While at the WorldDAB Drive to Digital — Europe event in Brussels on May 11, European governments, car manufacturers and the radio industry came together to push for further adoption of DAB digital radio in the car.
Currently, WorldDAB calculates that 56 percent of European citizens receive DAB/DAB+ services, with Germany, the U.K., Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark all having national coverage.
Together, these countries account for 60 percent of new European car sales, according to a press release from the organization. France and Belgium are in the process of rolling out digital radio, which will then boost the number to 80 percent, it added.
“With cross-border travel increasingly common and the first countries setting dates for the switch off of analog services, it’s time for FM/DAB/DAB+ to be fitted as standard across Europe,” said Patrick Hannon, WorldDAB president. “A clear statement of support from European institutions would accelerate this process.”
