As the European Union prepares the forthcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA), the European Board for Media Services (Media Board) – of which ALIA is a member representing Luxembourg – is calling on the European institutions to guarantee access to radio broadcasting in connected vehicles.
The Media Board has set out three main demands:
- All new vehicles in categories M and N (passenger cars, buses, heavy goods vehicles, etc.) sold on the European market should be equipped with radio receivers supporting FM and DAB+, i.e. broadcast radio, as opposed to internet radio.
- Vehicle user interfaces, including touchscreens and voice controls, should provide simple and clearly identifiable access to radio.
- More generally, the Media Board warns against imposing additional regulatory burdens on the media sector, in order to preserve the attractiveness and viability of radio. This includes, in particular, disproportionate ‘must-carry’ obligations or any potential network license fees.
These calls are based on a simple observation: radio remains one of the most widely used and reliable media, particularly in vehicles. It is also a robust means of communication in crisis situations, when other channels may be disrupted.
With the development of connected vehicles, however, the Media Board considers that radio is losing visibility in the user interface, and may no longer be offered as standard in new vehicles.
It therefore calls for access to broadcast radio to be legally guaranteed under the DNA, so that radio remains easily accessible to the public, both now and in the future.