A recent test of the emergency alert system found only 1 percent got it via AM.
A controversial bill that would require all new cars to be fitted with AM radios looks set to become a law in the near future. Yesterday, Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass) revealed that the "AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act" now has the support of 60 US Senators, as well as 246 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, making its passage an almost sure thing. Should that happen, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would be required to ensure that all new cars sold in the US had AM radios at no extra cost.
AM is used for traffic advisory and weather conditions by state dots. A car without an AM radio cannot receive those safety critical broadcasts. An AM radio should be required equipment on every vehicle.
The argument for AM appears to be: the vast majority of adults will receive an emergency broadcast through their cellphone, but what happens if some event has already occurred which disabled large portions of the cellular network (which itself is an obvious target to create havoc)?
I'm fine with using AM as a redundant system for alerts.
Maybe make it more useful though for people in the car? I don't need an AM button I'm never going to touch. Instead have it monitor whatever the emergency broadcast frequencies are automatically, and put something on screen when there is an alert. That would make it a useful "modern" feature as opposed to appearing as a legacy holdover.
Requiring the installation of analog AM radios in automobiles is an unnecessary action that would impact EV range, efficiency and affordability (says the lobbyist)
Oh no the vehicle when driving at speed now uses 10001 watts with radio on instead of 10000 watts. Efficiency and range is ruined.
Also the $60k luxury vehicle is now unaffordable when a $1 am receiver is added in the infotainment
Lol. "Proponents claim it will reduce electric vehicle range". What a fucking joke.
Here's the thing about AM. Especially during any disaster. Damned near everything can get knocked out, power wise within 50 miles of you. At that point, you have no cell service, no data, and no FM radio. But AM? AM operates at a lower/longer frequency band. It can reach over double what FM can, and much further still, at night when it's signal can actually reflect off the ionosphere. Hundreds of miles.
So if shit ever REALLY goes down, AM radio is the most usable form of spreading information across the country. Bombs, freak accidents, mad scientist doomsday device, war, floods, tornados, etc. Anything that knocks a city out on power, AM will give you that information you'll need about where to go and what to look out for.
If they oppose it then I'm generally for it, sounds like AM Radio is used to broadcast safety messages on some roads in the USA so it makes sense. Plus, Radios are run of the mill common so it's not like it's any sort of barrier to entry.
Til am radio is still a thing? I know lots of fm radio stations but always wondered why every radio has an am setting, while there is no am stations available.
Glad they have their fucking priorities straight. Cars are growing at an insane rate and becoming more dangerous to operate but at least they will have garbage AM radio.