June 2026: Tammy Greenberg SVP Business Development, RAB
In a world defined by fragmented attention, the car remains one of the few places where attention is sustained, routine is predictable, and engagement is largely uninterrupted. Grounded in audio, the in-car experience is now enhanced by connected data and in-dash visuals — creating a more complete and measurable media moment.
As time spent on the road continues to rise and audio remains firmly embedded in the dashboard, the in-car experience offers something few channels can provide: a rare combination of attention, habit, and trust. For marketers, that creates a powerful opportunity — not just to reach consumers, but to truly connect in moments that matter.
What makes the in-car environment especially powerful is the level of attention it commands — something increasingly difficult to achieve across other channels. Unlike visual-based media, in which messages compete with scrolling, skipping, and multitasking, the car creates a more focused listening experience. And now, with the integration of dynamic and interactive in-dash displays and digital connections, that attention extends beyond audio alone.
Research from Edison Research Share of Ear shows that AM/FM radio continues to dominate the in-car experience, accounting for the vast majority (84 percent) of ad-supported listening time. According to Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2026, AM/FM radio earns this time spent because it's viewed as a companion — and provides a space for the local voices that consumers crave, as well as the information and entertainment they want with a press of the button. AM/FM radio does not require a subscription or an internet connection. Most of all, it's "easy and convenient."
At the same time, studies of connected dashboards reveal that a significant majority of drivers (83 percent) actively engage with what's on screen while listening — creating a powerful opportunity for messages to be both heard and seen. In fact, in-dash visual campaigns have been shown to drive meaningful lifts across the entire funnel, increasing brand familiarity, consideration, and purchase intent by as much as 89 percent among exposed listeners, according to a Quantilope 75 Market Study conducted in April 2025 for Quu.
What's changed most in recent years isn't just the experience — it's the ability to understand it. New connected car data provides a more comprehensive and real-time view of in-car listening behavior at scale. Data from Xperi's DTS AutoStage drawn from 6.5 million vehicles nationwide shows just how active and engaged this environment truly is. In a single month, drivers generated nearly 42 million hours of listening to HD radio and an average of 11.2 hours per vehicle. More than 206 million listening sessions took place, spanning over 67,000 radio stations.
Xperi's DTS AutoStage extends this view even further, offering insight into real-world movement and proximity. With visibility into the daily traffic patterns of the 6.5 million vehicles within the sample, brands can better understand how consumers move through markets and how often they pass physical retail locations.
These insights add a new layer of actionable intelligence, helping marketers identify optimal dayparts, understand audience behavior in proximity to store locations, and align messaging with moments of real-world opportunity.
This level of scale and consistency reinforces an important reality: In-car listening isn't occasional; it's habitual. It's an integral part of daily routines, tying together commutes, errands, and moments of decision-making through a shared love of audio listening. And unlike many other media environments, this listening happens with a high degree of confidence that people are engaged.
That combination of attention and habit becomes even more powerful when paired with the evolving capabilities of the dashboard. As vehicles become increasingly connected, the in-car experience is no longer limited to audio alone. In-dash displays now provide a complementary visual layer. While the music is playing, passengers can also see the name of the song, artist, album art, and station, as well as check the time.
What's more, passengers are also absorbing the advertising messages included in the radio show, which increases recall and strengthens the connection between what consumers hear and what they see without distracting the driver. For marketers, this creates a more immersive and memorable brand experience within a single environment.
Case studies continue to demonstrate the power of the in-dash visual ads showing significant lifts across key brand metrics — from awareness and favorability to consideration and intent. A national CPG marketer in the spice category utilized Quu in-dash visuals by displaying their logo or text display of the brand name and slogan for a two-month period across 388 Cumulus Media AM/FM radio stations in 75 markets.
As such, 4.5 million Quus were sent to the vehicles tuned in to these radio stations resulting in 3.3 million impressions (not including passenger impressions). Exposure to the in-dash Quu Content Partnership units generated significant lift in the spice brand's equity. More specifically, a 40 percent lift in brand familiarity, 50 percent lift in brand usage, and a tremendous 63 percent lift in purchase intent.
A campaign for a subscription streaming service and over-the-top (OTT) television provider's new show featured art with a day/date tune-in message that appeared on vehicle dashboards across 366 radio stations in 75 U.S. markets. The combination of loyal radio audiences and in-dash visuals for the show drove significant gains across the viewer journey, from familiarity to intent, with 74 percent of consumers paying attention to what was on screen while listening to broadcast radio. The visual Quus resonated most with loyal radio audiences, increasing show familiarity by 130 percent and watch intent by 64 percent.
For marketers navigating a fragmented media landscape, the implications are becoming increasingly clear. As audiences become harder to reach and even harder to engage, environments that deliver both scale and meaningful attention are becoming more and more valuable. The car stands apart because it consistently delivers both. There are no competing tabs, no endless scroll, and limited opportunities to skip or ignore content. Instead, there is a predictable, repeatable environment where consumers are more likely to be present, attentive, and receptive.
At the same time, advancements in measurement and connectivity are helping bring greater accountability to the medium. With more granular data and real-time insights, marketers can better understand how campaigns are performing in the moments that matter — while maintaining the scale and emotional connection that audio has always delivered.
As media continue to evolve, not every opportunity will come from something entirely new. In many cases, it will come from reexamining environments that have consistently delivered value, now enhanced by modern capabilities. The car is one of those environments.
In-car listening remains a space defined by routine, trust, and attention. What's changed is its ability to deliver more: more visibility, more measurability, and more impact for brands looking to connect with consumers in meaningful ways. In a landscape where attention is fleeting, the car continues to offer something increasingly rare: the opportunity to be heard, seen, and remembered — all within the same moment.
RAB is a partner in the ANA Thought Leadership Partner Program.
