HD Radio Will Need More Deals Like Ford's to Have a Future

Implications: Ford Motor Company will include HD radios as standard equipment on all new models produced in 2009. If HD Radio has any future, it will need more deals like this one with Ford to get the technology in automobiles.

Analysis: The radio industry, and the future for HD radio--its newest technology--received good news as a partnership was announced with Ford to offer HD radio as standard equipment in the company's full auto line beginnikng with 2009.

Hopefully the radio industry can use the Ford deal to leverage other opportunities with other auto manufactuers.  The future of HD radio will depend on the technology getting in to cars first, as consumer adoption of HD radio sets has been extremely slow.

The industry must also work to get radio reception built in to wireless devices like cell phones, pdas, and Mp3 players.  These efforts are all part of the industry's "Radio 2020" initiative to reignite radio as a medium. (I previously posted on this campaign).

Until the Ford announcement, BMW was the only auto maker to include HD as an option--not standard equipment.