92.5 · THE PROGRAMME GUIDE
The radio rides shotgun.
50,000+ live stations, four big lists, and not one of them asks you to look away from the road. Here is how my show works on CarPlay, and the free Driving Mode I keep for cars that never got a screen.
Radio and driving grew up together. The dial in the dashboard is where most of us learned to love this medium: one hand on the wheel, one finger on the seek button, somebody's voice keeping you company through the dark. I take that inheritance seriously. When my show rides along, it behaves like a good passenger, not like a phone.
What a car radio owes you
One job. Change the station in a second and give your eyes back to the road. That means big targets, short lists, and no fiddly discovery while the wheels are moving. Extra credit for remembering what you played last night, and for starting up on its own when you get in. That is the whole exam. You would be surprised how many apps fail it by putting a search box in the car.
My show on the CarPlay screen
Plug in and Radio Dad appears on the car's display as four lists. Two come free, two come with Premium. Nothing cleverer, on purpose:
- Favorites. The stations you starred, one tap away. Free.
- Recents. Last night's station is right there this morning. Also free.
- Browse. A short list of what is trending, for when you want something new. Premium.
- Genres. Drop into a mood without hunting for it. Premium.
Everything is big, glanceable, and sized for the length of a red light. The globe, Zap and search stay home on the phone, where they belong. Spinning a planet is an evening activity. In the car you choose fast and look up.
WHAT'S FREE IN THE CAR
CarPlay itself costs nothing. Favorites, Recents and Now Playing all work without a subscription. Premium adds the in-car Browse and Genres tabs, alongside the rest of the paid features: $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial on the yearly plan. If all you want is your saved stations on the dashboard, keep your money. I will play them anyway.
No screen? Driving Mode is free
Plenty of cars never got a CarPlay display, and I do not only play to the front row. So the app carries a free Driving Mode: a full-screen layout with large, high-contrast controls, a dark theme for night driving, and the option to start on its own when your phone connects to the car over Bluetooth. It turns the phone itself into a proper car radio. No CarPlay, no subscription, no squinting.
A global dial, not a local one
The catalog behind all this holds 50,000+ live stations from 230+ countries and territories, each one playing directly from its broadcaster. Star a jazz bar in Tokyo or a morning show in Lagos tonight, and tomorrow it sits on your dashboard between the local news and the classic rock. Your commute does not have to sound like everyone else's.
From the call-in line
Does Radio Dad work with CarPlay?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Plug in and the app appears on the car's display with Favorites, Recents and Now Playing, so you can pick a station at a glance and keep your eyes on the road. Premium adds the Browse and Genres tabs. The spinning globe stays on the phone: CarPlay is for choosing quickly and safely, not exploring.
Do I need Premium for CarPlay?
No. Favorites, Recents and the Now Playing screen all work without a subscription. Premium only adds extra ways to browse in the car, the Browse and Genres tabs. If all you want is your saved stations on the dashboard, the free app does that.
What is Driving Mode?
A free, glanceable interface for cars without CarPlay. Large, high-contrast controls, a dark theme for night driving, and it can start on its own when your phone connects to the car over Bluetooth. It turns the phone screen into a safe, simple car radio, no subscription required.
Can I play stations from other countries in the car?
Yes. The catalog holds 50,000+ live stations from 230+ countries and territories, and anything you save to Favorites rides along on CarPlay. Star a station in Reykjavík tonight, play it on the school run tomorrow.
More from the programme guide: the best radio app for iPhone and a free TuneIn alternative.
EYES ON THE ROAD
Take the show for a drive.
Radio Dad is free on iPhone, with free CarPlay and a free Driving Mode. No ads, no account. The world's radio, riding along.