BigJohnD wrote ...

This switch over to digital is being challenged on various levels, even though it is generally agreed that there are more platforms than needed.

One of the biggest issues is that the UK does not subscribe to the same DAB encoding as the rest of Europe.

So scrapping your FM radio and buying a DAB radio which conforms to the current UK DAB spec means buying another obsolete radio.

The reason DAB radio is not an option in just about all UK spec cars is that the manufacturers are not prepared to put in a UK-only spec - a radio that won't work in the rest of Europe where they use what is usually known as DAB+, using the AAC encoding, as in an iPod. It's higher quality than the current encoding used in the UK.

DAB+ is more efficient, consequently uses less bandwith and is more attractive commercially.

If you are thinking of moving to DAB, buy one that is either dual format ( DAB and DAB+) or one can easily be upgraded (and don't take the salesman word for that!)