Audi has been the latest manufacturer to jump to the HD radio bandwagon. HD (for High Definition) radio is the newest craze now that people are starting to get sick of the subscription prices of satellite radio.
BMW, Mini, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Ford and Scion are just a few of the manufacturers already offering HD radios in their cars. HD radio differs from satellite radio in that it’s completely free, broadcast by existing radio stations and only needs a special HD receiver to access. The technology was developed by tech company iBiquity and offers digital content without static or station drop. HD radio can also transmit realtime news, sports scores, stock quotes, traffic reports and artist data straight to your car’s stereo system.
There are currently more than 1,800 stations broadcasting in HD around the country. Audi is promising that by 2011, all its models will be compatible with HD radio. By doing this, they are ensuring that their customers have access to all the available content streaming on the airwaves. Expect this technology to become mainstream in just a couple of years.
Source:Motor Trend and Audi of America
