Car audio entertainment systems have come a long way, but there’s still further to go, as Steve Ahern found out when he visited the main players in car dashboard systems at the NABShow in America.
The Problem
So what’s going on with in-car entertainment systems? Here’s the problem.
Cars have a standard radio receiver, but they are also tethered to our phones to bring in lots more entertainment and connectivity options.
The issue is that there are too many clicks to move between the variety of audio offerings now available: live to air broadcast radio, podcasts, online radio and music streaming. That’s before even considering the other necessary screen options, such as maps.
As car manufacturers move into the next generation of smart dashboards, there are various options open to them. They can invent their own systems, get into bed with phone manufacturers, or work with the world wide radio industry.
The Solutions
There are three main providers proposing solutions in the car entertainment space: Xperi, RadioPlayer and Gracenote.
Xperi and RadioPlayer are radio industry related companies that interface with car manufacturers, while Gracenote is an agnostic data provider that works with tv companies, streamers and car companies, as well as radio.
I visited each of them at NAB, and also earlier at RadioDays Europe.
Key points revolved around the following topics:
- The ability to prioritise radio in the car dashboard
- The ability to use the same interface to feed: cars, phone apps, smart speakers, smart tvs, digital radio and other broadcast platforms
- Keeping station names and logos up to date in an easy-to-use, station accessible interface or by using AI
- Keeping album art and song names up to date with AI tracking of artist metadata
- Using picture and text metadata to enhance offerings to advertisers, such as using QR codes
- Providing digital data from connected cars to enhance the already-existing audience research data with real time analytics
- The cost of these services, who pays, and who profits
- The importance of marketing radio as a progressive modern digital medium to counter the attack marketing of competitors who are trying to paint radio as old fashioned and outdated
- The importance of accurate voice control to counter distracted driving
Xperi
Xperi is an American company listed on the New York stock exchange with a market capitalisation of $364 million, it provides consumer and entertainment technology assets. Xperi provides DTS Autostage as its car dash product. The company charges car makers a fee to licence the software but does not charge radio stations to be on its platform. Xperi is well represented in America and has agreements with all US car makers as well as a large number of Asian car makers. There are 10 million cars with Xperi enabled dashboards. One of Xperi’s subsidiary companies, All In Media (AIM) has created apps for the commercial, national and community radio sectors in Australia.
I spoke with the General Manager of HD Radio and Audio, Jeff Jury, at the company’s NAB display stand.
RadioPlayer is a non-profit partnership between the BBC and commercial radio groups Bauer and Global. It licences to other radio companies around the world. RadioPlayer is integrated into 4 million cars. The company is showing its prototype which has an expended range of capabilities. RadioPlayer charges radio companies a fee to be part of its platform.
I caught up with Radioplayer CEO Yaan Legarson at NAB, where we spoke about Radioplayer’s presence in the USA, and also earlier at RadioDays Europe.
Gracenote is a content data business owned by Nielsen. Gracenote’s global datasets cover TV programs, movies, sports, music and podcasts in 80 countries and 35 languages. The company’s entertainment metadata and connected IDs deliver advanced content navigation and discovery to connect consumers.
I spoke to Gracenote’s Head of Product Innovation Trent Wheeler during the NAB Show about the Nexus product for radio. In our discussion Trent refers several times to OEMs. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, meaning in this case, the automotive manufacturers.
And one last thought for the future of cars.
In San Francisco I was impressed at how far driver-less cars have come.
The camera and sensor enabled Waymo cars arrived and dropped off with no issues when booked via an app. They drive carefully (too slowly at times), avoid collisions and, when I stepped out in front on one, I lived to tell the tale. How will hands free driving change audience consumption habits in the future?
About the Author
Steve Ahern is CEO of the
training and consultancy company
AMT Pty Ltd, and Publisher of this trade journal.
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