HDD and Flash for Automotive Navigation Systems - 16 April 2007
A recent report from IMS Research entitled “The Worldwide Market for Automotive Navigation Systems” reveals a trend to using hard disk drives (HDDs) and Flash memory to store navigation system map data.
In the past, many fixed in-vehicle navigation systems used CDs to store map data and a surprisingly large percentage of new systems still do (an estimated 20% in 2006). However, in the last few years DVD has become the most popular storage media for such fixed navigation systems. At the same time, personal navigation systems (PNDs) have been introduced to the market and these use either HDD or Flash to store map data (in the case of Flash, often in the form of portable SD cards).
Now fixed in-vehicle navigation systems are also starting to use HDD (automotive-grade HDDs that is) and it is expected to be only a matter of time before they adopt Flash.
The need for HDD navigation started in Japan several years ago, once it became apparent that the memory capacity required, to store data for the whole of Japan’s navigation database in high resolution “bird’s eye view” map format, would far exceed that attainable with DVD. Since then, a number of HDD-based in-vehicle navigation systems have been introduced to the market including a number outside of Japan (for example, the Mercedes S-Class and Volvo XC90 are both available in Europe with HDD-based navigation).
The memory requirements for fixed in-vehicle navigation systems are generally expected to increase in the future as a result of two factors. First, systems are expected to include more features like improved voice recognition, text-to-speech and enhanced traffic responses. They are also forecast to feature more detailed maps and in many cases 3D maps. Second, data storage capacity is likely to be shared between navigation system maps and other entertainment and information functions such as compressed music storage, a black box recorder and in-vehicle video. Ultimately however, IMS Research believes that, in the future, different fixed in-vehicle navigation systems will have different levels of map detail and include different features. There will also be a variety of future Infotainment system configurations (for instance a VM might decide not to have several different entertainment and information functions served by one central data store, but have a separate local data store for each). The forecasted memory capacity, price and performance characteristics of HDD and Flash will mean that sometimes the case for using Flash for maps will be compelling and sometimes it will make more sense to use HDD. Rapid growth in demand is therefore forecast for both solutions.
Notes for Editors
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About IMS Research
IMS Research is a specialist supplier of market research and consultancy services on global electronics markets. Information from IMS Research is used by major companies worldwide to assess market trends, solve marketing problems, and improve the efficiency of their businesses. IMS Research is a truly international company, selling to more than 35 countries around the world and supported by offices in Austin (Texas), Shanghai (China) and Wellingborough (UK). IMS Research has published a wealth of detailed research on various automotive related markets since 1998.
