DETROIT ? By decade?s end, some 25 percent of vehicles sold will have backseat entertainment systems, up from 10 percent today, as auto makers increasingly look to electronics and entertainment devices to make their models stand out from the competition.
A survey done by Telematics Research Group also found that 17 auto makers will offer Bluetooth-based communications options in 2005 production cars and trucks. One of the latest trends, says TRG, is interface kits that allow portable media devices to integrate with the in-car audio system. These products are riding the success of Apple’s iPod, and dozens of such kits were introduced to the aftermarket last week, while only a couple of automakers have so far been able to respond with iPod solutions.
Navigation systems are also getting the auto industry?s attention, with 27 auto manufacturers offering navigation as standard or optional equipment. Here too, the aftermarket is ready to capture a chunk of this market with a slew of new portable solutions selling for as little $400 through the retail channel.
Monitored telematics solutions are mostly the domain of the auto companies, with fifteen auto makers offering monitored solutions that provide safety and security through an embedded phone coupled with a GPS location device.
This content was provided by TelematicsUpdate.Com.
