Research and Markets: An Automotive View of DAB and Its Digital Radio Competitors

DUBLIN, Ireland, May 20, 2005 -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c17818 ) has announced the addition of An Automotive View of DAB and Its Digital Radio Competitors to their offering.

This report provides an overview of the current market status of DAB across Europe with a specific focus on the factors that could influence its adoption by the automotive industry. It analyses whether DAB is the best solution for in-car digital radio whilst considering the threat posed by emerging technologies such as DRM, DVB-T, DVB-H and Satellite Radio. DAB is a mature and robust technology that is well suited to the demands of in-car reception, but a co-ordinated effort is required in the majority of European countries to establish DAB as the dominant platform for digital radio in Europe. We believe that car manufacturers have a proactive role to play in the market development of DAB, and as such it is important that a significant number of OE DAB products are launched within the next 3-5 years to ensure that DAB is the chosen technology adopted throughout Europe.

The automotive industry needs to take the initiative now to help ensure the development of a standard digital radio technology across Europe.

This report demonstrates that DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) presents the best prospect for the future, but that action is needed in the short term to ensure that it is adopted as a pan-European platform for digital radio services.

The study looks in detail at the present and predicted future status of DAB across Europe and the qualities and development of rival technologies. It also focuses on the position of the automotive industry with regard to adopting in-vehicle digital services and increasing public awareness of their benefits, both for entertainment and for improved data services such as real- time traffic information.

Vehicle manufacturers will only be able to contemplate investing in the design and installation of OE digital equipment in new vehicles if there is a single system in place across the European market. We believe that the automotive industry cannot afford to wait for a single platform technology to emerge; but needs to proactively encourage the market development of DAB, to ensure that it is the chosen technology adopted throughout Europe. Otherwise, the market is in danger of fragmenting, with different regions adopting different systems, making a standard approach by vehicle makers unworkable. DAB has proved itself to be a mature and robust technology, but it is under pressure from other emerging technologies such as DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial), DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld), DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) and SDR (Satellite Digital Radio).

The report demonstrates how the success of DAB in the UK in the domestic sphere has created a good foundation for its uptake among car buyers. We believe the progress of DAB in Germany, Europe's largest new car market, will now be crucial to its development as the leading technology across the continent. Growth will be dependent on the stimulation of consumer demand, initially for home receivers, within the next 12 to 18 months.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c17818

   Laura Wood
   Senior Manager
   Research and Markets
   press@researchandmarkets.com
   Fax: +353 1 4100 980