2014 worldwide OE automotive entertainment vendor rankings

Semicast defines automotive entertainment systems to include audio-only systems, front seat infotainment, rear seat entertainment and embedded navigation systems, but excludes under-the-hood systems such as body, chassis, powertrain, safety and security. Only OE (factory-fitted) systems are included in this analysis; dealer-fit and aftermarket systems are excluded. Semicast estimates the 2014 worldwide OE automotive entertainment systems market to have totalled 73m units.

It is Semicast’s view that the key issue for entertainment systems vendors’ success over the next five years will be responding to the introduction of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Smartphones and tablets are becoming ever more central to the automotive environment, with stored music replacing conventional CD audio systems; streaming music services and navigation over 4G replacing radio and embedded navigation; and stored video replacing DVD rear seat entertainment. This suggests that suppliers of OE automotive entertainment systems have a significant opportunity for growth on the horizon: front seat, video-based, infotainment systems with touchscreen control that replicate the smartphone or tablet display onto the centre stack in the car.

Colin Barnden, Principal Analyst, Semicast Research, and study author, commented: “Semicast sees the front seat automotive entertainment market moving towards systems which are effectively portals that maximise the accessibility of apps, features and functions of smartphones and tablets. Semicast judges it highly unlikely that Apple and Google will make these systems themselves. Thus OE automotive entertainment systems suppliers that do not support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will fall behind in this rapidly changing environment.”