A product offering DAB radio in cars via a cigarette lighter connection has been launched, as the automotive industry struggles to prepare for the digital switchover.
The £99.99 unit, sold by car technology firm In Phase through retailers such as Argos and Amazon, works by having a built-in DAB antenna that picks up the DAB signal and transmits this via FM to a car stereo. It can also be plugged into an aux socket for improved sound.
The move offers a simple solution to cars without DAB as standard, at a time when there is increasing debate about the industry’s readiness for the digital switchover.
Only a handful of manufacturers including BMW, Mini and Jaguar currently offer digital radio as the norm. And industry figures such as former SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt have warned that defleeted vehicles being released back into the market could see residual values heavily impacted if they are not fitted with DAB radios.
