Pandora is bringing Internet Radio to Cars

Mobile technologies have now really made in-roads in the sacred place of one's automobile. Listeners waiting to hear their favorite song on radio is becoming a thing of the past, now they can sing along to their owned customized radio station.

At Pandora, executives hope the deal will help expand the way its fans think of the service. "Maybe a year ago people would have said Pandora is a computer thing," said co-founder Tim Westergren. Now, "they're beginning to realize that Internet radio is an anytime, anywhere thing."

Source Wall Street Journal
Pandora Inc. has struck a deal with electronics maker Pioneer Corp. that promises to make it easier for drivers to listen to its personalized radio service in cars—bringing Internet radio one step closer to snagging a built-in spot on dashboards. The development represents a direct challenge to broadcasters of satellite and traditional radio, who have long dreaded the arrival of Internet radio in cars.

Starting in March, Pioneer will sell a navigation and entertainment device that allows Pandora users who stream the service on their Apple Inc. iPhones to easily access Pandora in their cars. The $1,200 navigation system, announced today at the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, will detect iPhones and iPod touches that have Pandora installed, and put the consumer's Pandora settings on the navigation screen. That will allow drivers to hear their favorite Pandora radio channels. Read more

How will your local radio station, other Internet streaming stations and Sirius/XM Satellite radio respond? Compeitition should make for better radio; but that remains to be seen.