New York – HD Radio posted new
gains among automakers with announcements that Chrysler and Acura will offer
the technology for the first time, Hyundai will expand HD Radio to seven
vehicle models from six, and Toyota will offer it in the Venza for the first
time.
In addition, Cadillac announced
that the 2013 SRX will offer HD Radio technology with iTunes tagging as a
standard feature. iTunes tagging lets users tag songs for later preview and
purchase through iTunes
With the announcements, HD Radio
is or will be available as a factory-installed feature from 27 automotive
brands, said HD Radio developer iBiquity Digital. The brands are Acura, Audi,
Bentley, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover,
Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI USA, Porsche, Ram, Rolls-Royce,
Scion, SRT (Chrysler), Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.
In making its announcement, Chrysler said the 2013 SRT
Viper and the 2013 Ram 1500 will be its first vehicles to offer HD Radio, along
with the Uconnect Media Center infotainment system. The SRT and Ram will be
available later this year.
For its part, Acura announced that HD Radio will be
available in the RLX sedan, which will become available in the beginning of
2013.
Meantime, Cadillac said the 2013 SRX will offer HD Radio
with iTunes tagging as a standard feature. The 2013 SRX will join the XTS and
ATS in offering HD Radio. The 2013 SRX goes on sale this fall.
As for Hyundai, the 2013 Santa Fe will become the
automaker’s seventh vehicle to offer HD Radio, joining the Equus, Genesis Sedan,
Sonata, Azera, Genesis Coupe and Veracruz. The 2013 Santa Fe will be the first
Hyundai vehicle to offer iTunes tagging. The Santa Fe will go on sale late this
summer.
In the 2013 Toyota Venza, HD Radio with iTunes Tagging
will be part of an options package that includes the Entune infotainment system
in the XLE. The top-of-the-line Venza Limited will come with Entune and HD
Radio as standard. The Venza will join the Prius, Camry, Yaris, Tacoma, 4
Runner, RAV4, Corolla, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna and Tundra in offering HD
Radio. Scion offers HD Radio standard across its vehicle lineup, including in
the newly announced FR-S. Lexus has also announced HD Radio availability on the
GS, RX, LX and ES models.
More than 2,100 AM and FM stations broadcast in HD Radio,
many offering a combined total of 1,350 additional digital-only multicast
channels.
