Regarding the ongoing distribution inquiry's report on the future terrestrial networks for radio and television, eleven authorities and companies have commented on the proposal that all new cars should also be able to receive analogue terrestrial radio broadcasts, i.e. FM. Positive to the proposal are Swedish Public Radio, the Post and Telecom Agency (PTS), the Armed Forces, Netnod, Schibsted, Teracom, National Educational Broadcaster (UR), Mobility Sweden, the Transport Workers' Union and Viaplay Group. Only the Competition Authority rejects the proposal.--- Read more about how the institutions view FM radio in cars below:
According to the Armed Forces' assessment, there may be reason for PTS to go a step further and analyze the issue of introducing a requirement that all cars in Sweden must be sold with analogue radio receivers and that not only new cars are covered.
Mobility Sweden, the trade association for manufacturers and importers of passenger cars, trucks and buses, writes that from a preparedness and safety perspective it is of great importance that light and heavy trucks also have radio receivers that can receive information via the FM network throughout the country. A question to members in the autumn of 2024 revealed that in principle all vehicles on the Swedish market, both light and heavy, are equipped with FM receivers as standard, in addition to the requirement for a digital radio receiver.
Mobility Sweden therefore cannot see that an expanded national requirement for FM receivers in both passenger cars and buses, as well as in light and heavy trucks, would entail any major change compared to what is already the practice. However, the requirement in itself has value from a preparedness and safety perspective.
The Transport Workers' Union endorses the proposal in the consultation to require that new passenger cars and buses that are released for sale or rental be able to receive and reproduce radio services also via analogue terrestrial radio transmission. However, Transport would like to add that such a requirement should also apply to heavy traffic in the form of trucks. Trucks often drive on routes and in areas that risk having poor coverage and thus have a great need for radio services via analogue terrestrial radio transmission, from a security perspective. In the event of war and crisis, civilian trucks can also be subject to the Armed Forces' right of possession, which further justifies why such a requirement should also include trucks.
Sveriges Radio endorses the proposal but believes that it is not enough for the requirement to apply only in cases where a car radio receiver has actually been built into a new vehicle. Instead, there should be a requirement that all new passenger cars and buses have a built-in car radio receiver that can receive and reproduce FM broadcasts.
Teracom supports the proposal to, like Finland, introduce requirements that new passenger cars and buses in Sweden should also be equipped with FM receivers. Viaplay Group does not oppose the proposal but wants it to be supplemented with requirements for DAB+ in cars.
Netnod, a company that operates critical internet infrastructure, supports the proposal and believes that FM receivers in new cars and buses constitute a robust and cost-effective solution for crisis communication.
Distribution of radio and television in the new media landscape (SOU 2025:116)
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