World Radio Revisited: Still a Myth?

As in most industries, car radio designers have long envisioned a product which could be sold without modification throughout the world. However, local requirements, performance differences, and customer preferences have presented major obstacles to achieving this goal.

Since publishing a previous paper on this subject in 1983, many changes have taken place in electronics and in car radio design. Some of these changes have reduced the barriers to producing a “World Radio” while others have presented new obstacles to be overcome. This paper addresses some of those changes and the current possibilities.