A timeline of the in-car infotainment systems

Stuck in traffic, let your virtual assistant voice the news updates. Oh, and what’s a road trip without good music?

The car audio system market has been popular right from its advent. It has been constantly evolving. And many functionalities of the car are now linked to the car audio system. A good example is the recent innovation of parking voice sensors. It helps the driver during parking maneuvers and alerts him about unseen obstacles.

Up to the 20s, driving was a silent affair. Automobile market research to trace the origins of car audio systems say that the most initial ones were to be bought from stereo shops separate from the vehicle. The sound quality wasn’t as good as the present day, and connectivity was poor. It was majorly AM radios and less of a personal touch.

Rewind to over 80 years back from today. 1930, that’s when the first ever in-car audio system was developed. It was a dashboard radio named Motorola. Then came the debut of FM radios in the early 1950s. The transition from these FM radios to cassettes and today’s speaker systems with powerful amplifiers and finely tuned frequency response curves was gradual. But a market forecast would suggest how the progress rate has always increased. Much more advancement in the car audio market is expected in the coming years.

Today’s customers are facing great trouble getting the perfect car for them. This is because luxury cars Jaguar and Land Rovers have been among the worst performers with regards to their infotainment and navigation systems according to a car audio market report. Korean brands like Hyundai have occupied the top spots.

It is important for every manufacturer to learn about the needs and expectations of the customer. In the fast-paced world of today, everybody is looking to attain their best possible productivity even on-the-go. There is an increasing number of audiobook readers these days. This biggest new reading trend while driving is an opportunity for businesses in the car audio sector. AI is increasingly penetrating the sector. Virtual assistants are being adopted to assist the driver and passengers in controlling the various systems in the car like heating and cooling and even navigation tools.

High-quality rankings in the car-audio market are dependent on how well the clientele is understood by the manufacturer. One must aim at developing a comprehensive understanding. Newer trends can be recognized and opportunities can be leveraged if a pervasive industry analysis is conducted.