Research company SBD Ltd has warned of possible damaging consequences for the European automotive industry following the proposal of a key German state media regulator to abandon DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) technology in favour of more advanced systems.
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SBD says that the move by the media authority for Berlin-Brandenburg (MABB) could hinder progress towards the common European broadcasting platform that car makers will require to make the development of OE digital systems for new models economically viable.
SBD maintains that DAB provides the best potential for a pan-European digital radio platform that can be used by vehicle manufacturers. Its take-up in Germany, Europe’s largest new car market, is also vital in generating momentum for its uptake by other nations across the Continent, the company says.
David McClure, SBD’s Head of Telematics, said: “This move risks making it less likely that other areas of Europe will buy into the technology. It has a destabilising and disruptive effect at a time when the industry should be trying to achieve a unified approach to what should be the next generation of radio technology.”
MABB claims DAB has offered poor in-door reception for radio listeners, which has resulted in slow sales of consumer equipment. It looks to newer generation technology, such as DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld) and DMB (Digital Media Broadcasting) to provide greater broadcast capacity and better integration with television and mobile equipment such as telephones and PDAs.
SBD believes, however, that these relatively new and unproven technologies will take many years to reach commercial maturity and that more emphasis should be put into overcoming the marketing and regulatory issues that are holding back DAB in Germany.
