Car Radios Roiled by Tech

Three unsung heroes of the broadcast radio industry have had their moments in the sun in 2024.? The three companies are Quu, Xperi, and GeoBroadcast Solutions.? Each of these companies is transforming the industry – fundamentally altering what it means to listen to the radio in a car.

First up is Quu.? In a recently published report reviewing in-dash systems in the 100 top-selling new cars in the U.S., metadata maven Quu found that AM/FM car radios are omnipresent but increasingly competing with embedded streaming apps.? HD Radio is also widely deployed, with some notable exceptions and proper metadata implementations are on the rise.

The findings of the survey of new vehicle infotainment systems is notable in the context of rumors of car makers deleting AM radios – to the consternation of legislators, regulators, and Christian and talk radio broadcasters.? In fact, some have suggested that AM/FM radios be eliminated altogether in favor of streaming sources and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto projected apps.

Quu happily reassured attendees at the recent National Association of Broadcasters convention that AM/FM radio is here to stay in cars.? In fact, AM/FM radio is evolving into an interactive platform with new tools for engaging listeners.

The Quu dashboard survey found:

• AM/FM radio is ubiquitous in new vehicles
• AM/FM radio no longer has a dashboard monopoly
• A growing number of vehicles offer built-in streaming apps
• Two out of three new vehicles have HD Radio installed
• GM vehicles are an exception to the widespread adoption of HD Radio
• All new vehicles have in-dash text.? Most can display logos and other images.

General Motors’ unfortunate presence in the survey findings reflects some unusual struggles at the U.S. market share leader.? The car maker captured unwanted headlines when it announced its intention to forego Apple CarPlay 2.0. But its infotainment struggles have been made more complex by chip shortages which contributed to the temporary absence of SiriusXM radio in some cars during the pandemic and a lingering lack of HD Radio.

The absence of HD Radio leaves GM out in the cold while the rest of the automotive industry is exploring the opportunity presented by the digitization of the radio dial.? Broadcasters were hit hard when the back-up camera mandate accelerated the introduction of in-dash LCD displays – erasing the ever-present radio dial.

Suddenly broadcast radio access was cut adrift, physical buttons disappeared, dropdown menus proliferated, and car makers struggled to redefine the radio tuning experience.? Broadcasters benefited from the onset of smart speakers in the home, but in the car the radio seemed to be lost.

Which brings us to Xperi.? Xperi’s HD Radio arrived around this time transforming broadcast radio consumption by enriching the in-vehicle experience with metadata – text and images – related to radio stations, their programs, and their content.? This was an important evolution as broadcasters have long understood that at least 50% of listening was occurring in cars.

In-dash radios are now in the process of a further upgrade in the form of DTS AutoStage from Xperi which leverages HD Radio technology to deliver a richer visual experience of radio while also enabling searching and sorting of broadcast content.? The DTS AutoStage experience is now enabled in more than seven million cars in the U.S. including those from Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Hyundai, Genesis, Kia, Lincoln, Nissan, and a growing roster of other brands.

The Mercedes-Benz DTS AutoStage experience includes full blown hybrid radio functionality in the form of service following: the ability to switch from the terrestrial signal to streaming when the broadcast signal is lost.? Nissan’s DTS AutoStage experience includes the ability to press a “find more like this” button to search available content.

Equally important to broadcasters and car makers, though, is the ability of DTS AutoStage to deliver listening analytics.? Xperi can tap into the data aggregated from 7 million DTS AutoStage-equipped vehicles to identify listening by region, day part, and station.

The DTS AutoStage data is not sampled and projected for ratings purposes, but it does provide powerful insights for broadcasters and their all-important advertisers.? The data also can be used by auto makers to better understand how car owners are interacting with their radios.

This last bit is especially important given the context of a keep-it-or-cut-it debate over AM/FM radio in cars.? Consumer surveys routinely show that broadcast radio remains the medium with the widest reach – even in the face of a splintering digital audience.? Car makers would do well to tap into DTS AutoStage metrics before making an ill-considered cut.

Decisions regarding in-dash systems are considerably more complex than they have ever been with smartphone projection systems increasingly popular with consumers and streaming station aggregators such as iHeartRadio and TuneIn on the rise.? Hundreds of broadcasters actually have dedicated apps for engaging with their listeners – which means listeners can tap into the over-the-air broadcast, a stream accessed via TuneIn (from Android Auto or CarPlay), or the station’s own app.

The Harman Ignite and Faurecia Aptoide app stores offer an alternative path for dedicated station apps to join in-dash systems.? Faurecia Aptoide is currently being deployed in Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Stellantis vehicles and already boasts 250 available apps.

The next test for auto makers will be to explore the intersection of generative AI technology with digital radio.? What if your in-dash system were to become your personal driving DJ – capable of curating broadcast, podcast, or streaming content as you drive?? This is the opportunity that awaits the auto maker seeking to take charge of the evolving digital in-dash experience while mitigating distraction.

Location and local information will always be the core of such a contextual experience.? Broadcast radio is the definition of local with local news, weather, sports, and traffic information.? Which brings us to GeoBroadcast Solutions.

GeoBroadcast Solutions’ ZoneCasting, which was recently granted waivers for deployment by the Federal Communications Commission, enables broadcasters to geotarget three minutes of broadcast content per hour.? For the first time, broadcasters can segment their signals – even if only for a brief amount of time – to regionalized audiences.? The FCC decision arrived just in time for U.S. elections, a perfect context for targeted content whether advertising or public service messages.

Quu, Xperi, and GeoBroadcast Solutions are taking digital radio to new audiences with new experiences and enhanced interfaces.? Car makers are uniquely positioned to brings these experiences to life and are responding appropriately.? Maybe now we can lay to rest the rampant rumors of radio’s demise in the dashboard.? The reality is clearly something quite different.

The Quu Report - https://quureport.com/

Radio's Future in the Connected Car - Your Station, Your Audience, and the Digital Dashboard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53JpkyHmvs4 - Radiodays Europe 2024

Radio's Place in America's Top Selling New Vehicles - https://jacobsmedia.com/join-the-quu-webinar-radios-place-in-americas-top-selling-new-vehicles/ - JacobsMedia & Quu

TechSurvey 2024 Results - Webinar and Presentation Deck - https://jacobsmedia.com/techsurvey-2024-results-radio-in-the-post-pandemic-era-webinar-recording/

Cockpit Innovations: Streaming, Gaming, Audio, and Apps - https://library.techinsights.com/search/analysis-view/AIT-2402-803#pdfId=dc016ee8ecd14eed9193801c3f23b253 - TechInsights

2023 Smartphone Mirroring Report - Mirroring is Gaining but not Winning Everyone Over - https://library.techinsights.com/search/analysis-view/IVX-2310-801#pdfId=7ee5a0c712624aa98e67567e6b4c5f3d - TechInsights