Ladies, gentlemen, gizmo freaks, this might actually be the next generation of automotive radio technology. It looks good and it probably sounds even better.

Therefore, I should first tell you this DAB Surround was presented by the BMW Group in partnership with the Fraunhofer IIS and Deutschlandradio at the IFA in Berlin. And given the German experience in cars, I sincerely believe this is going to be something big.

So, by Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) we should understand a system that features CD quality sound and enables several radio programs along with additional data, which is to be broadcast on a single frequency. This means cars can be fed with all sorts of information including traffic reports and other such data.

According to Gizmag, Dr Christoph Grote, in charge of in-car information and communication at the BMW Group stated: "The digital transmission of a radio signal has many advantages compared to analogue FM/VHF technology. It enables radio listening in crystal-clear CD quality. Moreover, the digital signal is more reliable as it can compensate for interference or transmission fault."

As to the reproduction of surround sound, it is also based on the extra spatial sound information "relayed over and above the conventional stereo signal", as Gizmag fellows say. The technology capable of broadcasting 5.1 surround sound to the vehicle is proudly provided by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS and it was showcased by a BMW X5 technology carrier at the Berlin fair which received a special Deutschlandradio broadcast DAB Surround format. However, the cars with conventional DAB receivers will keep receiving the program in good stereo quality, but, for some reasons, the mobile radio surround sound is not available in production cars.

In case you want to buy one of these, Gizmag found out that such DAB tuner for the reception of Digital Audio Broadcasting on the move is available as a special option on the models of the BMW 7 Series, BMW 6 Series, BMW 5 Series and BMW 3 Series, as well as on the BMW X5 and the MINI (from model year 2007).

The conclusion? When BMW meets the DAB radios, great things happen!

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