The bill would require the Secretary of Transportation, within one year of enactment, to issue a rule mandating that devices capable of receiving AM broadcast signals and playing content be installed as standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles. The rule could allow compliance by devices that receive AM signals and play content from digital AM stations.
Before issuing the rule, the Secretary must produce a public report evaluating potential safety or innovation impacts on vehicles with automated driving systems and outlining mitigation options. The bill also imposes interim labeling for vehicles manufactured after enactment that lack AM-receiving devices, prohibits extra charges for AM access during that interim period, and preempts state laws on AM access.
A GAO study on emergency alerts and IPAWS is required, with periodic reporting and a sunset of eight years after enactment. Enforcement mirrors existing federal auto-regulatory penalties, and the act directs ongoing Congress oversight through the GAO study and annual reviews.
At a Glance
What It Does
The rule requires AM reception devices to be standard in new passenger vehicles and accessible to drivers, with an option for digital AM broadcast compatibility.
Who It Affects
Automobile manufacturers and suppliers, vehicle assemblers, and distributors of passenger motor vehicles; regulators at DOT, FCC, and FEMA will oversee implementation.
Why It Matters
It ensures motorists retain access to AM broadcasts and emergency alerts as vehicles gain automated driving features, while setting a federal baseline that preempts conflicting state rules.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 would, within one year of enactment, trigger the Department of Transportation to issue a rule. That rule would require most new passenger vehicles to include a standard device capable of receiving AM radio signals and playing the associated content.
Manufacturers could meet this requirement by equipping vehicles with AM-capable receivers that also work with digital AM stations. The bill contemplates ensuring that this functionality is easily accessible to drivers and does not burden consumers with new charges during an interim period after enactment.
Before the rule is issued, a DOT-led report would assess how adding AM reception could affect automotive innovation and safety, especially in vehicles with automated driving systems, and explore mitigation options. The act also preempts state laws on AM access and provides for civil penalties for non-compliance, alongside a GAO study on emergency alert dissemination via IPAWS and a sunset at eight years.
Finally, the bill requires a rolling review every five years to reassess impacts on safety and technology and to consider potential IPAWS updates.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill requires the Secretary to issue a rule within 1 year mandating AM reception devices be standard in passenger vehicles.
Manufacturers can satisfy the rule by installing devices that receive AM signals and play digital AM content.
Interim labeling is required for vehicles without AM devices, and no extra AM access fee can be charged during that period.
There is an enforcement framework with civil penalties and potential court action, plus a GAO study on IPAWS integration.
The act sunsets 8 years after enactment and mandates a five-year review of safety and technology impacts.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Short title
This Act may be cited as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025.
Definitions
Key terms are defined to align agencies: Administrator (FEMA), AM broadcast band (535–1705 kHz), AM broadcast station, appropriate committees of Congress, automated driving system (SAE J3016 levels 3–5), Comptroller General, device (receiver and playback), digital audio AM broadcast station, IPAWS, manufacturer (as defined in 49 U.S.C. 30102(a)), passenger motor vehicle (49 U.S.C. 32101), radio broadcast station and related statutory licenses, receive, Secretary (Secretary of Transportation), signal, and standard equipment (as originally manufactured in a passenger vehicle without extra charges). These definitions ground the rulemaking and compliance framework.
AM broadcast stations rule
The core requirement directs the Secretary, within one year of enactment, to issue a rule. The rule must require devices capable of receiving AM signals and playing associated content to be installed as standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles manufactured in, imported into, or shipped in interstate commerce in the United States. It must ensure the devices provide driver-accessible AM access and may allow compliance by devices that can receive AM signals and play content from digital AM stations. A pre-rule report must evaluate potential adverse impacts on automotive innovation or vehicle safety related to AM reception in vehicles with automated driving systems and outline mitigation options. Compliance provisions set two timelines: a general effective date no later than two years after the rule’s issuance, and a longer, at-least-four-year timeline for manufacturers that produced not more than 40,000 passenger vehicles for sale in 2022. An interim requirement obligates manufacturers to label vehicles that lack AM-reception devices and prohibits charging extra fees for AM access during that period. The act also preempts state laws on AM access and establishes civil penalties, with enforcement by the Attorney General and related penalties under 49 U.S.C. 30165. A GAO study on disseminating emergency alerts via IPAWS is mandated, including stakeholder consultation and a briefing within one year and a follow-up report within 180 days after the briefing. The act requires a five-year review cycle for updates to IPAWS and related technologies, and ends with a sunset eight years after enactment.
Enforcement, oversight, and sunset
Enforcement follows existing federal vehicle regulation channels, using civil penalties and injunctive relief as appropriate. The Comptroller General conducts a broad study of emergency alerts in vehicles, including IPAWS integration and the comparative effectiveness of AM broadcasting versus other alert technologies, and must consult a wide array of federal, state, tribal, and industry stakeholders. The act also provides for periodic reporting to Congress and a sunset clause eight years after enactment, ending the authority to enforce or carry out the rule. These provisions balance safety and innovation while giving Congress ongoing visibility into how AM access functions in modern vehicles.
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Explore Transportation in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Vehicle owners and drivers who rely on AM radio and IPAWS for weather and emergency information, ensuring access regardless of vehicle technology.
- AM radio broadcasters and networks that reach in-vehicle listeners, preserving audience reach as car tech evolves.
- Emergency management and FEMA/DHS programs that depend on broad dissemination of alerts through IPAWS and vehicle-based channels.
- Automotive manufacturers and suppliers that adopt standardized AM-receiver technology may realize a clearer regulatory baseline and potential scale economies from a federal standard.
Who Bears the Cost
- Automotive manufacturers and suppliers who must integrate AM-receiving devices into standard equipment, potentially increasing production costs and supply-chain complexity.
- Small-volume vehicle manufacturers that fall under the extended 4-year compliance timeline but still face software/hardware integration costs.
- State governments may bear the cost of preemption-related adjustments or legal planning when aligning with federal standards.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central tension is between guaranteeing universal, driver-visible access to AM broadcasting and emergency alerts in a rapidly evolving automotive technology landscape (including automated driving systems and digital radio formats) and the risk that a federal mandate could raise costs, constrain innovation, or impose one-size-fits-all requirements on diverse manufacturers.
The bill creates a strong federal baseline for in-vehicle AM access, which could drive up manufacturing costs and slow certain innovations that depend on flexible radio hardware. The requirement to rely on a federally issued rule means states cannot enforce separate AM access standards, potentially reducing state-level regulatory experimentation.
The interim labeling and no-additional-fee rules are intended to protect consumers during transition, but they also—depending on market dynamics—could affect resale value and consumer expectations. The GAO study and periodic reviews are designed to catch mid-course misalignments, but the effectiveness hinges on the quality and timeliness of data from stakeholders, including car makers, broadcasters, and emergency services.
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