Turn up your car digital radio

The local organisation Commercial Radio Australia is well aware of the importance of embracing the digital age of radio broadcasting. This is particularly significant for radios on the road; commercial radio listening figures for 2012 show 34% of radio listening is in the car and the radio industry is keen for those listeners to experience digital radio.

There is still some debate about which technology to use.

Sweden, for example is considering DRM+ or DRM30 over the metro centric DAB+ we have here in Australia. Also part of the equation should be the even broader coverage of satellite based delivery of a digital signal.

Like VHS over Betamax, Windows over OS2 or arguably BlueRay over HD-DVD, sometimes the superior technology loses out to the popular one. In this case DAB+ is getting the push.

Clearer sound and improved local reception is a powerful combination to hook in listeners to the extra 22 digital-only radio stations currently on offer. While presenters and shows are thin among the new stations, the upside is that there is wall-to-wall content covering everything from chill, comedy, dance and country music.

Figures released this month from the United Kingdom revealed one third of all new cars (33%) in Q4 2012 now have a digital radio as standard. This compares with 25.5% in Q3 2012, 20.8% in Q4 2011 and just 7.5% in Q4 2010

Locally, Toyota, Lexus and Hino are now offering DAB+ as standard in selected new models, while Audi, BMW and, most recently, Land Rover and Mercedes, are offering DAB+ digital as an option on certain models.

For its part, General Motors Holden has acknowledged that it does not “currently have DAB+ on any Holden vehicles.”

However According to GM Holden’s Social Media & Digital Communications Manager Andrea Matthews, “We do have some very exciting developments happening in the area of in-car infotainment and will be introducing our new premium infotainment system MyLink to new Holden cars in our portfolio in coming months. One of the great features of MyLink is the ability to stream digital music and radio via apps which are embedded in the car and stream via 3G over the driver's mobile device.”

When asked directly about Holden's plans for digital radio, Ms. Matthews said "We have no plans to introduce DAB+ into our model line-up. We believe that the MyLink system offers great functionality and is future proof with the ability to be updated when additional apps become available.

"One of the supported apps will be TuneIn radio which allows access to stations from around the world. We will also be the first manufacturer to support Pandora in the first quarter of this year."

The disadvantage of this format is that streaming costs would apply to the phone from an internet provider. While DAB+ is received as a normal radio signal, just as FM and AM stations are now.

A spokesperson for Ford Australia told motoring.com.au that over the next few months there will be some announcements on DAB+ radio in target vehicles. “We respond to our customer needs“, the spokesperson added “systems such as Sat Nav, considered luxury items in the past, are becoming commonplace in today’s vehicles.” We believe that announcement will involve the small Kuga SUV. It's expected that DAB+ will be standard fare in the new generation Kuga when it's officially released in April.

The chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner, said: “There are around 16 million registered vehicles in Australia, mostly with analogue radios; the DAB+ digital radio aftermarket sector provides a great opportunity for aftermarket retailers, installers and manufacturers.”

The CRA has a vested interest in getting both the public and car manufacturers excited about digital radio. With more and more select-your-own entertainment options available in modern cars today, there is less chance - depending on the quality of content - drivers and passengers will tolerate traditionally delivered commercial radio.

MP3 options are already de rigueur in most new cars; add in Bluetooth and internet radio streaming, podcasts and audio books among others and the radio option becomes more questionable.

Still, there is a lot to be said for the immediacy of news reports, discovering new music or following a favourite local radio identity, that means there should be a place for the medium.

“The uptake of digital radio continues to climb and the industry’s goal throughout 2013 is to ensure as many cars and other devices (as possible) include DAB+ digital radio,” Warner said.