MONTVALE, N.J. – Mercedes-Benz USA will offer HD Radio technology on several model-year 2009 vehicles. The free digital AM/FM radio service is part of Mercedes’ completely new generation of entertainment systems developed for the M-, R-, GL-, and G-Class SUVs, as well as the E-Class model lineup, according to www.emercedesbenz.com.

Currently broadcasting to more than 83 percent of Americans, the subscription-free HD Radio service already features more than 1,700 HD Radio stations, with an additional 800 new multicast channels available exclusively to HD Radio listeners. In addition to highlighting unique and/or new music genres through their own dedicated channels, such as jazz, “tween,” local bands, and Bluegrass, the most notable benefit of HD Radio over analog is the fact that content is delivered digitally — the result of which is an improvement in audio quality comparable to that of a CD.