The Best Car Finance Blog In The World

As the spec of new model year cars start to include DAB digital radios as standard the Government seems to be stalling over the final switch off date of analogue signals. The initial deadline was 2015 but culture minister, Ed Vaizey refused to provide a timeframe when asked during the recent Go Digital Conference in London.

Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.

Currently only 40% of new cars have DAB radios fitted as standard with the figure set to increase to 50% this year. The switchover will only take place when more than 50% of all broadcasts are digital, it currently stands at 35%. Mr Vaizey said, ‘I absolutely believe that the future of radio in this country is digital.

We cannot go back. We’re not there yet, so now is not the time to switch.’ How long have they had to get this sorted out? Piss ups and breweries spring to mind.

Related articles

• Ed Vaizey ‘won’t be pushed’ into digital radio switchover date (theguardian.com)

Car Radio (Photo credit: nedrichards)

You know when you are on your computer and you start searching for holidays then by the magic of technology every time you open a page or carry out a search for something else you suddenly see holiday ads flash in front of you on the screen?

Well the same is about to happen on your radio. Instead of hearing general ads during programmes you will start to hear targeted ads.

Known as Aha Radio they say that instead of you hearing an ad for We Buy Any Car.Com you could hear we’ll buy your car for £8,900 based on your car being a 2007 BMW 320d with 80,000 miles on the clock, which of course is your car.

The new radio is in fact an Internet platform that will be bundled into infotainment systems in new cars from Porsche, Mazda and Ford so far. Their aim is to target the customers as they do on the Internet rather than scattergun.

Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.

The ad breaks will be tailored based on the car you are driving, where you are going and where you are. For example it will detect that you are about to pass a branch of Starbucks and alert you to any deals going on at the time.

Safety experts might have something to say about this as it might prove to be a major distraction. A clever idea though. By Graham Hill Car Finance

On the subject of health and safety the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) carried out a study into ‘in car’ distractions and found that reaction times were affected by what we listen to on the radio. It found that reaction times were 20% slower when listening to sport. The reaction times were found to be similar to those found when drivers had been drinking and driving. Whilst plenty of studies had been carried out on mobile phone use whilst driving, few studies had been carried out into the effects Read more »

I raised the issue of digital radios many weeks ago but a few commentators are now starting to pick up on the fact that there has been a change in legislation which will follow the introduction and adoption of The Digital Economy Bill. Amongst other directives it rules that radios will be digital from 2015. Now correct me if I’m wrong but that’s only 5 years away. So knowing that this was going to be the case Read more »

It’s quite amazing that whilst most of us are aware that we have to convert our TV over to digital by either buying a digital TV or buying a Freeview box that enables us to watch digital TV on our old sets, few actually understand that there is a similar problem looming with our radios. 2012 is the switchover to digital TV but we have just 5 years before the analogue radio signal is cut off in the UK so it’s shocking that Read more »

Despite the environmental benefits drivers who responded to a recent survey carried out by Masterlease said that they enjoy their space too much to car share. Masterlease found that 55% of drivers would refuse to car share given the choice. The main reason was drivers want to listen to the radio during their journeys followed closely by people liking the flexibility of their own transport. By Graham Hill

So what’s distracting motorists the most? For the ladies is it the dress shop with that great dress in the window or the little lambs playing in the field or for the men is it that page 3 model who just happens to be walking down the street as you are driving down it or the brand new Aston Martin that you are just about to burn off from the traffic lights? Or of course Read more »

The Sentencing Guideline Council who advise magistrates and judges as to the recommended maximum term felons should face if committed for particular crimes have issued new guidlines for the the newly established crimes of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving. The new laws and associated prison sentences cover such things as momentarily looking at a map, adjusting their sat-nav and talking on a hands free phone, each of these will result in a maximum of Read more »