On May 23, Ford Automotive announced it will include AM radio in all of its 2024 vehicles. The announcement comes months after news broke that Ford and other automakers would not be carrying AM radio in their new models. This, of course, would have been a substantial blow to AM broadcasters.
Ford CEO Jim Farley shared the news via Twitter:
The announcement is encouraging, but the fight is not over. Several electric car manufacturers such as Tesla, who have dropped AM radio, have made no announcement about bringing it back.
“In light of Ford’s announcement, NAB urges other automakers who have removed AM radio from their vehicles to follow Ford’s lead and restore this technology in the interest of listeners and public safety” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.
Last week, US Senators Ed Markey (D Mass) and Ted Cruz (R Texas) introduced the “AM for Every Vehicle Act”. If passed, the legislation would require the Department of Transportation to issue a requirement for AM radio in all new US vehicles. In addition, Indiana Representative Greg Pence (IN-6) co-authored a letter with Ohio Representative Bob Latta (OH-5) that was delivered to several auto companies urging them to keep AM radio in all vehicles.
