With new technologies popping up all over the place and the average American’s spending 17 hours a week in the car, I suppose it’s not surprising to learn that sales of in-vehicle consumer electronics are predicted to grow by 13% this year to $12.8 billion. The numbers come from a study (Automotive Electronics—What Consumers Have and What They Desire) by the Consumer Electronics Association. What are the top categories for 2008?
Overall, 38 percent of the driving age population intends to purchase and install an in-vehicle product this year. Remote vehicle starters came in at 15 percent; in-dash navigation systems, 13 percent; and car alarms, 12 percent. Of course sat radio, HD radio and DVD players also garnered much interest.
However, consumers are actually more likely to spend money on products that wouldn’t be permanently installed. Think about all those portable navigation devices on the market, FM transmitters for your iPods or visor-clip Bluetooth solutions. Is everyone out there just looking for the convenience of plugging and playing? Or do they want to save some cash on installation? What about the flexibility of using these products in multiple vehicles? Let me know what you think.