The collision between the economy and car companies has caused one unpleasant pile up. Indicators for consumption and growth are not very pretty. It is important to note that despite some of the macro gloom, there are still signs of a growing future.
According to a report prepared by ABI, OEM’s continue to plan for future iterations and advancements for telematics services. Global penetration rates in new cars will reach 12% in 2010 and 43% by 2014. “With GM’s OnStar and Ford’s SYNC to be joined by telematics solutions from Toyota and Chrysler launching later this year, the US remains the most competitive market,” says ABI Research practice director Dominique Bonte. As scale and affordability push prices down and as technology adoption rates by consumers continue to grow, their inclination for in-car solutions will grow. Features similar to GM’s “OnStar” which offer safety and security assets along with diagnostics continue to show strength. Increasingly however consumers want the technology envelope in the car to open up. Continue reading “Consumers want more for their cars”
As I sat at my gate last week, awaiting my flight home from Las Vegas CES 2009, I overheard other CES-ers recounting their experiences at the consumer tech summit. Some commented on attendance while others mentioned the cool new stuff from industry stalwarts like LG and microsoft. It made me long for the day that changes in the 