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| Another milestone has been reached in the implementation of in-vehicle TV. Last week ICO Global Communications successfully launched its North American geosynchronous satellite, named ICO G1. |
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| Diving into the market with a splash, Dash Navigation has begun shipping a device the may represent the future of in-car navigation – its connected PND, the Dash Express. Time will tell whether Dash makes it big, but the company is riding a wave of demand for PNDs and other forms of automotive navigation and adding a key twist: a data service to augment the GPS navigation. |
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| If you regularly visit automotive trade shows (and IMS Research regularly does), one thing is clear: efforts to make vehicles that are less harmful to the environment are being heavily promoted by manufacturers. Complex looking systems that enable better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions are often proudly displayed next to the glitzy new cars; exhibitor displays feature green slogans; executives stress their commitment to making greener products at every car launch. However, it isn’t just car manufacturers that hope to profit from greener cars. Suppliers of the technologies that enable cars to be greener are set to reap big rewards. |
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| The biggest single technical challenge facing the automotive industry is making cars that use less fuel. Lots of solutions have been mentioned in the press. However, a new report from IMS Research entitled “The Green Car” finds that in the next ten years, one solution alone is unlikely to be the answer. Instead, a range of technologies will be employed. |
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| Vehicle manufacturers have been acquiring other vehicle manufacturers for decades and this trend has continued in the nineties and early naughties. Today, just five manufacturers account for almost half of the world’s light vehicle production. However, consolidation fever in the automotive industry hasn’t been limited to just vehicle manufacturers. It seems to be happening further down the automotive supply chain and this has led to ever larger Tier 1 system suppliers. |
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| They put cameras in cell phones, cameras on buildings and traffic lights, and now they put cameras on every corner of your car. Nissan has just announced the introduction of its Around View Monitor system, which goes beyond the typical back-up camera by providing a 360-degree view of the vehicle's surroundings - achieved by the use of no less than four cameras. Although this might seem a fad for the Japanese market, in fact it will be introduced in North America as well, in the Infiniti EX-35.
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| Earlier this year the fairytale came true for Continental AG when its takeover bid was accepted by Siemens VDO – or did it? Continental bested TRW Automotive in the duel to acquire Siemens VDO in late July 2007. This acquisition is the largest in automotive history, and it remains to be seen if it really is a match made in heaven.
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| We’ve come a long way since the time when premium audio in the car meant installing an eight-track tape player. Today’s approaches to high-end in-vehicle sound bring new levels of technical sophistication to the automotive space – as well as some clever marketing.
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| Automotive has perhaps been the only consistent growth industry for semiconductor suppliers for most of the last 25 years. Recent forecasts from IMS Research's Automotive Group suggest that this trend is set to continue well into the next decade. |
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| Bluetooth has now been around for over a decade and has established itself at the forefront of in-vehicle wireless technologies. The multifunctional capacities of Bluetooth allows drivers and passengers to simultaneously make handsfree calls, listen to their portable music players, enjoy visual infotainment and be navigated to their chosen destination. |
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| A trend for vehicle manufacturers in China to use electronic systems made in China rather than importing them is forecast to accelerate in the next five years. This is according to a new report, entitled “The Chinese Market for OEM Automotive Electronics”, published recently by IMS Research. |
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| 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. |
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| The last few years have seen explosive growth in demand for personal navigation devices (PNDs) from such companies as TomTom and Garmin. However, in 2007 a variety of major cell phone manufacturers plan to launch mass-market navigation-capable phones. This begs the question: Can demand for PNDs continue to grow in the face of such competing alternatives? |
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| The year 2006 is proving to be a speed bump on the road to growth for in-car infotainment systems in the U.S. market – and the culprit is high gasoline prices. |
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| IMS Research's new report "The Worldwide Market for Automotive Sensors" predicts rapid growth in unit sales of automotive laser, radar and image sensors. This is mainly due to a range of driver assistance systems that are being introduced to the vehicle. |
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| You’ve got your portable media player – but what’s the easiest way to play its content on your car stereo? Wireless audio streaming may be the answer.
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| Forget what you’ve heard about the benefits of global sourcing. A new report from IMS Research shows that, when it comes to choosing a Tier 1 supplier, vehicle manufacturers still opt for their tried and trusted local suppliers. |
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| In 2005 Mercedes announced that it would remove brake-by-wire from the E-Class and CLS and replace it with a conventional hydraulic braking system. As Mercedes is the only major manufacturer to have adopted brake-by-wire in its production vehicles does this spell the end for this technology? |
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| Wellingborough, UK (31st March 2006) – Selling cars is becoming less about the glitzy showroom and more about what happens when the car reaches the filling station. Sharp fuel price increases and growing public concern about the environmental impact of exhaust fumes have prompted vehicle manufacturers to look carefully at reducing both fuel consumption and emissions. The customer isn’t the only one pushing this trend though. Manufacturers are facing the heat from regulatory bodies too as they stipulate every stricter emissions standards. |
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| The next time you buy a used car, you just might get more than you bargained for – and that has some in the automotive electronics industry concerned. |
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