Kuala Lumpur, 5 November 2012: Malaysian companies should work together to develop intelligent products with innovative software solutions for the global “connected car” market that is projected to be worth USD14.4 billion by Year 2016.
MIDA chief executive officer Datuk Noharuddin Nordin said now was the time for car stereo manufacturers and MSC-status companies to step up and establish working relationships to tap new opportunities.
“Today, what we used to call ‘car stereos’ are evolving to become ‘in-vehicle infotainment’ (I.V.I.) systems that offer much more than entertainment. The latest I.V.I. products are able to provide navigation, vehicle telematics, telecommunications and even Internet connectivity functions,” he said.
“With a powerful and versatile I.V.I. system on-board, a normal car transforms into a connected car that will allow drivers to stay connected, informed and safe, on the road. There is a growing market for connected cars in the real world. And, unlike the smart phone, tablet and notebook markets, there is no clear market leader for connected car solutions. This means that at this time, a great opportunity exists to establish market leadership,” he said while opening the symposium on “Global Connected Car Solutions” here today.
Datuk Noharuddin pointed out that Clarion Malaysia had already unveiled the Clarion Mirage, an Android-driven I.V.I. unit that was developed in collaboration with its global technology partners. “That this unit is based on the most popular smart phone operating system in the world is an important fact.
Equally important is the fact that this product was conceptualised in Malaysia. This proves that a Malaysian-based company can visualise, co-develop, create and manufacture a truly innovative I.V.I. product that captures the attention of the world,” he said.
He said that Clarion Malaysia and its global technology partners – Wind River, Plextek and Prodigium Mobile – were present at the symposium “to explore the possibility of developing the next generation of world-class I.V.I. products with ‘Made-in-Malaysia’ software and embedded technology solutions”.
“This endeavour is both timely and sensible. Clarion is an established brand and Clarion Malaysia has the proven expertise to design, manufacture and market I.V.I. hardware here for both our domestic and international markets. Meanwhile, many of your MSC-status companies have already designed software and applications for mobile computing platforms such as the Android platform.
“As in the case of the Android-driven Clarion Mirage, consumers are interested in ‘convergence’ I.V.I. products that are as versatile and familiar as their smart phones. Therefore, the convergence of Clarion’s expertise and your capabilities may well lead to the birth of I.V.I. products that will take the world by storm,” Tan Sri Nor Yakcop said.
In his speech, MIDA chief executive officer Datuk Noharuddin Nordin also said a report published by marketsandmarkets.com projected that the global I.V.I. market would be worth USD14.4 billion by Year 2016, with a compounded annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 12% between 2011 and 2016.
“According to the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, about 60 million cars will be produced in the world in 2012. Amongst the top 10 car-buying countries in the world are China, Japan and India. Together, consumers in these three Asian countries bought a total of 22.99 million cars in 2011,” he said.
“Moreover, five of the top car manufacturers in the world – Toyota, Hyundai-Kia, Honda, Suzuki and Nissan of the Nissan-Renault Alliance – are based in Asia. General Motors and Volkswagen, the top 2 car manufacturers in the world, have also invested extensively in Asia to build cars for the Asian market – the fastest growing car market in the world,” he added.
The CREST Centre’s chief executive officer Jaffri Ibrahim urged qualified MSC-status companies to take up the challenge and make the right move by working with established brand names such as Clarion Malaysia.
“Clarion Malaysia is a Malaysian-Japanese joint venture manufacturing company with a 40-year history in Penang. Today, the company manages one of the most dynamic centres for research and development in the I.V.I. industry in Asia.
“What they bring to the table include industry know-how, proven expertise, four decades of experience and the right global connections to deliver Malaysian connected car solutions to the world,” he said.
Clarion Malaysia managing director T.K. Tan said “connected cars” was the catch phrase for the international I.V.I. industry today.
“Just as ‘hand phones’ have become ‘smart phones’, ‘car stereos’ have become ‘in-vehicle infotainment, or I.V.I. systems’. Why is there a demand for advanced I.V.I. systems? The answer is connectivity and safety. When you steer a car, it is unsafe to operate a smart phone or a tablet. And yet, when they drive, people want to stay connected, entertained and informed,” he said.
Connected cars, he explained, were cars with powerful I.V.I. systems that could fulfil these needs. “We are working hard to deliver increasingly versatile I.V.I. systems that will transform a normal car into a connected car. Today, consumers expect their I.V.I. system to be as multi-functional and useful as a smart phone. Moreover, the user interface should also be convenient, intuitive and familiar,” he added.
Mr. Tan said these concepts inspired Clarion Malaysia to create the Clarion Mirage, its first generation automotive-grade Android-based I.V.I. system.
“Now that you have seen the Clarion Mirage, you can see the possibilities for the future. We have the hardware expertise and we have proved that we can build an Android-based system. The challenge is now to create more useful software applications, and, an even user-friendlier interface for the in-car environment. We want to realise the full potential of the Mirages to come by creating a suitable software eco-system, and populating it with thoughtful and helpful applications that will delight our customers,” he added.
No comments:
Post a Comment