Why Radio Plastic (and the rest) won't survive the self-driving car

One of the most wonderfully successful programmes on Dutch radio is Radio Plastic. Every weekday on Radio 1, between seven and eight o'clock, it attracts bizarre listeners, especially for that time of day. And especially so for an arts programme. On TV then is DWDD, also called art programme on its public channels, but with Matthijs van Nieuwkerk and millions of viewers.

So how does Radio Kunststof get its hundreds of thousands of listeners? Is it Petra Possel's primitive tone, Jellie Brouwer's conspiratorial laugh or Frénk van der Linden's old-fashioned Freudian "tell me about your mother" drawl? Possibly, but it mainly has to do with where the listeners are: in their car, on their way to cabaret, concert or theatre. Or meeting.

Again Bowie?!

Talk shows are ideal in the car, and do better than music, especially if there are more people in the car. In fact, from my own experience, I know that on the road, bickering can arise over music ('again David Bowie?!)', whereas a talk show like Kunststof is not so intrusive. It's also entertainment that doesn't detract from attention on the road.

And so that is all going to change. Within a decade, possibly sooner. Thanks to the self-driving car. In a post on the internet trend watcher Joshua Lasky a convincing argument in that direction. Core of the story: 'once drivers take their hands off the wheel they have the freedom to choose the entertainment they actually want.' When we then look at preferences in everyday use outside the car, we naturally see that video, or more generally, images, are dominant. Logical, then, that a driver of a self-driving car is likely to turn on TV, video, games or the internet to pass the time. Although a few might pick up a book. Radio, in the passive form in which we listen to it while driving, will almost disappear from the package.

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Forgotten button

Lasky illustrates his prediction on the basis of the presentation of a self-driving prototype from Rolls Royce. In that vehicle, all forms of entertainment are present (up to and including escort girls in the boot?), but a radio is missing. Strange austerity, perhaps, but perhaps the designers hadn't even considered it.

In another example, the first Tesla death was a driver who not only did not have his hands on the wheel of his semi-autonomous vehicle: according to tradition he was watching a Harry Potter film when his car overlooked a white tanker truck.

All is not lost

Is there any salvation for radio Kunststof, and all those other radio programmes that rely mainly on commuters in traffic jams? I can think of something. Upgrade those webcams in the radio studio, and put a 360-degree VR camera there. Just sit at Frénk and Petra's table during your drive to the theatre. Seems like a lot of fun.