Xperi is celebrating two decades since HD Radio was commercially launched in vehicles, reflecting on how the technology has evolved and shaped digital radio, as well as its influence on both the broadcasting and automotive industries.
HD Radio, a trademark owned by Xperi, represents in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcasting. It enables analog AM/FM radio stations to simulcast digitally and is primarily used by FM stations in North America.
A report by Content+Technology notes the technology gained commercial traction in 2005, when BMW introduced HD Radio in its 6 and 7 Series models. This marked a milestone, as BMW promoted the move as an industry first, calling it “one of the most significant advances in radio broadcasting history.”
Radio continues to be an essential medium in cars. Edison Research’s Q2 2025 Share of Ear study reports that AM/FM radio accounts for 56% of in-car audio consumption among U.S. drivers, with or without ads. Xperi says HD Radio has become the most widely adopted commercial digital radio technology worldwide and is now available as a built-in feature from every major car manufacturer in the U.S.
Listeners benefit from HD Radio’s clear, static-free audio and access to on-screen features such as album art, station logos, song and artist information, traffic reports, weather updates, and emergency alerts — enhancing the overall infotainment experience inside the car. For broadcasters, it offers more tools to engage audiences on a deeper level.
Jeff Jury, Xperi’s General Manager of Immersive Entertainment, notes: “Key innovations like album art and artist images introduced in 2011 have opened up new monetization opportunities, and HD Radio now supports 2,500 stations and 4,500 digital channels, including 1,200 unique stations only accessible via HD Radio.”
Joe D’Angelo, Xperi’s Senior Vice President of broadcast radio and digital audio, adds: “As HD Radio continues to grow and evolve, it is foundational for next generation opportunities in the connected car; and this is particularly true when it comes to DTS AutoStage, our global connected car entertainment platform that seamlessly combines linear broadcast with IP-delivered content. DTS AutoStage would not exist without HD Radio technology and it both complements and enhances FM and HD Radio via rich, consistent metadata, advanced services and broadcast content protection.
“DTS AutoStage operates like a personalized content sieve, making it easy for consumers in the connected car to safely discover and engage with the full spectrum of their personal entertainment preferences. Built around radio, it also incorporates video and gaming capability that broadcasters can leverage to increase engagement and, yes, revenue — as well as never-before-available listener data and analytics.
“Historically, the vehicle has been a listening blind spot for broadcasters, but our DTS AutoStage Broadcaster Portal is changing that with compelling actionable views of exactly how a station is performing — not just which songs are played, but the songs and content in-vehicle listeners are engaging with, when they are doing it, where they are doing it, how many sessions, how long each session is and more. We see this as a first step toward getting broadcast radio in the car integrated with programmatic ad platforms.”