Home audio integrators are taking some big steps that the car audio industry might find inspiring.
First, CEDIA, the home theater association, plans to create a licensing program for home technology installers by 2019. It will include tests taken by the installer-technologists as well as continuing education, according to new CEDIA CEO Vincent Bruno.
The program, however, is in the early planning stages.
Currently, home installers can receive certification in specific installations such as home audio calibration or projector installation. Certification programs are run by manufacturers or by CEDIA, he said.
Secondly, CEDIA is changing the term for custom installers to “Technologists,” because no one searches the web for a custom installer on the Internet.
“I decided that our industry needs a simple word so homeowners know what to Google to manage their technology. People think I’m a little over the top with ‘technologist’ but in 5 years, when everything that can be connected will be connected, it won’t be so over the top,” said Bruno, CEO of CEDIA since October.
The new name may also help attract new people to the industry. “If I went into an auditorium of soon to be graduate college students that may have majored in philosophy and can’t get a job and I say, ‘Who wants to be an installer?’ no one would raise their hand. But if I ask who is interested in the profession of ‘Technologist,’ I would get lots of hands.”
In addition, CEDIA will launch a new web site by 2018, that can host a web page for each technologist, making it a place to come to find installers.
“CEDIA will be the place where homeowners come to find people to design and install and upgrade their technology. You will see a picture, credentials, education for each technologist,” he said.
FYI, Amazon wants it’s home services retailers to become CEDIA members, said Bruno. And Dish network now wants all of their 3,000 retailers to become CEDIA members, he said.
We think CEDIA’s actions should be watched by the car audio industry.
A name change from “OEM integration” could serve the car audio industry, in our opinion. OEM integration is one of our core products now, and it has little meaning to the average consumer.
Secondly, the issue of licensing remains a hot topic for 12 volters.
Licensing retailers helps professionalize the industry. It could also prepare it to benefit from upcoming opportunities including installing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) devices in cars.
Additionally, over the next several years, the car is expected to become part of Home Automation systems such as the Amazon Echo, where house lights can be switched on as a car pulls up in the driveway and the room temperatures automatically adjusted.
Manufacturers from outside our industry, government agencies, fleet managers and others will be looking to send their customers to licensed installers.
CEDIA’s actions provides some food for thought.
Photo-Crutchfield
There is much debate within the home channel about this idea of a name change and the support is hardly overwhelming. The new head of CEDIA said, “I decided…” when addressing a small group of integrators, that’s hardly an industry making a decision
Alternatively and as a group, the CTA Automotive Electronics Division Board voted to change its name to the Vehicle Technology Division to better represent our membership and product categories. Sounds like we are ahead of the curve. Check out: https://cta.tech/Membership/Divisions-Councils/Vehicle-Technology-Division.aspx
Here are the names and companies that serve on the Vehicle Technology Board.
Mike Anderson, Alpine Electronics of America Inc.
Anne Bitonti, DEI Holdings, Inc.
James Braun, Dual Electronics Corporation
Ted Cardenas, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
Scott Caswell, JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation
Ann Dechow, Delphi
Bob Fields, Beacon Technology Group
Anthony A. Frangiosa, InstallerNet, Inc.
Ron Freeman, AAMP Global
Johnathan Ivey, MiTek Electronics and Communications
Mark Karnes, Cobra Electronics Corporation
Mr. Rick Kojan, Sony Electronics Inc.
Aron Demers, VOXX International
Claudio Martinez, DTS, Inc.
Carl Mathews, Crutchfield Corporation
Hasib Mohammed, SIRIUS XM Radio, Inc.
Henry Muyshondt, Microchip Technology
Derek Pace, Certified Sounds LLC
Paul Pirro, Tint World
Laurence S. Roach, Panasonic Automotive Systems
Randall Schwartz, Best Buy Co. Inc.
Daisuke Tanaka, Pandora Media, Inc.
Jim Warren, Car Toys Inc.
Skip West, MAXSA Innovations, LLC
Tim Yerdon, Visteon Corporation
Licensing / Certification – thats another conversation, but it should be noted that MECP (Mobile Electroncis Certified PROFESSIONAL) has described our technical work force as Technicians for many, many years. Installer was dropped long ago.
Thank you Bob. Maybe the Board can consider a more consumer friendly term for OEM integration. And maybe it can implement a formal licensing program or an incentive program to expand MECP’s reach.
Great idea i have been a technologist for a long time but because i dont work from an officail lisenced p r emises or have a qualification thru a series of bad mistakes in dealing with the wrong people it helped to discredit my kbowledge in car audio which is garnerd from my real knowledge in hone audio as the two arent that far apart being an audiophile my higj end clients hear my systems and just say build and design it for me as if it was yours and i never had issues till i started dealing with small socalled boutique custom houses in the us and some in europe aswell id be happy to become a qualified technoligist as long as it became a usa australia ocieania euro type thing as in australia we have real hacks who get paid alot and then peiple like me who are true enthusiasts in design and craftmwnship suffer because of it good call i say but how will it be done does 15 years of design in majour cinimas and home audio and car audio coubt inckuding several covercars for cars and also many brands built from nothing to the top brands in this country only to be taken away because of lame things like were not aelling entry level gear um were high end thats all there is to it we dont deal in hear that no one buys
This is a good idea worth exploring.. what is a trademarkable name that we can get behind.. It is something to see that this article only had one previous comment, but others about the doom and gloom of our industry are easy for people to comment on.
Mobile Technologists
Like the name Mobile Technologists.
That is a good move because in the consumer world, CEDIA is hardly known.