This follows the increasing trend for new cars to have digital radio as standard (now over 45% of new registrations).
Ford Motor Company is the UK commercial van market leader and announced the launch of the new Ford Transit Courier and International Van of the Year the Ford Transit Connect, with DAB as standard this month. Part of the Ford Transit Custom range has DAB as standard.
The Renault Trafic and Master models, both of which launched this week at the Commercial Vehicle Show, also have digital radio as standard across the range.
Vauxhall also announced their vans were going digital. From September this year, the Vauxhall Vivaro will have digital radio as standard across the range. The new Vauxhall Movano will launch in September, and will have digital radio as standard across the range.
According to radio industry data from Rajar, favourite radio stations for listening in-vehicle include talkSPORT, Capital and BBC Radio 1, where nearly 40% of the stations' listening takes place in a car or vehicle.
Ford Ennals, chief executive of Digital Radio UK, said of these developments: ‘This is great news for van drivers, who up until now have been unable to listen to favourite stations on digital while they’re on the move. Sports stations like talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5 live are better on DAB – great for listening to the World Cup – and now van drivers are able to listen to favourites such as Absolute 80s, Kiss and Capital all over the country.'