The wave of automobile electrification is surging, and intelligence is significantly changing people's perception of car space. With the rapid development of car computing power and the rapid iteration of car screens, users' expectations for car systems and services are also increasing.

Car companies and in-car APP application platforms have lived up to users' expectations. Today, users can enjoy more and more information support and leisure and entertainment services in their cars. However, at the same time, users are also facing a series of problems that urgently need to be improved and solved, such as single in-car audio and video services, uneven content quality, excessive infringement of privacy and data security, and insufficient scenario adaptation.

Recently, the State Administration of Radio and Television, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued a notice on further strengthening the management of in-vehicle audio and video (hereinafter referred to as the notice), which put forward regulations and requirements for the management of in-vehicle wireless broadcast receiving terminals, in-vehicle network audio and video services, and in-vehicle audio and video operations.

This notice has attracted widespread attention from all parties because it involves an important part of the wave of automotive intelligence - the in-vehicle audio and video system, which is also an important direction for the audio-visual industry to expand new scenarios and add new value.

As the trend of automobile intelligence rises, the value of large-screen car computers emerges

According to statistics, in the first half of this year, my country's production and sales of new energy vehicles reached 3.788 million and 3.747 million respectively, up 42.4% and 44.1% year-on-year respectively. The sales volume of new energy vehicles accounted for 28.3% of the total vehicle sales.

As electrification accelerates, the intelligentization of vehicle systems is also entering the fast lane. Monitoring data from Gaogong Intelligent Automobile Research Institute shows that from January to July this year, 7.7516 million passenger cars with 10-inch and above large screens were delivered to the Chinese market, an increase of 38.19% year-on-year; at the same time, the proportion of 10-inch and above central control screens in all central control screens has increased from 59.27% ​​in the same period last year to 76.13% this year.

This means that in the first seven months of this year, at least three out of every four cars sold were equipped with a central control screen of 10 inches or larger, with powerful audio and video intelligent potential.

In contrast, in the first half of 2023, China's TV market shipments were 17.11 million units, down 0.5% from the same period last year. That is to say, the sales of large-screen cars have basically reached half of those of large-screen living rooms, and the color TV industry has entered a period of inventory with a continuous decline in sales, while large-screen cars are still in a period of rapid growth in sales and size.

In terms of user penetration rate, by the end of 2022, China's car ownership will reach 318 million, with an average of 60 cars per 100 households (data source: Ministry of Public Security).

From the perspective of media attributes, unlike the one-to-one weak radiation range of PCs and smartphones, the large screen in the car is closer to the large screen of the TV in the living room, which has a one-to-many strong coverage.

The rapidly developing in-vehicle audio-visual industry has also attracted active participation from all parties in the industry.

Internet companies have already entered the market. Video sites such as iQiyi, Youku, Tencent Video, Douyin, and Bilibili, and audio apps such as NetEase Cloud Music, QQ Music, and Himalaya have all been in place for a long time. Apps such as Kugou have also allowed many car owners to regard the enclosed space of the car as an entertainment and leisure destination to show off their singing skills.

For car companies, in addition to in-depth cooperation with the above-mentioned audio-visual apps, they are also constantly optimizing their car-machine platforms, from single screens to multi-screens, from in-car projection to rotating screens. BYD's DiLink, Weilai's NOMI, Xiaopeng's Xmart OS, Leapmotor OS and other car-machine systems also provide excellent carriers for in-car audio and video entertainment.

In addition to the huge development potential, the development of in-vehicle video also faces some urgent problems that need to be solved. For example, the smartphone industry has not yet regulated the issue of user privacy infringement, and the smart TV industry has not yet completely solved the advertising problem. In addition, in the travel scenario, it involves driving and public safety. The industry has higher requirements for stability and safety, and the above problems are more prominent.

To sum up, in-vehicle audio and video services have become a trend and are still growing at an accelerated pace. Huge industry value has emerged. Against this background, the three departments issued a notice requiring further strengthening of in-vehicle audio and video management in order to regulate the market and promote the shaping of a new pattern of in-vehicle audio and video public opinion.

New regulations on radio and television open up new tracks for in-car audio and video

There is no doubt that the notice issued by the three departments this time has important significance and impact on the development of in-vehicle audio and video.

For radio and television, the notice is to strengthen the standardization and supervision of in-vehicle audio and video, ensure the dissemination of central voices and emergency information, consolidate and strengthen mainstream ideology and public opinion, improve the supply and quality of public service programs, promote the construction of wireless digital broadcasting coverage networks, and promote the widespread dissemination of radio and television programs in vehicle spaces.

This is not only the responsibility of radio and television to fulfill its role as an important part of the country's basic public services, but also a way for radio and television to seize the development opportunities of the wave of automotive intelligence, enhance the communication and influence of mainstream media, produce more audio-visual programs that meet the characteristics of in-vehicle audio and video, and consolidate and strengthen the mainstream voice.

For car manufacturers, the notice is to promote the configuration of wireless broadcast receiving modules in the on-board terminal equipment of all domestically produced and imported cars produced and sold in the domestic market, improve the product technology level and user experience, establish a cooperation mechanism with the radio, television, audio-visual and other industries, and provide users with more high-quality content and services from mainstream media.

Responding to changes in national standards and market demands, accelerating product upgrades and innovations, and promoting automakers to configure digital wireless broadcast receiving modules such as digital AM broadcasting and FM digital audio broadcasting, enriching the form of wireless digital broadcasting products, improving product quality, and enhancing the in-car radio viewing experience will not only help automakers seize the market potential of in-car audio and video, establish cooperation mechanisms with the radio, television, audio-visual and other industries, and provide users with more high-quality content and services from mainstream media, but will also help improve user stickiness and brand loyalty.

For in-vehicle audio and video, the notice is to regulate the qualifications and behaviors of those engaged in in-vehicle network audio and video services, strengthen the cleanup and crackdown on illegal applications, illegal programs, and harmful content, support licensed service agencies to produce and disseminate programs with rich and diverse content, healthy value orientation, and people's favorites, and cooperate with radio, television, car manufacturers and other industries to expand business scope and growth points.

This is not only a necessary condition for in-car audiovisual to comply with national laws, regulations and industry norms, but also a necessary condition for in-car audiovisual to comply with national laws, regulations and industry norms, strengthen the management and training of in-car network audio and video practitioners, enhance the political sensitivity of practitioners, strengthen the ability to identify harmful sound programs, standardize the use of stations and frequencies, and ensure the order and safety of wireless broadcasting. It is also a way for in-car audiovisual to grasp the needs of in-car audio and video users, expand business scope and growth points, provide more programs with rich and diverse content, healthy value orientation and people's favorite programs, and meet the diverse and personalized spiritual and cultural needs.

Of course, the biggest beneficiaries of notifications are still Everbright users. For users, notifications will ensure that they can clearly obtain and quickly access central voice and emergency information in the vehicle space, enjoy more public service programs and high-quality content, meet diverse and personalized spiritual and cultural needs, and improve driving safety and comfort.

The tip of the iceberg: more value of in-car audio and video is yet to be explored

The issuance of the notice is of great significance for shaping a new pattern of in-vehicle audio and video public opinion and meeting the people's new demands for diversified and personalized spiritual and cultural life.

It is not only a regulation and guidance for the in-vehicle audio and video market, but also an incentive and support for the in-vehicle audio and video industry. It will promote the healthy and orderly development of related industrial chains such as in-vehicle audio and video business content production, network transmission, platform operation, and create a good space for in-vehicle audio and video dissemination.

For the audio-visual industry, how to expand its services to meet people's more diversified and personalized needs and thereby tap into new value has become an important proposition.

Of course, as the process of automobile intelligence accelerates, although the opportunities for in-car audio and video will increase, some issues still need to be paid attention to. For example, the service behavior norms mentioned in this notice, data security, privacy protection, and even advertising issues, all exist in car screens to a greater or lesser extent.

In addition, it is believed that although great value has been demonstrated, the current in-vehicle audio and video services are still single, and the audio and video service platform has not fully explored and utilized the intelligent potential of automobiles. The services are not close to travel scenarios and are more of a translation of the original mobile Internet. In the future, car companies, audio and video APP service providers, map positioning service providers, and public transportation departments should cooperate more closely to launch more updated vehicle-road information, driving assistance, and leisure and entertainment experiences for car owners and users.

Under the guidance of this notice, I believe that all parties will strengthen organizational leadership and coordination and cooperation, form a working synergy, formulate and improve relevant national standards and industry norms, and promptly study and resolve problems arising in the in-vehicle audio-visual industry. While ensuring safety, it will meet the people's new demands for diversified and personalized spiritual and cultural life, promote the healthy and orderly development of related industrial chains such as in-vehicle audio and video business content production, network transmission, and platform operation, and create a good in-vehicle audio and video communication space.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.