HD Radios to Get Into BMW Dashboard

It’s official, BMW will be the first automaker to put HD Radios in cars.
RW Online has been reporting BMW’s plans for several months. The carmaker now confirms it will include HD Radio as a factory installed option in its 7 Series model this fall.
The 2006 7 Series was introduced earlier in the spring, and HD Radio is being added as a new feature, BMW executives told Radio World.
“We’ve found that 7 Series customers are most often interested in technology,” said Dave Buchko, BMW product communications manager.
BMW wanted to get the word out to dealers; those who order the HD Radio option now will see it in a car delivered in late September-early October time frame, said Bill Scully, BMW product communications specialist.
The HD Radio receiver would be trunk-mounted and would be included in a display screen that sits in the top and middle of the dashboard. The driver uses a controller to control the display, which includes AM, FM plus features such as a CD player and navigation system.
The list price for the HD Radio option is $500. There are four models in the 7 Series with a cost range from about $72,000 to about $117,000.
Visteon is manufacturing the HD Radio for BMW.
BMW also offers Sirius Satellite Radio as factory-installed and dealer options; that list price is $595 for the receiver and BMW picks up the monthly subscription charge for a year, said Scully.
BMW says it created and developed the iPod automotive adaptor with Apple, and was the
first automaker to bring it to market.