through its IPAWS-related study and review provisions.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s sponsorship and broad bipartisan list of cosponsors, the overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and cross-party. The bill’s title and structure suggest a public-safety and consumer-access rationale, particularly around emergency alerts and maintaining access to broadcast radio in vehicles. No committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence in the supplied materials of organized opposition or a divided vote.
Contention
The main point of contention reflected in the text is whether requiring AM radio in vehicles could interfere with automotive innovation, including vehicles equipped with automated driving systems. The bill acknowledges that concern by requiring a DOT report on potential adverse impacts and mitigation strategies before the rule is issued. Another likely area of debate is federal preemption of state and local requirements, since the bill expressly bars subnational governments from setting their own AM-access rules. Manufacturers, especially smaller ones, may also be concerned about compliance costs and design constraints, which is why the bill includes delayed compliance for lower-volume manufacturers and a temporary labeling rule for vehicles sold before the mandate takes effect.