The automotive electronics industry has seen its ups and downs over the years, but there has typically been a steady flow of new products, and future innovations to look forward to. As an aficionado in the market, I do my best to try to “always be in the know” about what’s coming down the pike. Lately though, I notice a trend developing that has aroused my concern and curiosity. Where have the new ideas gone?
I can recall a grand time when ideas were flowing freely and there were wide-eyed spectators waiting to see them come to market. As of late, I have seen and sensed a decline in not only new ideas but the positive optimism associated with them. So I want to open a challenge to everyone and introduce, “INNOVATION AND IDEAS.” This is an opportunity for members of the industry to offer suggestions for new products that will help advance the industry.
I can’t tell you how many times in my travels I hear, “It would be great if I had this.” The OEM Doctor is now giving readers a chance to voice their ideas and suggestions for the benefit of manufacturers or entrepreneurs following this column. It has been said the best way to predict the future is to INVENT IT!
By giving a voice to all of you on the front lines, the OEM Doctor is hoping to contribute to a stronger and brighter future for all of us to take part in. In this industry in particular, we have seen what happens when factories try to cram products down our throats. Here’s a chance to contribute toward creating the products we are looking for.
Please offer your suggestions in the comment section below or email them to agilroy@ceoutlook. Suggestions may be on the topic of features on a particular product, or completely new products or design improvements on existing products. Suggestions may apply to any 12 volt products from amplifiers, radios and speakers to interfaces, blind spot detection systems, cameras and more.
[Note From CEoutlook:]
Please include:
- Your name
- Company affiliation
- Email address
- Phone number
- Innovation suggestion
If enough suggestions are generated, CEoutlook will award a prize for the best idea as judged by The OEM Doctor. And you and your idea might be featured in the OEM Doctor’s next column.
Serious anonymous suggestions are also welcome, but, of course, you would forfeit your chance at a prize.
—OEM Doctor
(Please note that the opinions of the OEM Doctor are independent of the opinions of CEoutlook).
R
The market needs more safety system choices, such as parking sensors, blind spot kits, etc. These products need to be engineered properly, and not just re-branded kits that are all the same (for example, the typical ultrasonic blind spot kit on the market right now can be purchased from 5 – 6 different brand names, but it’s all the same product).
These safety systems need to be upgradeable, and able to speak with one another, for example, say a customer comes in for a parking sensor kit, that kit needs the ability to have a blind spot upgrade added to it but use the same display screen for example, or have a camera, hell multiple cameras added to it but be able to do this in a modular way. NO ONE is doing this right now.
Or how about some security/remote start/dash camera integrations, most of the security product or remote start product on the market for the last 20 years have used an antenna, and most of those antennas have a power + ground feed going to them, as well as a TX/RX connection, how bloody hard would be to integrate a dash cam into said antenna? One cable, one device to mount on the window, makes sense to me. Add a security tie in, ie if the alarm triggers, you record a video, etc.
I could go on and on…… there is a lot of innovation opportunity to be had, and while the industry IS progressing, there is a lot that could be done, faster, as well.