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United Kingdom - Automotive - History

04.02.2019
  • The CAP/SMMT data for Q4 2018 shows that 93.1% of new cars came with DAB as standard in Q4, up from 91.4% in Q3 and 88.8% in Q4 2017. 
  • 56.3% of commercial vehicles came with DAB as standard in Q4 2018, up from 54.5% in Q3 and 40% in Q4 2017. 

Q2 2018 in car digital listening hours grew by 20% year on year and reached a new record share of 34.5% (RAJAR Q2 2018), supported by over half a million new cars coming onto UK roads with DAB digital radio as standard in Q2 2018 alone (Q2 2018 CAP/SMMT).

With over 35 million cars on the road, the challenge (and opportunity) remains in the aftermarket. Digital Radio UK is working with the industry to support the growing aftermarket with consistent media and in-store promotional campaigns. As of March 2018, over 11 million cars on the road in the UK are able to receive digital radio.  All new cars in the UK fitted with DAB are also DAB+ compatible which is important given the growing number of stations broadcasting on DAB+ in the UK, including 5 national stations – Fun Kids, Magic Chilled, JazzFM, Union Jack and Forces BFBS, a number of local commercial stations, plus around 100 ultra-local community and commercial stations on small-scale DAB.

Service Following

Arqiva, Global Radio, Bauer and Digital Radio UK have pioneered the launch of service following in the UK. Service following is part of the Digital Radio Tick Mark minimum specifications and is present for Global Radio on all ensembles carrying Global's services – Capital, Heart, XFM, Gold and Classic FM, and for Bauer on all ensembles carrying Hits Radio. This offers drivers an uninterrupted listening experience as they move out of one ensemble carrying these services and into another. DRUK and broadcasters have specified a test route for anyone wishing to test service following on receivers and for  more information on this or the Tick Mark, contact Sam Bonham, Technology Development Manager, Digital Radio UK sam.bonham@digitalradiouk.com.

AA Member Research: digital radio satisfaction high in car

  • The AA fielded a piece of online research into digital radio in cars and received a creditable 29,000 responses.
  • The survey found that 91% of drivers listen to broadcast radio in their car, 22% of all drivers have digital radio in their car and 86% of drivers were highly satisfied with their digital radio.
  • Most drivers without digital radio were not considering buying an adapter but were either waiting to buy a new car or for the switch-off of the FM services.
  • There is clear price resistance to buying car adapters. 53% of drivers without digital radio would consider buying a car adapter, but only if the price was under £100. 4% would pay over £100 and 43% would not buy an adapter.
  • 51% of drivers were aware of radio switchover. Internal research conducted by broadcasters indicates that most people think radio switchover will happen in the next 5-10 years.
  • The research confirms the high level of consumer satisfaction with digital radio in cars and highlights the importance of having more affordable adapters available.
02.08.2018

92.4% of new cars now have DAB digital radio as standard, according to CAP/SMMT data for Q2 2018. This is up from 90% in Q1 and 86.8% in Q2 2017. This means that 550,000 cars were sold in Q2 2018 with DAB and 2.2 million cars with DAB  in the last 12 months (July 2018). Q2 2018 in car digital listening hours grew by 20% year on year and reached a new record share of 34.5% (RAJAR Q2 2018), supported by over half a million new cars coming onto UK roads with DAB digital radio as standard in Q2 2018 alone (Q2 2018 CAP/SMMT).

With over 35 million cars on the road, the challenge (and opportunity) remains in the aftermarket. Digital Radio UK is working with the industry to support the growing aftermarket with consistent media and in-store promotional campaigns. As of March 2018, over 11 million cars on the road in the UK are able to receive digital radio.  All new cars in the UK fitted with DAB are also DAB+ compatible which is important given the growing number of stations broadcasting on DAB+ in the UK, including 5 national stations – Fun Kids, Magic Chilled, JazzFM, Union Jack and Forces BFBS, a number of local commercial stations, plus around 100 ultra-local community and commercial stations on small-scale DAB.

Service Following

Arqiva, Global Radio, Bauer and Digital Radio UK have pioneered the launch of service following in the UK. Service following is part of the Digital Radio Tick Mark minimum specifications and is present for Global Radio on all ensembles carrying Global's services – Capital, Heart, XFM, Gold and Classic FM, and for Bauer on all ensembles carrying Hits Radio. This offers drivers an uninterrupted listening experience as they move out of one ensemble carrying these services and into another. DRUK and broadcasters have specified a test route for anyone wishing to test service following on receivers and for  more information on this or the Tick Mark, contact Sam Bonham, Technology Development Manager, Digital Radio UK sam.bonham@digitalradiouk.com.

AA Member Research: digital radio satisfaction high in car

  • The AA fielded a piece of online research into digital radio in cars and received a creditable 29,000 responses.
  • The survey found that 91% of drivers listen to broadcast radio in their car, 22% of all drivers have digital radio in their car and 86% of drivers were highly satisfied with their digital radio.
  • Most drivers without digital radio were not considering buying an adapter but were either waiting to buy a new car or for the switch-off of the FM services.
  • There is clear price resistance to buying car adapters. 53% of drivers without digital radio would consider buying a car adapter, but only if the price was under £100. 4% would pay over £100 and 43% would not buy an adapter.
  • 51% of drivers were aware of radio switchover. Internal research conducted by broadcasters indicates that most people think radio switchover will happen in the next 5-10 years.
  • The research confirms the high level of consumer satisfaction with digital radio in cars and highlights the importance of having more affordable adapters available.
17.07.2018

92.4% of new cars now have DAB digital radio as standard, according to CAP/SMMT data for Q2 2018.

In 2017, a total of 2.2 million cars were sold with DAB as standard.

In Q1 2018 in-car digital listening reached a new record share of 33.4%, a growth in hours of 16.6 million hours or 26% year on year. In that time, digital listening in cars contributed to 54% of all digital listening hourly growth.

With over 35 million cars on the road, the challenge (and opportunity) remains in the aftermarket. Digital Radio UK is working with the industry to support the growing aftermarket with consistent media and in-store promotional campaigns. As of March 2018, over 11 million cars on the road in the UK are able to receive digital radio.  All new cars in the UK fitted with DAB are also DAB+ compatible which is important given the growing number of stations broadcasting on DAB+ in the UK, including 5 national stations – Fun Kids, Magic Chilled, JazzFM, Union Jack and Forces BFBS, a number of local commercial stations, plus around 100 ultra-local community and commercial stations on small-scale DAB.

Service Following

Arqiva, Global Radio, Bauer and Digital Radio UK have pioneered the launch of service following in the UK. Service following is part of the Digital Radio Tick Mark minimum specifications and is present for Global Radio on all ensembles carrying Global's services – Capital, Heart, XFM, Gold and Classic FM, and for Bauer on all ensembles carrying Hits Radio. This offers drivers an uninterrupted listening experience as they move out of one ensemble carrying these services and into another. DRUK and broadcasters have specified a test route for anyone wishing to test service following on receivers and for  more information on this or the Tick Mark, contact Sam Bonham, Technology Development Manager, Digital Radio UK sam.bonham@digitalradiouk.com.

AA Member Research: digital radio satisfaction high in car

  • The AA fielded a piece of online research into digital radio in cars and received a creditable 29,000 responses.
  • The survey found that 91% of drivers listen to broadcast radio in their car, 22% of all drivers have digital radio in their car and 86% of drivers were highly satisfied with their digital radio.
  • Most drivers without digital radio were not considering buying an adapter but were either waiting to buy a new car or for the switch-off of the FM services.
  • There is clear price resistance to buying car adapters. 53% of drivers without digital radio would consider buying a car adapter, but only if the price was under £100. 4% would pay over £100 and 43% would not buy an adapter.
  • 51% of drivers were aware of radio switchover. Internal research conducted by broadcasters indicates that most people think radio switchover will happen in the next 5-10 years.
  • The research confirms the high level of consumer satisfaction with digital radio in cars and highlights the importance of having more affordable adapters available.