DAB+ in cars: European expansion

Patrick Hannon - President, WorldDAB

23 June 2021

1

Radio in the car is changing

2

95%

66%

49% 45%38%

22%

97.5%89% 85%

82% 82% 80%

UK Italy NL Bel France Germany

H2 19 H2 20

DAB+ now standard in majority of new cars

Source: JATO, SMMT / DRUK

New cars with DAB+ as standard

Significant shift in key EU markets

3

• European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) effective from 21 December 2020

• All new car radios in the EU need to have digital terrestrial radio

Further progress is expected – driven by the EECC

4

DAB+ firmly established as core future platform for radio in Europe

EstablishedOn the moveTrials

UK

NorwaySweden

Germany

France

Spain

Italy

CH

NLBel

DK

PolandCzech

Austria

Ireland

Portugal

Slovenia

Slovakia

Finland

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Croatia Serbia

Greece

Bulgaria

Ukraine

RomaniaHungary

National launches

• Germany: 2011

• NL: 2013

• Italy: 2014

• Slovenia: 2016

• Belgium: 2018

• Austria: 2019N Macedonia

Montenegro

5

France is launching national DAB+ in 2021

• Ten cities / regions already on air1

• Two national multiplexes (25 services) due to launch October 2021

(1) Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nancy, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, Auvergne-Rhone Alpes

6

Switzerland switching off FM: 2022 to 2023

• Radio industry has agreed switch from FM to digital broadcasting via DAB+

• SRG SSR will switch off its FM transmitters in August 2022

• Private radio stations by January 2023

7

UK: Over 16 million cars

with DAB+

Germany: 2nd national mux (Oct 2020)NRW new mux (end 2021)

Major automotive markets continue to expand

Italy: All receivers must

have DAB+ (Jan 2020)

8

Drivers of growth

9

National radio services

8

22

5

13

2

5650

3229 29

UK Italy Norway NL Germany

Analogue DAB / DAB+

DAB+ offers greater choice – on average, six times as many services as FM

1

(1) pre-FM switch-off

10

DAB offers clearer sound - particularly where FM is overcrowded

11

DAB is the green solution

(1) https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/publications/research-393-energy-footprint-bbc-radio-environment-impact-sustainability

• DAB+ consumes significantly less energy than FM

• BBC study shows DAB is 33% more efficient than FM1

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What next?

13

DAB+ in cars

Improving DAB+experience

Optimising DAB+ with IP platforms

Three steps to our automotive strategy

1

2

3

14

Listeners need simple navigation

• A radio button is essential

• A-Z station list

• Pre-sets should be easy to programme

(1) https://www.worlddab.org/automotive/user-experience-guidelines

WorldDAB Automotive Working Group

15

Listeners deserve great audio quality

Image source: Electronic Environment

• Optimise antenna performance

• Collaborate on testing (test routes)

• Electric vehicles next focus of investigation

Antenna complexity

WorldDAB Automotive Working Group

16

Listeners need strong, clear branding and visuals

• Visuals / logos to maximise impact on the dashboard

• Competition (online services)

WorldDAB Automotive Working Group

17

DAB+ in cars

Great DAB+experience

Optimising DAB+ with IP platforms

Step 3 of our automotive strategy

1

2

3

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• Extend geographic reach

• Additional data, e.g. station logos

• Potential for personalisation and interactivity

Image source: Audi

We are embracing hybrid radio (DAB+ and IP) WorldDAB Automotive Working Group

19

We are engaging with Android Automotive

• WorldDAB members are part of the Android Automotive NAB Pilot project

• Cross-sector involvement brings important new perspectives to this work

WorldDAB Automotive Working Group

20

We are focusing on voice as a key user interface

• Voice assistants well established in cars

• Radio needs to be part of this ecosystem

WorldDAB Automotive Working Group

21

Conclusions

DAB+ experience has been simplified and improved2

DAB+ now standard in new European cars1

3 Our goal now is full integration of DAB+ in the connected car

22

Thank you