Florida AG Ashley Moody defends AM radio

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and her counterparts in 15 other Republican-leaning states are asking electric car manufacturers to reverse from their decision to strip AM radios from their vehicles. BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Volkswagen, Ford and Tesla have already or are planning on removing AM radios from their electric vehicles, citing electromagnetic interference. 

They sent a letter to two electric vehicle manufacturing associations, arguing AM radios should be kept so citizens can be reached during emergency situations, as well as protecting “important political commentary.” “AM radio signals reach farther and remain functional even when phone lines, electricity and cellphones are inoperable. Electric vehicle manufacturers must keep these radio signals open and active – Floridians’ lives may depend on it,” Moody said in a statement.

Republican critics have argued that the removal is an attempt to target conservative AM radio commentators, who often net tens of millions of daily listeners across the country. Moody said the change, plus the Biden administration’s goal of “having 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030,” could mean the death of AM radio. 

“While we oppose the Biden Administration’s efforts, they underscore that removing AM radios from electric cars threatens the entire AM radio industry. Without access to their main consumers—automobile owners—AM stations, and the lifesaving signals they provide, might cease to exist,” she wrote in the letter.