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There was great expectation for the participation of the Secretary General for Telecommunications of the Spanish Government, Matías González Martín, and although he did not want to offer many details, he did make an announcement that, seen in perspective, two decades after the first failed attempt to implement Digital Terrestrial Radio in Spain, has a singular value. The presence of a senior government official to open this event, which seeks to analyse and take the temperature of the radio landscape in future smart, or connected, cars, provoked an inevitable expectation in the sector about the attitude of the executive on this issue, especially the private sector, which remains wary of supporting its deployment. And it has not disappointed.

WorldDAB Automotive 2025 took place in Madrid on June 19. Organizers said the choice of the host city reflects Spain’s role as the second-largest car manufacturer in Europe and the country’s growing digital radio market, with public service broadcaster RTVE leading the DAB+ movement. In his keynote session, Matías González Martín, Spain’s secretary general for telecommunications, said, “We are fully aware of the value of DAB+ digital radio and we support it.” He confirmed that in recent months, the country has experienced growing interest in digital radio, particularly from the public service broadcaster. He said public regulators are analysing possible ways to move forward with digital radio deployment, based on the assumption that digital and analog broadcasts will have to coexist for several years.

For radio to survive and thrive, it must retain its central spot in behind the wheel. That was the message driven at WorldDAB Automotive 2025. Hosted by WorldDAB — the association that promotes the DAB/DAB+ digital radio transmission standard globally — the one-day conference was held June 19 inside Madrid’s Palacio Neptuno hotel. “The automotive sector knows the importance of radio and we must all work together to keep it at the heart of the dashboard,” WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst said during the conference’s opening session. “That’s the reason why we’ve come together today.” Bierhorst’s message was echoed by the association’s Project Director Bernie O’Neill, who referenced WorldDAB’s five C’s: coverage, content, consumer devices, cars and communication.

The importance of the car as a core location for broadcast radio listening has been highlighted by new research revealed at WorldDAB Automotive 2025 in Madrid on 19 June. Edison Research’s Megan Lazovick unveiled new consumer data about in-car listening, including the latest Infinite Dial Australia survey. “DAB+ leads the way,” she said. “Australia's radio reach in the car isn't just impressive - it shows us the future. More digital radio options don't fragment the audience, they strengthen radio's appeal. Lazovick reported that radio dominates cars universally. “From 72% to 84% across five countries and three continents - whether you have traditional AM/FM or advanced DAB+, radio reaches the most people in the car,” she said.

To coincide with the publication of its 2024 annual report, Arcom is taking stock of the state of radio and digital audio in France. With coverage of DAB+ on the increase, the publication of a strategic white paper, and a balance in the concentration of FM broadcasters, Arcom has positioned itself as the driving force behind the digital transition by 2033.

Tomas Granryd from Swedish Radio and Tobias Nielsen from Bauer Media presented the industry initiative Radio Ready for Connected Cars on Thursday. It took place at the World DAB Automotive conference in Madrid. The aim is to secure the place of radio in the car in the future. Three principles have been developed: the radio should have a prominent place in the car and be easy to use, radio apps should be easy to find and voice control should be reliable. The initiative is a further development of the EBU Connected Car Playbook, which Tomas Granryd developed for the EBU last year. "After the Connected Car Playbook, we started contacting commercial radio and have had a lot of meetings with them. We have agreed to outline together the guidelines for a unified European vision" says Tomas Granryd.

Audiences love radio in their cars. But the complexity of newer cars threatens radio's convenience. Car makers should be ready to give audiences free, frictionless, prominent radio - and broadcasters should be ready to support it. Radio is resilient. For more than a century, it has been a trusted companion, connecting people with information and entertainment. Today, amid rapid technological change and growing geopolitical uncertainty, we should not underestimate the vital role radio plays in times of crisis. Last month, I visited Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine that suffered unimaginable hardship in the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion. With roads blocked, power grids destroyed, and phone signals severed, the people of Chernihiv were left isolated. Yet amid that darkness, one vital source of communication remained: radio.

Bauer Media Group has joined forces with major broadcasters across Europe and Australia to support a new international initiative aimed at keeping radio accessible in connected cars. Revealed today at the WorldDAB Automotive 2025 conference in Madrid, the joint vision called Radio Ready sets out three guiding principles: that radio must remain prominent and convenient, apps should be easy to find, and voice assistants must reliably support access to radio content. The move comes at a time when over 80% of in-car audio listening is still to radio, yet evolving vehicle technology risks making it harder for drivers to find and use traditional broadcast services. The Radio Ready initiative marks the first time public and commercial broadcasters have come together on a united strategy.

A group of European broadcasters have collaborated to launch the Radio Ready initiative, which aims to support radio listening in connected cars. The working group currently comprises the Association of European Radios, Bauer Media, BBC, European Broadcasting Union, Global, NRJ, Radio France, RTL and Sveriges Radio, with support from Antenna Group and Radio Hamburg. CRA, the organisation representing commercial radio in Australia, has also signed up to the initiative. Marking the first time commercial and public-service broadcasters have joined forces for a unified message, Radio Ready was announced at the WorldDAB Automotive 2025 in Madrid on Thursday.

A new survey looking at the state and future of small-scale DAB in the UK is now live. The project is being led by Dr Lawrie Hallett from the University of Bedfordshire, who is inviting anyone involved in or interested in the sector to take part. Lawrie told RadioToday the aim is to “bring together the widest possible range of views and ideas about the state of the sector and to examine opportunities for its future development”. The research is open to multiplex operators, station operators, and others with a role or interest in small-scale DAB. The goal is to record a current snapshot of the sector and explore how it might develop in the years ahead, particularly in ways that support community and smaller commercial broadcasters.