According to The Australian, the ABC recently conducted a two-year trial of DRM technology, the findings of which have not been made public, and now plans further trials using HD (hybrid digital) radio and satellite radio transmission, both of which are predominantly used in cars in North America.
The move by the ABC to test-drive the technologies was prompted by concerns about the future viability of AM radio and whether it would still be accessible in modern vehicles in years to come. The broadcaster has not disclosed how much trialling the new technologies will cost, nor when and where the technologies will be road-tested.