Radio once ruled the car. Now, digital dashboards, smartphone interfaces, and new “infotainment” systems are disrupting the car-listening experience … for broadcasters and car-buyers.
Sitting between plug-in dashboards and full-service dashboards sits the connected-car aftermarket, where Pioneer is a leading manufacturer. The Pioneer NEX line comprises five head-unit models with a range of information and entertainment functions. Aha Radio and Pandora are promoted as built-in audio services. Continue Reading
It’s press release week – err, I mean CES week – in our industry this week, a time when lots of folks gather in Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, and announce innovative products and projects. Two announcements in particular caught my attention yesterday. Continue Reading
Google, along with four car companies and a chip maker, has announced a consortium called the Open Automotive Alliance. The concept of Android cars is obviously desirable from Google’s viewpoint. For automakers, partnering with an established tech company solves a couple of serious problems plaguing the car industry. Continue Reading
From CES, Pandora announces a new in-car advertising initiative. Ford, BP, State Farm, and Taco Bell have signed on as anchor national advertisers. The new advertising launch applies to Pandora listening that is “natively” installed in cars. There are currently 130 car models which contain native Pandora integration. Continue Reading
Amidst the connected-car news emanating from the nine automakers exhibiting at CES this week, we can expect news from music app developers that are racing to claim dashboard territory in those new digital dashboards. Out of the gate is Clear Channel, announcing new distributions of its iHeartRadio platform in cars by Jaguar, Volvo, and Kia. Continue Reading
Chevrolet and OnStar teamed up for the second connected-car announcement of CES 2014. OnStar will provide high-speed (4G LTE) Internet connectivity in selected Chevy models. Along with the rolling Internet, Chevrolet will provide a bundle of built-in apps. Ford and Chevy are promoting opposing conceptions of the connected car. Continue Reading
Ford, a veteran participant in the CES feeding frenzy, made a pre-pre-show announcement about its AppLink software that powers infotainment functions in SYNC-equipped cars. That’s a lot of buzzwords. Click through to see what it all means. Continue Reading
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an important snapshot of the digital product landscape, with a view toward the future. As such, CES commands attention, but each year brings a different focus. CES 2014 is the most important CES in memory, for anyone interested in radio, Internet radio, audio, and mobile infotainment. Continue Reading
Google and Audi will announce a tech/auto partnership at CES next week. Google is squaring off against Apple’s “iOS in the Car” program announced last summer. Car companies are flocking to CES, a trend that represents the re-invention of the automobile as a mobile device. Continue Reading
Pebble is a wrist-wearable mobile device running its own operating system that invites developers to create custom applications. The Mercedes/Pebble app is marketed as a general information assistant, checking car diagnostics and warning of bad traffic while driving. Infotainment options come into the picture with the Pebble’s buttons. Continue Reading
2013 has been the year for demonstrating how difficult it can be to turn on the radio in new cars with digital dashboards. Ford is making it easier for British drivers to turn on the radio by partnering with U.K. radio app RadioPlayer, which includes hundreds of stations including all the BBC outlets. Continue Reading
Is HD Radio evolutionary, revolutionary, or neither? That depends on who you ask. The digital transmission technology is expanding its footprint — again, either slowly or quickly depending on who you’re talking to. We spoke to Bob Struble, President and CEO of iBiquity, the developer and owner of HD Radio technology. Continue Reading