Dab digital radio to become standard.
The new Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations – mean that from the beginning of this month (September 2020) all passenger cars and buses that come fitted with a radio must be fitted with digital radio.
Manufacturers have leeway until 21st December 2020 to meet the requirement which refers to terrestrial radio, not IP.
Commercial vehicles and vans, as well as used vehicles, are exempt from the new regulations – though 79% of commercial vehicles already have DAB radio fitted as standard as of Q2 2020. For new cars, the proportion is 93.9% so the new regulation applies to the remaining 6.1%.
Ford Ennals, CEO, Digital Radio UK, said,
“We welcome the Government mandate for digital radio to be fitted in all new cars sold in the UK from the end of 2020. It’s a significant milestone in UK radio’s transition to digital and will ensure that drivers will be able to receive the full range of brilliant digital stations available in their cars.
It also reinforces the position of DAB as the primary radio broadcast technology alongside FM and wouldn’t have been possible without the massive support of the SMMT and the automotive manufacturers who have already increased DAB fitment to nearly 95%.”
So, the Department for Transport’s new regulations will mean that soon, the 100% target for digital radio as standard, will be achieved.