Thanks to an update to Airbiquity’s connected car platform, people around the world will now be able to listen to the radio while they’re driving – internet radio, that is. The company announced today that it has added apps from Slacker Radio and Stitcher to its Choreo connected car platform which will allow drivers to access music and talk radio programming that’s shared over the internet.
Choreo is used by a number of car manufacturers including Nissan to connect drivers and passengers with the web while they’re out on the go. While this announcement may not seem like much – especially since terrestrial radio has been standard in cars for decades – a move towards internet radio may be key for Airbiquity’s future.
David Jumpa, the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, said in an interview on the GeekWire Podcast that he thinks cars will get their radio content through the internet or satellite in the future, rather than sport an AM/FM radio.
“It opens up more for a global scale of information, of a radio station that you’d want to hear,” Jumpa said. “Whatever that flavor is, or whatever you’re feeling for that day.”
By teaming up with Slacker and Stitcher this early in the game, Airbiquity has positioned itself to take advantage of future moves in the online radio space. The company is also facing increased competition in its home connected car market. Apple and Google are both pushing their own solutions in the market that are designed to pair with smartphones running their operating systems.
Related on GeekWire: Study: Apple’s Siri is far more distracting than tuning the radio dial
