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INNOVATION

Auto Initiative


INNOVATION

Auto Initiative


Strengthening Radio’s Position as the Premiere In-Car Audio Source

With 272 million people in the U.S. listening to radio each week, radio continues to be the dominant choice for audio entertainment even with the proliferation of numerous new streaming options.

In 2019, PILOT, working with digital radio developer Xperi (formerly iBiquity Digital Corporation), completed testing on a new FM-band digital radio mode, which adds digital capacity that FM broadcasters can use to provide additional digital services as well as more audio programs (in the form of HD Radio multicast channels). As a result of this test project, Xperi is now rolling out this new mode to both transmission equipment and receiver manufacturers.

Also with Xperi, a sub-group of NAB’s Auto Initiative Committee convened to explore the opportunities provided by the Xperi DTS Connected Radio hybrid radio (over-the-air plus internet) and develop a prototype user interface to offer listeners an enhanced listening experience. This interface was demonstrated at the 2019 NAB Show. Some of the advanced features include:

  • “Genre tiles” along the bottom of the display that give listeners an easy way to find local stations similar in genre to the station being listened to;
  • Customizable “soft keys” which can be assigned functions on a station-by-station basis and offer access to, for example, the most recent traffic or weather report broadcast by the station; and
  • Standard soft keys, the same for each station, offering a simple way to contact the station or to send a text to the listener with the song title and artist information of the song being played.
 

Strengthening Radio’s Position as the Premiere In-Car Audio Source

With 272 million people in the U.S. listening to radio each week, radio continues to be the dominant choice for audio entertainment even with the proliferation of numerous new streaming options.

In 2019, PILOT, working with digital radio developer Xperi (formerly iBiquity Digital Corporation), completed testing on a new FM-band digital radio mode, which adds digital capacity that FM broadcasters can use to provide additional digital services as well as more audio programs (in the form of HD Radio multicast channels). As a result of this test project, Xperi is now rolling out this new mode to both transmission equipment and receiver manufacturers.

Also with Xperi, a sub-group of NAB’s Auto Initiative Committee convened to explore the opportunities provided by the Xperi DTS Connected Radio hybrid radio (over-the-air plus internet) and develop a prototype user interface to offer listeners an enhanced listening experience. This interface was demonstrated at the 2019 NAB Show. Some of the advanced features include:

  • “Genre tiles” along the bottom of the display that give listeners an easy way to find local stations similar in genre to the station being listened to;
  • Customizable “soft keys” which can be assigned functions on a station-by-station basis and offer access to, for example, the most recent traffic or weather report broadcast by the station; and
  • Standard soft keys, the same for each station, offering a simple way to contact the station or to send a text to the listener with the song title and artist information of the song being played.