LAS VEGAS — A plethora of car manufacturers are actively seeking to place Android Automotive in their vehicles. Like Apple Car Play, this system manages the automotive experience and, for radio broadcasters, creates some interesting opportunities.
A West Hall session held Tuesday afternoon put a spotlight on the importance of “full broadcast radio functionality” in Android Automotive and how Xperi, the parent of HD Radio; and Ford Motor Company are on the forefront of bringing the tech advancement to cars and trucks.
Joe D’Angelo, SVP of Broadcast Radio at Xperi, reiterated the importance of keeping radio front and center in the dash. “There’s so much research that indicates that measures how important radio is to listeners, not only on a daily basis but when they are making a new car buying decision.”
D’Angelo’s viewpoint is aligned with that of Albert Choi, Content Lead for Commercial and Technology Partnership at Ford. Becoming more connected is key, and keeping Radio there is an industry need.
With NAB PILOT Executive Director John Clark moderating the 30-minute expo floor discussion, how to serve the listener in a compelling way remains important for both Radio and the automotive industry.
How does D’Angelo describe the consumer experience for audio today? “It varies based on what platform you’re looking at,” he responded, noting differences between DAB, HD Radio and analog AM/FM radio. “In general, JD Power research demonstrates that there is a high degree of satisfaction with radio among new car buyers.”
Why? Radio has been a “good steward” over the last 20 years to make sure that it is there, in the dash. Being informative and local are also big selling points D’Angelo brings to the plate.
The conversation then swung to ensuring Android Automotive was fully supportive of radio in the vehicle. Clark spoke at length about the technical aspects and forward-facing look of the technology.
D’Angelo then took a poll of the crowd to ask how many had HD Radio in use at their stations. Few rose their hands, to which D’Angelo noted that Android and RDS support is challenging without universal acceptance and varying degrees of HD Radio application in market after market.
D’Angelo hopes that in the next 30 to 60 days, Google will provide Xperi an update of what they’ll do with their software. Choi also believes that “some version of an industry standard” will eventually come for Google Automotive Services, making Ford a leader in the connected car space.
