Digital radio and you: what’s around the corner?
In-car entertainment has come a long way since the first radio was placed in a dash in the 1920s, but the switch to DAB will be the most radical development yet.
WE’VE HAD EIGHT TRACKS, cassette players, MDs, CD players, and iPod docks in cars over the years, and the next evolutionary step is digital radio.
There has been endless talk about whether the analog signal is going to go out. Well, now it’s definitely going to happen, with culture minister Ed Vaizey saying in October that the government is no longer talking about if, but when.
Who will be most affected?
In a word, motorists. Currently, 90.7% of the UK population listen to the radio every week, according to figures from Radio Joint Audio Research, but only 2% of cars on the road can receive a digital signal.
The fear is that drivers will be left with useless analogue radios in their cars, digital coverage and audio quality will be poor, and even the pre-owned values of cars not equipped with digital radios will suffer.
Automakers have been slow to reassure consumers. As it stands, only one major manufacturer, Mini, offers digital radio as standard across its range, though premium brands like Rolls-Royce do as well. However, Louise Wallis of the National Association of Automobile Auctions believes consumers shouldn’t worry that cars without digital radios will be worth less. ‘With CD players it didn’t make much of a difference.’ she says, adding that there’s no such thing as an “essential option” for most used car buyers.
So when will the change happen?
Any change is going to take a while yet. The Government has committed to the change, but it is not known when it will be maintained for the smaller and independent stations.
Before a final changeover date is chosen, the government has said it wants digital coverage to match that of FM broadcasts. Furthermore, he says that half of all radio listening will have to be done on digital devices. According to figures from Radio Joint Audio Research, 28.2% of current listening is done digitally.
Despite the potentially far-off switch date, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has said the entire auto industry will offer the technology at least as an option by the end of 2013. That might be optimistic, because only 15 brands have firm plans. to offer. technology in all its ranges by then.
However, the SMMT acknowledges that there is an appetite for the technology. The number of car buyers opting for digital radio has skyrocketed; 18% of new owners chose to include it in September 2011, 340% more than the 5% of people who bought it the previous year.
It’s reassuring, then, that the best-selling and most affordable brands are offering the technology in multiple models now or are on track to get there in 2013.
Ford’s top-tier models already bring digital technology to the Fiesta, Focus, C-Max, Grand C-Max, Kuga, S-Max and Galaxy. DAB is also optional at the bottom of the range on all models except the Ka. “Our plans for OBD will be determined by customer demand, the cost of installation and the timing of the planned digital switch,” says Ford of Great Britain product marketing manager Steve Humbles.
Volkswagen says it will offer the technology as standard by the end of 2012, and Vauxhall intends to offer it on all new models from now on, the first being the Astra GTC.
Will the coverage be good enough?
The UK intends to invest heavily in digital signal quality in the coming years, with the goal being to offer 97% coverage matching FM by the end of 2015.
Digital Radio UK organization says significant progress is being made, with coverage expected to reach 93% by the end of 2011. It claims 116 new transmitters have been installed in the last three years to increase range and signal strength digital. . However, much of the effort has been directed towards urban areas, and the next intention is to help motorists.
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director of audio and music, said the next stage of coverage creation will focus on “improving coverage on motorways and main roads”.
Can I upgrade my existing car?
Fortunately, yes. There are already several options for those who want to make their car digitally compatible. Naturally you could opt for a new head unit with DAB radio included, but there are alternatives for people who don’t want to do this.
One option is to install a small additional box on the dash. Pure Radio’s new Highway 300Di adapter, for example, uses a small box that sits in the glove compartment or footwell and connects to the back of the existing radio via the antenna or assistant. It’ll set you back £179.99 (halfords includes installation until the end of the year, after which it’s £24.99), so it’s not cheap. However, it is easy to use, unobtrusive and does not drastically change the appearance of the car.
If you want a setup that fully integrates with your existing system, there are options like Celsus Media DAB. This can even be controlled via your car’s steering wheel controls. Take a deep breath though, because it will set you back £399 plus fitting (around £80).
Car manufacturers are also getting in on the action by offering the adaptation of digital radio. Alfa Romeo and Vauxhall say they can fit digital into existing cars.
Who can I trust to adapt it?
Paul Everitt of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has suggested that digital radios and the engineers who fit them might have to meet quality standards.
“We must ensure that cars get safe and reliable updates performed by reputable technicians,” he said. He suggested that the SMMT is considering implementing an accreditation system similar to MotorCodes, which requires MoT and service stations to be up to date. This is just one reason why consumers shouldn’t feel like they have anything to worry about, both now and when the transition finally arrives. The cost is likely to drop significantly as well.