Megan Lazovick, the Vice President of Edison Research, has presented the key findings of a new research study “Dashboard Dialogue” at the WorldDAB Automotive conference with drivers saying radio is an integral part of the in vehicle experience.

You can watch Lazovick’s presentation below.

The study was conducted through in-car interviews with radio listeners and over 2,400 online interviews particularly exploring the usability and consumer preferences of digital radio.

Findings include:

• Radio is the top choice for audio in cars. 91% of recent and prospective car buyers see the importance of having DAB/DAB+ or FM radio in their vehicles
• 82% of prospective car buyers and 79% of recent car buyers say they would be less likely to purchase a vehicle without a radio
• Drivers value radio for its ability to provide necessary news updates, traffic alerts, and weather forecasts
• 75% believe radio provides a better listening experience than other audio sources in cars.

One person surveyed would give up their air conditioning over their radio!

With car manufacturers investigating innovative technologies for drivers, and Tesla and BMW omitting AM from electric vehicles, WorldDAB commissioned Edison Research to conduct this major study to understand the listener’s experience of using radio in the car.