SMMT News

SMMT tunes in to the latest digital radio technology

17 September 2012 #SMMT News

The latest exhibit in SMMT’s Westminster showroom demonstrates the most up-to-date packages in the AutoDAB product range from Connects2, one of Europe’s leading companies in the development and integration of in-car technology interfaces.

Vehicle manufacturers have committed to fitting digital radio as standard by the end of 2013, introducing nearly two million units to the vehicle parc each year. While there are hundreds of thousands of vehicles already fitted with digital radio, around 25 million vehicles will require conversion to receive the signal after switchover.

AutoDAB is a complete range of electronic interfaces that offers a digital radio solution compatible with a substantial portion of the existing UK vehicle parc. Rather than a replacing the vehicle’s head unit, or using a portable device that mounts to the windscreen, AutoDAB is hidden away behind the existing units.

The first products were launched to the aftermarket in September 2011. To date, AutoDAB has been adopted as an approved accessory by BMW, MG Motor, SEAT, Skoda, Vauxhall and Volkswagen, with more vehicle manufacturers expected to follow by the end of the year.

Connects2 says that AutoDAB is, “a key piece in the jigsaw to assist Digital Radio UK and the government to have confidence that digital radio can be made available to all vehicle users.”

London leads the take-up of digital radio in the UK, with 56% of all radio listeners listening to digital radio, and 35% of all radio listening on a digital platform. Digital listening in London has been growing at a rate of over 23% per year, and if maintained will rise to 50% of all listening by mid-2014.

You can find out more about AutoDAB at www.connects2.co.uk.

Click through the slideshow below to see all the photos from SMMT’s exhibition space.

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