Mobile Electronics Australia

As manufacturers jump on the DAB+ wagon, Toyota is one of the first to include digital radio in the new Toyota Camry Atara SL, becoming the most affordable car in Australia to include DAB+ digital radio as standard.

Australian built in Toyota’s Melbourne factory, the top-of-the-range Atara SL model ($39,990) includes digital radio as standard. The Atara SL combines digital radio with a 7-inch touchscreen display, a 10-speaker JBL sound system, a CD player, reversing camera, Bluetooth hands-free and music streaming, as well as auxiliary and USB ports.

Toyota Camry Dashboard

Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer, Joan Warner said "Around 33% of radio listening in Australia is in the car and we are thrilled Toyota Camry Atara SL drivers will now be able to experience digital quality sound, scrolling text with song information and a range of new stations,”

The Camry announcement comes just weeks after Hino Australia included DAB+ as standard in their range of trucks.

With nearly 1 million Australian’s now listening to digital radio in the five state metropolitan capitals, Toyota’s inclusion of digital radio will add to the uptake of digital radio in Australia which to date, has been very slow in the automotive environment due to the limited hardware options. Aftermarket options have been very limited with only recent products becoming available, such as the AVR6.1 from Orion Car Audio and KD-DB56 from JVC.

BMW and Audi have announced DAB+ digital radio as an option in a range of vehicles but Hino and Toyota are the first manufacturers to include it as standard.

Full power DAB+ digital radio is available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, with low power trials being conducted in Canberra and Darwin.  Planning for the rollout of DAB+ in other regions is continuing with the Federal Government and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).