Why are car manufacturers eliminating AM radio? – Jalopnik

AM car radios date back to the 1930s and have since become as ubiquitous as the steering wheel. So why are automakers eliminating them, especially in electric vehicles? The simple answer is that electric motors and other electronic components in modern vehicles increase the amount of static interference that AM radio is susceptible to, and limiting this interference would cost manufacturers billions. Since the problem is particularly prevalent in EVs, several major OEMs (including but not limited to BMW, Tesla, and Mazda) are removing AM radios from their electric vehicles entirely, with automakers claiming that internet and satellite-based radio offerings will serve as effective replacements for the real thing.

However, these decisions have been met with resistance from the government, and representatives are pleading with OEMs to consider the safety costs of retiring AM radio. In addition to the countless AM talk shows that may or may not be missed, AM radio serves as a crucial emergency response tool that remains accessible in situations where mobile and Internet resources may not be. Originally introduced in Congress in 2023 and reproposed in 2025, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (if passed) would require automakers to keep AM radio broadcasts available in all newly produced vehicles at no additional cost to consumers (suggesting that some OEMs might try to make it an optional extra if it goes unregulated). The proposal would also require automakers to clearly disclose which of their existing vehicles do not have AM radio capabilities.

Is AM radio static really that much worse in EVs? According to executives at Volkswagen, Volvo and Mazda, this is the case. To varying degrees, spokespeople for each of these brands have commented on the significant degradation of AM radiostatic electricity from electric motors and subsequent poor performance in their cars.

If you’re not familiar with how radios (and radio static radio signals) work, here’s a quick refresher. The reason you can hear something you’re playing when you turn on the car stereo is because radio stations transmit encoded information through radio waves. Your receiver then picks up these signals and translates them into sound. AM and FM refer to two different ways of encoding information into a carrier wave. While FM (frequency modulation) transmits information about variations in the frequency of the carrier wave, AM (amplitude modulation) transmits information about variations in the amplitude of the carrier wave, or the height of the radio wave. The variability in amplitude subjects AM radio to a lot of noise.

Despite the exacerbation of this static electricity by the electrical components in many electric vehicles, its retention in vehicles has received bipartisan support. That’s a rarity these days, but cynics might suggest it’s because the government wouldn’t foot the bill.