Reports available from The Freedonia Group track demand for OEM automotive electronics and automotive diagnostic equipment.
The firm predicts that OEM automotive electronics demand will grow by 7.5% per year to reach $124 billion in 2009. It said some electronics systems are maturing in North America, Western Europe and Japan, and in those three regions the industry is entering a new evolutionary phase consisting of safety, entertainment and communications systems. Growth in emerging markets is being driven by systems to improve safety, efficiency, and emissions control, according to the report.
Manufacturers are scaling back expectations for navigation, wireless and telematics systems due to the reluctance of consumers in the three major markets to pay for such systems. Manufacturers are striving for increased functionality without increased prices, and that trend is driving cost-effective electronics systems into the automotive platform, according to Freedonia. Growth prospects are best for active and passive safety systems, entertainment electronics, and power electronics. The rapid transfer of new product designs from the major markets is fueling growth in emerging markets.
The U.S. market for automotive diagnostic products is expected to grow by 5.9% per year to reach $1.1 billion in 2009, according to Freedonia. Forces driving growth include continued increases in light vehicle electrical and electronic content and system sophistication; the ongoing shift from shop-owned “big box” devices to technician-owned hand-held systems; new regulations; an increased need for reprogramming electronic systems at the service level; and the abilities of equipment manufacturers to maintain innovation-based pricing levels.