Cars Required to Keep AM Radio in Bill Advanced by Senate Panel

Automakers would be forced to keep AM broadcast radio in new cars under legislation moving forward in the Senate, despite opposition from electric vehicle manufacturers.

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted by voice vote on Thursday to advance a modified bipartisan bill (S. 1669) that directs the Transportation Department to require carmakers maintain AM broadcast radio without additional fees. The removal of the AM radio from electric vehicles has drawn bipartisan backlash from lawmakers, who say cutting the network’s emergency broadcasts could leave drivers unsafe.

“Americans rely on AM radio to provide them with safety alerts, ...