ROME – “And if a radio is free but really free I like it even more because it frees the mind”. A hymn to the radio that of the singer-songwriter Eugenio Finardi in 1976 which underlines how much this means of communication is loved to the point that 93% of Italian users believe that the radio in the car is fundamental. And that’s still not enough as 87% would hardly buy or rent a car without a stock radio.
These are some of the data contained in the international study published by Edison Research which highlights how radio continues to be the preferred source of entertainment in the car, not only in Italy but all over the world. The survey, commissioned by WorldDab in partnership with Radioplayer and support from The National Association of Broadcasters, Commercial Radio Australia and Xperi, interested those who have recently bought or rented a new car, or plan to do so in the near future.
In addition to Italy, the survey interviews also took place among car buyers in France, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The analysis, relating to the most popular standard audio features in a new car, highlights how having a radio receiver is in first place for potential car buyers (rated “important” by 91%), followed by the availability of USB ports (87%) and the availability of Bluetooth connection (87%) and well before smartphone mirroring technology (Android Auto is rated “important” by 75% and Apple CarPlay by 50%).
According to the study, the daily listening to radio broadcasts among motorists in Italy remains significantly higher than any other form of audio content. 76% of the sample of interviewees declared that they “often” listen to radio broadcasts in cars, against 23% who favor online streaming music services and 15% for classic CDs. The majority of respondents (84%) agree with the statement “radio offers a better listening experience in the car than other types of audio sources”, while 60% say that the main reason for listening is “to receive news and information ”, followed by“ listen to your favorite songs ”(44%).
As regards the most desired value-added functions, the “ability to search for radio stations using voice commands” (63%) stands out, followed by the “provision of content information” (55%). Finally, the survey found that the car remains the most popular place to listen to the radio (96%), followed by 77% at home and 36% at work. “This is an important piece of consumer research covering some of the largest automotive markets,” said Tom Webster, Edison Research senior vice president, “but the approach to radio among car buyers across all countries surveyed is strangely similar result “.
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