Future of Car Radio's

[tracktoy]

I was listening to Romesh Ranganathan on Saturday and they mentioned that Sally Traffic was on a Radio 4 Programme about the future of Car Radios (eg AM, FM And DAB) Instead of other Streaming services (that you may have to pay for in the future.

AI came back with this but I wondered what people thought about internet only (and possibly subscription based services only) for Radio in the car.

Current Trends in Car Audio Systems​

Replacement of Traditional Radios​

European car manufacturers are increasingly replacing traditional car radios with internet-only options in new vehicles. This shift has raised concerns among consumers and broadcasters about the potential loss of access to free radio services.

Implications of Removing Car Radios​

• Consumer Choice: The removal of traditional radios limits consumer options, forcing drivers to rely solely on subscription-based services for entertainment and information.
• Access to Information: Traditional radios provide essential services such as news, weather alerts, and traffic updates, which are crucial for drivers.

Industry Response​

There are ongoing discussions among policymakers and industry stakeholders about the necessity of retaining radio functionality in vehicles. Advocates argue that maintaining access to traditional radio is vital for consumer choice and public service broadcasting.

 

[RUM4MO]

Being a grumpy old person:- big business need/must have our money, I've always bought cars etc outright, but big business must have us renting instead and in doing that freeing us up to be spending all our available income on renting more stuff.

Sorry!

 

[Momochi]

Subscription-based infotainment service is definitely a (worrying) trend in the car industry, at least from the consumers' point of view.

GM (??) in the US have started removing Apple Carplay and Android Auto from their new cars, and requiring buyers to pay annual subscriptions for linking up their mobile phones to their vehicles + accessing their branded online maps, system updates and internet access (eSIM).

More worrying is that very soon our new cars will be obsoleted for road use after 3 to 4 years, not because of mechanical failures, oil leaks nor EV battery degradations, but due to the infotainment systems being too outdated with no security updates available (re: your smart phones).

(The good thing is the dealers won't need to extract your hard earned money with high annual service / maintenance fees anymore, they just get their profits by selling you the annual subscriptions.)

 

[Momochi]

Being a grumpy old person:- big business need/must have our money, I've always bought cars etc outright, but big business must have us renting instead and in doing that freeing us up to be spending all our available income on renting more stuff.

Sorry!

That is modern day economy. Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Office 365, Sony PlayStation Plus......

Or - Just like the good old TV Licence