Ford to Offer Dual-Antenna Radio System

Ford Motor Co. is introducing a dual radio receiver system this autumn on certain models of the Fusion and Escape equipped with Sony HD radios.

The carmaker says the application is one of the first in the industry for the technology, which promises to improve the quality of FM reception. Featuring a second receiver and using the rear-window grid as another antenna, the dual system helps the radio choose between multiple signals on the same frequency.

The setup reduces interferences from digital signals that are received twice, which Ford notes is common in congested cities and mountainous areas where radio signals tend to bounce around the landscape. The redundant system provides longer and clearer reception, according to the company.

With a single receiver system, users may experience as much as 15 minutes of station overlap when driving between Chicago and Detroit, for example. Ford says the new system eliminates this by immediately switching to the stronger station.