When the daily news cycle consists of natural disasters, economic disruptions and military conflicts, Sibyle Veil believes that keeping radio accessible — particularly in cars — is of the utmost importance.
That was the message the Radio France CEO and chair of the EBU Radio Committee delivered during her keynote address at WorldDAB Automotive 2026.
The annual event, hosted by the global organization that promotes the DAB+ broadcast radio standard, was held in Frankfurt, Germany, on June 11.
“The discussions you are having today go far beyond the radio and automotive sectors alone because the connected car is becoming one of the main gateways to information, culture, and public debate,” Veil explained. “And in a world marked by growing uncertainty, natural disasters, cyber risks, disinformation and network fragilities, this creates a shared responsibility for all of us.”
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From Veil’s perspective, it is the responsibility of radio broadcasters to ensure that listeners continue to have easy, universal and reliable access to trusted information wherever they are.
“This is precisely why the place of broadcast radio and DAB+ in the cars of tomorrow matters so much — not out of nostalgia, but because radio remains uniquely resilient,” she continued.
Veil highlighted radio having no cost to listen, as well as its immediacy and resilience.
“And most importantly, it continues to work when other systems fail or become saturated during floods, blackouts, or security crises — and yes, it can happen — war, “ she said.
At those moments, radio is not simply news and entertainment, she emphasized, but that it becomes essential infrastructure.
Many of those moments of listening, as we’ve covered in the past, come inside a vehicle. As a result, Veil underscored how keeping radio “prominent and easily accessible” in cars is both a media issue as well as a societal one.
“We must avoid a future where trusted and universally accessible services slowly disappear because of closed digital ecosystems or purely commercial choices,” she said.
For this reason, the connected car of tomorrow must remain open and accessible, she told the WorldDAB Automotive 2026 audience. That takes innovation being in lockstep with public interest, she believes, with cooperation from both broadcasters, car manufacturers, aggregators and public authorities.
“As president of the radio committee of the European Broadcasting Union, I can assure you that all public broadcasters are fully committed to this collective approach because, ultimately, we all serve the same goal: keeping citizens informed, connected and safe,” Veil concluded.
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