Senate Committee Advances AM Radio Bill; House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on AVs
Yesterday the Senate Commerce Committee passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would mandate that automakers include AM radio in all new vehicles, sending it to the Senate floor for a vote. The legislation, introduced in May, came in response to concerns that many automakers have removed, or are are planning to remove, AM radio from new vehicles, and in particular, EVs. A House subcommittee also held a hearing on the issue last month. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representating major automakers, opposes the legislation and at least seven OEMs, including BMW, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen and Volvo, do not offer AM radio in electric vehicles due to concerns of interference with EV batteries. The Senate legislation has at least 27 bipartisan cosponsors and the House bill has 137 bipartisan cosponsors.
Autonomous Vehicles
On Wednesday the House Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce held a hearing on autonomous vehicles. In testimony before the subcommittee Alliance for Automotive Innovation President & CEO John Bozzella urged Congress to move forward on a federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. The hearing comes as several bill related to Avs are pending in Congress. Other hearing witnesses included Philip Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University professor; Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind; and Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association.
Quotes of the Week
“I hope you will read the full economic study at AIADA.org/report and share it far and wide, with your employees, your customers, your fellow dealers, and your elected officials. These numbers don’t come close to encompassing the full impact our businesses have on our communities – from charitable donations, to reliable service and safety checks, to indirect employment numbers – but they do give us a solid starting point to begin that conversation.”
-Mike DeSilva, AIADA Chairman (www.aiada.org)
"In this time of massive transformation for industry, companies cannot afford to endlessly allocate massive capital into the void of uncertainty.”
-John Bozzella, President & CEO, Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Automotive News)
ICYMI
In case you missed it, AIADA Chairman Mike DeSilva is out with a new blog, Dealers Count.
Friday Feel Good
Here is just one recent example of how dealers are doing good:
AutoNation Subaru Hilton Head turned their showroom into a beach to help Make-a-Wish South Carolina tell a youngster her wish to play in the sunshine on St. John's is coming true. Subaru and its retailers have helped grant 3,300 life-changing wishes.
We want to hear more about how you are supporting your local community – tweet us at @AIADA_News and use the hashtag #DealersDoGood.
You Auto Know will be on hiatus while Congress is on an extended district work period during the month of August. We will return after Labor Day with all of the news from Washington, D.C. that You Auto Know about.
