Don’t touch that AM dial.

That’s the message a New Jersey congressman has for electric car manufacturers.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., launched a push this past week to fight a growing number of auto companies dropping AM radio setups from the dashboards of electric vehicles.

It’s part of a multi-layered clash between old and modern technology gaining attention on a national scale.

Manufacturers say electromagnetic noise from their EV motors interfere with AM frequencies, leading to buzz and bad signals. Plus, they say, the popularity of AM has waned and drivers can still access it if they want by streaming via Bluetooth.

But Gottheimer stressed this is not just about saving a century-old source of news and entertainment — especially in the busy tri-state area — but protecting public safety. He and others note AM radio brings key alerts to people during emergencies even after the power goes out and WiFi won’t work.

The Bergen County politician specifically took aim at Tesla CEO Elon Musk as he held a news conference about the issue Tuesday outside one of the company’s dealerships in Paramus.

“I would think that if Elon Musk has enough money to buy Twitter and send rockets to space, he can afford to include AM radio in his Teslas,” Gottheimer said. “Instead, Elon Musk and Tesla and other car manufacturers are putting public safety and emergency response at risk.”

Gottheimer announced he sent a letter to eight major EV manufacturers — including one addressed to Musk — calling on them to keep AM radio as a stock feature.

He also urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to add AM radio to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. And he noted how he helped secure $56 million in federal funding to keep the country’s public radio stations running with backup power during emergencies.

Tesla has not responded to a message from NJ Advance Media this week seeking comment.

The EV company dropped AM radio in its cars in 2018. Ford recently revealed it would discontinue AM radio in the 2024 Mustang — a conventional, non-EV car — and phase it out in “most new and updated models.”

Of course, the prominence of AM radio — a major source of Top 40 music in the mid-20th century — has faded in recent decades, thanks to surges in FM stations and more recently smart phones and social media. Some famous AM stations even have FM frequencies now.

Melissa Miller, a Ford spokeswoman, said a majority of AM stations in America, plus a number of automakers around the globe, are “modernizing radio by offering internet streaming through mobile apps, FM, digital and satellite radio options.”

“Ford will continue to offer these alternatives for customers to hear their favorite AM radio music, news and podcasts as we remove” direct AM setups, Miller said.

She noted less than 5% of radio usage in Ford vehicles is through AM.

Gottheimer said it’s “good news” more people are switching to electric vehicles to help the environment.

Still, he said, EV makers could invest in adapters to make AM signals work in their cars yet won’t spend the money.

There are more than 4,500 AM stations across the U.S. — including 77 in New Jersey — with more than 50 million listeners, Gottheimer noted. That’s about 20% of those who listen to radio.

Many AM stations, equipped with backup power, host the National Public Warning System, which provides alerts to the public during national disasters, extreme weather events, and other threats.

“Here in Jersey, we know all too well how important AM radio is during crises,” Gottheimer said. “During the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, AM radio provided a crucial lifeline for lifesaving information.”

Gottheimer also rejected claims that AM radio isn’t “relevant” anymore.

“They should come to Jersey, where plenty of folks, like those behind me, are driving to work, carpooling, going to see family listening to AM for news, traffic, weather, sports, talk radio,” he said.

Gottheimer isn’t alone. Seven former Federal Emergency Management Agency officials last month also sent a letter asking the U.S. government to help save AM setups in electric cars.

Jordan Walton of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association said there are plenty of business reasons to keep AM radio on auto dashboards. They still bring content to millions of listeners, provide jobs, are an “economic driver” for hundreds of businesses through advertising, and are home to many multicultural broadcasts, “all free to every American in the age of data caps and subscription plans,” Walton said.

But the most crucial part, he said, is AM stations are the “backbone” of emergency alerts.

“When power is out and internet is unreliable, radio remains to inform,” Walton told NJ Advance Media.

Plus, AM supporters note streaming sometimes requires a paid subscription.

Automakers counter that the government’s emergency system should adapt to new technologies. Miller, the Ford spokeswoman, noted that for customers to get emergency alerts via AM, they must be tuned to AM stations.

“Customers will be able to continue receiving emergency broadcasts and alerts with FM, HD Radio, SiriusXM, cellular and roadside communication as well as other methods as the government modernizes the emergency broadcast system,” she said.

Garrick Francis, the vice president of federal affairs for the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade association, has said “the intent is not for the public to rely on one sole source to receive the alerts but to create a ‘net’ of sources in which the public can receive them.”

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @johnsb01.