Radio stays firmly in the driving seat

Broadcast radio remains the most used audio choice for car buyers, according to new international research from WorldDAB.

The study, launched today at WorldDAB Automotive 2026 in Frankfurt, found that 83% of car buyers listen to radio in the car, with half saying it is the audio they use most often.

Streaming services were chosen most often by 20%, followed by personal music on 12%, with podcasts and audiobooks further behind.

The research also found that 62% of respondents see radio as a must have feature when buying a new car, ahead of built in navigation, touchscreen displays and smartphone mirroring systems.

Among those who listen to radio in the car, 85% said they would really miss having it available.

DAB and DAB+ also scored strongly in the study, with 95% of listeners saying they like using it and 91% saying it is easy to access while driving.

WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst said: “This research gives a clear verdict from car buyers: broadcast radio belongs in cars.”

Jacqueline said DAB+ brings radio’s strengths into the digital age, describing it as “free-to-air, reliable, easy to access and designed for universal broadcast delivery.”

The research was commissioned by WorldDAB and carried out by Fifty5Blue, formerly Kantar Media. It is based on 8,000 online interviews across Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

Respondents were adults who had bought or leased a vehicle in the past five years and were familiar with modern car infotainment systems.