For radio to survive and thrive, it must retain its central spot in the dashboard.
That was the message driven at WorldDAB Automotive 2025. Hosted by WorldDAB — the association that promotes the DAB/DAB+ digital radio transmission standard globally — the one-day conference was held June 19 inside Madrid’s Palacio Neptuno hotel.
“The automotive sector knows the importance of radio and we must all work together to keep it at the heart of the dashboard,” WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst said during the conference’s opening session.
“That’s the reason why we’ve come together today.”
DAB+ progress on coverage and content
Bierhorst’s message was echoed by the association’s Project Director Bernie O’Neill, who referenced WorldDAB’s five C’s: coverage, content, consumer devices, cars and communication.
The group is pleased with the progress the DAB standard has made on the coverage front. O’Neill said 70% of France’s roadways that are now equipped with DAB signal coverage. Most other countries with the standard have nearly full roadway coverage, she noted.
What about content offerings? When it comes to DAB, O’Neill explained, it’s all about another C: choice.
She pointed to the United Kingdom’s 60 national DAB stations — compared to just seven on conventional FM. She also noted that there are more than 50 national DAB stations in Czechia, Italy and Belgium.
“There’s growth everywhere,” O’Neill said.
Dashboard stronghold is a primary objective
Radio’s placement in cars — another C — was a prominent focus. WorldDAB believes radio is still a primary demand of motorists. In 2021, the group conducted a car buyer’s survey, which found that 90% wanted broadcast radio as the “audio standard” in the car. O’Neill said that its dashboard dialogue research in 2023 confirmed those findings.
Unsurprisingly, WorldDAB and its global radio membership are laser-focused on retention of radio’s place in car dashboards. For her case in point, O’Neill pointed to its Automotive Working Group.
The group is led by Gregor Pötzsch, the radio product owner of the Volkswagen Group’s CARIAD. It is focused on improving the dashboard user experience, development of aftermarket devices and the performance of in-car DAB.
[Related: “WorldDAB Summit: Ensuring Radio Stays Prominent in the Car”]
Expansion and retention
WorldDAB’s implementation strategy is where the C of communication comes into play.
O’Neill and Bierhorst recognized that radio’s placement on the dashboard is an ongoing, long-term effort. Bierhorst referred to a strategic plan over the next three to five years. The group has a focus on expansion into new territories, but it is also keeping in mind its existing markets and the wider digital radio community at large.
“But just equally as important, the automotive sector remains our strategic priority with two clear ambitions: increase the number of cars equipped with DAB+ worldwide, and ensure consistent high quality user experience,” Bierhorst concluded.
