Radioplayer said it signed a new agreement with Audi AG to continue its collaboration around radio in connected car dashboards.
“The new agreement will ensure Radioplayer continues to support VW Group
cars already in the market with hybrid radio (including Audis, VWs, Porsches and Lamborghinis), as well as collaborating on future integrations and radio features,” Radioplayer stated.
The not-for-profit organization started as a partnership of the BBC and commercial radio almost a decade ago. It now features some 500 UK radio stations.
Radioplayer Worldwide, in turn, has expanded that effort around Europe and beyond. It is a partnership of Radioplayer and countries that have rolled out its model: Germany, Spain, Canada, Ireland, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark and Italy.
Hybrid radio systems combine over-the-air broadcast functionality — in this case FM and DAB — with two-way internet connectivity, for data collection and for reception beyond the range of the OTA signal.
[Related: “Hybrid Radio Picks Up Momentum”]
Radioplayer will supply broadcaster metadata as well as technical support and input to Audi about the radio user experience. It said it is working on a roadmap to provide visuals to enhance radio on larger dashboard screens; on-demand content like podcasts; and development of more personalized radio experiences.
The agreement is a renewal of a partnership created in 2017. The announcement was made by Radioplayer Managing Director Michael Hill and Audi Head of Development Multimedia Philipp Rabel. Hill was quoted saying that the collaboration “has dramatically increased the coverage of stations now accessed by hybrid radio in Europe, and this new agreement will extend that coverage further.”
