Don't Touch That Dial
When was the last time you listened to an AM radio broadcast in your car? The answer likely depends on your age and, to a lesser extent, the type of car you're driving. AM radio is disappearing from many new cars, but particularly EVs because their powertrains create electrical interference that AM frequencies are particularly susceptible to. But Congress is stepping in to ensure that AM radio doesn't completely fade away.
On Thursday, the House passed a bill that would mandate AM radio in all new vehicles, reports Axios. A Senate companion bill would also have to pass for this to become law but this is part of a long effort by lawmakers to preserve AM radio that seems remarkable in the current context of Republican control. Given Republicans' aversion to all things regulatory, AM radio must be really important, right?
Still Needed For Emergency Broadcasts?

"While automakers want to ditch AM frequency from EVs because of interference distorting quality, regulators use the AM frequency for emergency alerts, and the AM broadcast does not require a paid subscription for a driver to hear it," S&P AutoIntelligence associate director Stephanie Brinley said in a statement to The Drive. "This has been an ongoing issue for several years; it is less about consumer interest in AM radio."
Indeed, Brinley also said that it is "high unlikely" that a new car buyer would avoid an EV because it lacks AM radio, but added, "that misses the point of why U.S. lawmakers are interested in maintaining the availability of the frequency even in EVs."
It's hard not to view the Republican-led Congress' interest in AM radio in the context of that party's disdain for EVs. But there may be some merit to the argument, because, while Congress laid the groundwork for alternative emergency communication systems in the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015, but never agreed on an alternative uniform emergency notification system. And while most people get information from smartphones and digital services, not everyone uses them.
Generation Gap

Buick
EV adoption tends to skew younger, meaning the average EV driver is more likely to be tuned out (no pun intended) the potential benefit of keeping AM radio around. Tech-savvy Millennials and younger generations are also more likely to have alternative ways of getting emergency information. "Likely" perhaps isn't good enough from a regulatory perspective, but it's still odd to see Congress advancing an AM radio bill while other important automotive regulations are under threat.
from Autoblog News https://ift.tt/VvtplLA
0 Comments