According to the market research firm iSuppli Corp., automotive navigation systems increasingly are transitioning from standalone devices to connected systems capable of accessing up-to-date map data and other information from the cloud.
About 20 percent of in-vehicle navigation systems sold in 2010 will include connectivity, either through an embedded modem or a tethered mobile device, amounting to 1.8 million units. This will rise to 90 percent in 2017, amounting to 27 million units.
Cloud-sourced navigation is an evolution of connected navigation systems—a trend that started several years ago. Traditional car navigation systems use databases stored on the device itself but future navigation systems will rely on information that is stored in the cloud. Maps, points of interest, traffic and weather are examples of cloud-sourced content that is enabled through connectivity.
“Rising sales of navigation systems with two-way connectivity are being fueled by the advantages of connecting to the cloud,” said Phil Magney, Vice President (Automotive Research) at iSuppli. “By connecting to the cloud, navigation systems give motorists access to the most up-to-date databases in the world. Traffic, weather, and points of interest change constantly, so access to the cloud is vital.”
“Static databases will become a thing of the past in automotive navigation during the next 10 years,” said Egil Juliussen, Principal Analyst & Fellow (Automotive Research) at iSuppli. “Connectivity means motorists will have multiple options in terms of on-board and off-board navigation resources.”
