Hands-off radio boosts cab safety
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• Volvo has helped develop an in-cab radio which stays tuned to a channel without adjustment. In the case of national stations (like Radio 2) with multi-transmitters, the "RDS" set will automatically re-tune to the strongest signal.
Reduction in the need for manual tuning is a major safety factor with the new set. With a single press of the "automatic" button, the radio will self-tune in a few seconds to the six strongest stations available on a given channel. The name of the station will appear on a digital display (eg: Oxford, London, LBC News). A further touch of the button will find other stations.
When drivers want traffic in formation, they press a pre-set "traffic" button and stations which only relay RDS traffic bulletins are selected. It will also be possible for urgent traffic messages to be pre-coded so that the set automatically cuts in with them — even when the tape deck is playing. The driver is immediately and automatically kept up-to-date with the latest national and local radio road news.
The BBC in England, and the Swedish and Irish radio networks, have been transmitting since mid-1987 using Volvo receivers to help develop and test the RDS system. The next phase will include the rest of the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
The new Volvo RDS radio is available through any UK Volvo Distributor/Dealer from 2504.84 plus transformer and aerial (ex-VAT and fitting). The separate cassette player TP-701 will be available from 2149.75 (ex-VAT and fitting).