Radioplayer Launches Android Automotive Hybrid Radio App

Radioplayer today gave the world’s first public demonstration of a tri-platform hybrid radio app (merging DAB+ and FM broadcast radio with online streams) in the Android Automotive Operating System. Developed in partnership with the leading ‘Tier 1’ automotive technology supplier Panasonic Automotive Systems Europe (PASEU), the app was demonstrated to an online audience of major car manufacturers on PASEU automotive-grade tuner hardware.

The hybrid app has a single, multi-platform station list that hides the platform from the user and allows them to select a radio station from the strongest available signal, prioritising DAB+, then FM, followed by streaming, and automatically switching between platforms if the car moves out of coverage. The unique Radioplayer User Interface (UI) is powered by official broadcaster metadata from the Worldwide Radioplayer API (WRAPI) and is fully compliant with Google’s Android Automotive Design Guidelines and the WorldDAB User Experience Design Guidelines.

Radioplayer and PASEU have worked together using automotive-grade hardware and technology including the Panasonic Automotive Tuner Software Development Kit, a turnkey automotive mass production proven radio broadcasting tuner software stack, which allows high quality radio tuner applications to be implemented on Android Automotive systems in very short timescales.

Radioplayer’s hybrid app is now available to car manufacturers to use in Android Automotive cars as their main broadcast radio experience and the UI can be customised as required. Radioplayer is also seeking to partner with Google to ensure hybrid capability for all radio apps and help improve the current standard radio experience in Android Automotive.

Further development of the app will see on-demand and podcast content, enhanced now-playing visuals such as artist images, as well as station recommendations, added early next year.

Michael Hill, Radioplayer Managing Director said: “We’re delighted to bring hybrid radio capability to Android Automotive with our app, supporting the merging of broadcast radio with online content, in a rich hybrid implementation. Panasonic have been a fantastic partner and their expertise and passion for radio has shone through. Our aim is to make hybrid radio the standard experience in Android Automotive this is the first step towards that. Radioplayer is proud to be leading this work on behalf of our thousands of international member stations.”
ENDS

Notes to Editors

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About UK Radioplayer

Radioplayer, the official pan-industry platform, launched in 2011 in a ground-breaking partnership between the BBC and commercial radio. The not-for-profit organisation now features around 500 UK radio stations – including all BBC national and local services, all major commercial stations, and a selection of community and student radio. For more information see www.radioplayer.co.uk or follow @ukradioplayer on Twitter.

About Radioplayer Worldwide

The countries Radioplayer operates in are: UK, Germany, Spain, Canada, Ireland, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands - with France and Sweden to follow shortly. Radioplayer Worldwide, the global shared radio platform, is a partnership between UK Radioplayer and the countries which have rolled out the Radioplayer model. It was created to explore opportunities for international technological collaboration across radio. For more see www.radioplayerworldwide.org or follow @rpworldwide on Twitter.