I watched a video presentation about connected cars from November’s asi conference while writing last week’s column. This has always been an area of interest to me. During my time at Arbitron, I was heavily involved in trying to figure out ways to obtain large data sets from vehicle infotainment systems.
The presenters noted that at least one European manufacturer, Opel, does not include any sort of infotainment system or radio in one of their new models. It’s the 2025 Opel Frontera SC, the least expensive version of the small SUV, which comes with a “smartphone station”. Apparently, you load an Opel app on your phone, place the phone in the docking station in the car, and it becomes the infotainment system. Want a “traditional” infotainment system? Move up to the Elegance edition of the Frontera and pay more.
The US situation is different. Some manufacturers no longer include AM radios in their vehicles, notably Tesla, but Elon Musk’s company is not alone (I see you Volvo, BMW, Polestar, and other EV manufacturers). When Ford announced that AM radio would no longer be available in F-150s, the howl from broadcasters could be heard across the land. The NAB has worked hard to gain passage of the AM for Every Vehicle Act, which would require AM in cars. However, I’m not aware of any US models that do not include an FM radio.
Europe has moved in a different direction to deal with OEMs and where radio appears in the dash. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) started an initiative called Radio Ready. Announced at WorldDAB Automotive in Madrid last June, the initiative has been joined by many private European radio broadcasters including Bauer, NRJ, and RTL as well as the Association of European Radios, which represents private broadcasters at the EU in Brussels. Commercial Radio and Audio, the group representing Australian commercial radio, has also joined in.
Radio Ready’s goal is to keep radio in a prominent position on the dashboard. Per the EBU, the initiative started with four principles:
- Radio in the car must be easy to use, starting with the push of a button.
- Radio should not just be easy to find, but impossible to miss.
- Radio should be focused and personalized. Smart suggestions based on prior listening are fine as long as data collection policies are transparent.
- Radio comes as a package meaning both public and private broadcasters should be found in the same place.
Based on what I’ve read and viewed, it’s morphed just a bit. Bauer’s press release after the Madrid conference listed three more succinct principles:
- Radio should be prominent and convenient
- Radio apps should be discoverable
- Voice assistants should be reliable
The asi presentation noted that radio should also remain free. There was a stated concern that automakers, aggregators, or others might attempt to bundle reception of free radio stations into a subscription system along with other audio sources. When I heard this, I thought of cable TV. I’m old enough to have been around before cable existed when one picked up free local TV signals off-air with rabbit ears or an outdoor antenna, much as radio has from the outset. Eventually, we paid for access to what was once free.
Isn’t it wonderful when radio broadcasters, private and public, get together for a worthwhile initiative to help the industry? I’ve read enough trade press in this country expressing concerns that the car is the last redoubt of radio strength. Many fret the future, with competition from Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or systems designed by the OEMs designed to highlight audio sources other than broadcast radio. The Europeans and Australians have come together to push a vision with simple principles and a single voice.
Why can’t North American broadcasters do the same and be a part of Radio Ready? Perhaps I’m missing something. It looks like a worthwhile initiative that could involve the NAB, RAB, NPR, and any other radio organization. I can’t see where one company or group would be better off than another in the push to maintain radio’s strength in the car. I only see positives.
If you’d like to view the presentation given by Bauer and SR (Sveriges Radio of Sweden), check out the video below. Start at 51 minutes in to view the presentation. It’s worth your time. Then think about how we can become Radio Ready in the US.
Let’s meet again next week.
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