Sen. Ed Markey says the removal of AM radio from vehicles can create a serious risk to public safety, despite what automakers wrote in their reply to him.
Meanwhile the National Association of Broadcasters says it has had a “productive dialogue” with carmakers in recent weeks about this issue. A spokesman said, “We know automakers do not want to alienate the nearly 48 million American who listen to AM radio each week.”
As we reported last week, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation sent a reply to Markey after he asked individual car companies about their commitment to broadcast AM radio in electric and other future vehicles. That reply did not provide assurances on keeping AM, and instead pointed to the many other ways that Americans now can receive emergency alerting information.
The alliance says it and its members are committed to maintaining consumer access to vital safety information:
“As part of this effort, we have been meeting with the National Association of Broadcasters and are in the preliminary stages of engaging FEMA to understand better how consumers can continue to access emergency broadcast information both inside and outside the vehicle.”
Markey now has commented in response:
“Americans rely on AM radio not only for news, weather and sports, but as a critical lifeline to information during emergencies and natural disasters. I’ve made clear to automakers that the removal of AM radio from vehicles can create a serious risk to public safety, and I will continue to engage with the auto industry to ensure that as our electric vehicle revolution speeds up, AM radio does not disappear along with internal combustion engines.”
Meanwhile the NAB’s Senior Vice President of Communications Alex Siciliano wrote, “We appreciate that the industry is being responsive to Sen. Markey as many policymakers have voiced concerns about removing AM radio from newly manufactured vehicles. We have engaged in an ongoing and productive dialogue with the alliance since this letter was written in December, and we’ll continue to facilitate this dialogue between key stakeholders. As the backbone of the nation’s Emergency Alert System (EAS), AM radio plays a critical role in informing Americans and keeping them safe when disaster strikes. … We know automakers do not want to alienate the nearly 48 million American who listen to AM radio each week, and we’ll continue fighting to keep this important service in cars.”
