13 February 2018, EBU Digital Radio Week, Geneva, Switzerland:
WorldDAB has produced a set of guidelines for automotive manufacturers and broadcasters on how to deliver the best possible digital radio user experience. The guidelines are based on consumer research carried out in five different countries where drivers were asked to carry out simple tasks using different car radios. They are available to download from the WorldDAB website.
Developed by the WorldDAB Automotive Working Group, the guidelines are the result of collaboration between broadcasters and car manufacturers. The design guidelines are based on seven use-cases, informed by the research, to ensure the guidelines are based on the actual experience of consumers.
The research showed that drivers expect a great, simple user experience, with a radio button to access DAB easily and quickly. It also found that an A-Z station list provides the best way to search for stations, pre-sets should be easy and intuitive to set, and that terminology must be consistent and easier to understand. This formed the basis for the resulting guidelines document, which is split into seven consumer use cases.
I want….:
- to find DAB radio easily in the car media system
- to find DAB stations easily
- the list of stations to be up to date
- to be able to easily set a station as a pre-set
- to keep listening to my station if it’s available
- to know more about what I’m listening to
- my DAB radio to be set up for me
For each of these use cases the guidelines outline design guidelines and hardware requirements or technical references where applicable. They also recommend that buttons have consistent behaviour between FM and DAB and, to ensure best performance, dual DAB tuners and a good antenna implementation are required.
“Drivers love radio, to the extent that 82% of people wouldn’t buy a car without it – so we need to make sure that the next generation of radio delivers the best possible experience to drivers,” said Laurence Harrison, Chair of the WorldDAB Automotive Group. “These guidelines have been developed to help broadcasters and automotive OEMs better understand what consumers want from their radio and how best to deliver it. We’ve distilled this down to seven consumer use cases and, when delivered together, these form a simple, easy to use interface. This document will continue to evolve, and we’d encourage all interested parties to get in touch with their thoughts and contributions.”
This document is part of WorldDAB’s ongoing work to help improve the user experience of digital radio in the car. The next steps will be discussed by the Automotive Working Group over the coming months, with focus areas likely to include terminology, hybrid radio and voice control. Further details will be available at the User Experience workshop, jointly organised by WorldDAB and RadioDNS, taking place at the European Broadcasting Union in Geneva as part of EBU Digital Radio Week, on 13 February between 14:00 - 17:30 CET.
-ENDS-
About WorldDAB
WorldDAB is the global industry association responsible for defining and promoting DAB digital radio. By bringing together radio industry professionals, WorldDAB provides knowledge and expertise that helps countries successfully adopt and implement broadcast digital radio.
Our 1200+ experts from over 100 member organisations cover 29 countries across the globe and include public and commercial broadcasters, regulators, network providers and manufacturers of receivers, chips, professional equipment and automobiles.
Together, we are shaping the future of radio, delivering advice and tailored solutions on all aspects of the switch from analogue to digital.
Press contact:
Darren Willsher
Communications Manager
WorldDAB
+44 7736 832393
darren.willsher@worlddab.org
@WorldDAB
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