As automotive audio systems rapidly evolve from two knobs and a row of push buttons – with maybe a slot for an 8-track or cassette – into highly sophisticated in-cabin computers, video screens, navigational assistance and driver operational aids, static is emitting from federal safety authorities concerned over the consequences of distracted driving.
And aftermarket add-ons in this infotainment and audio-video-navigation (AVN) category are very much in tune with retrofitting these ongoing technological advancements, especially as more motorists opt to keep their existing vehicles in a tight economy. For collectors of classic cars, there are a number of firms offering modern-day audio and communication capabilities ensconced behind vintage faceplates in the dash.
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Installers, in turn, are being called upon to obtain the proper training and expertise needed to implement and service an array of electronics extending well beyond the skills that previously sufficed at yesteryear’s Stereo Hut.
More than 110 AVN vendors and seven of the top 10 automakers had their wares on display at January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which ranks as the largest annual convention hosted in Las Vegas.
Among OEMs, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) forecasts that sales of factory-installed vehicle technologies will increase by 11.3 percent in 2013 to nearly $8.7 billion. Aftermarket head units that support Internet radio are projected to see sales nearly double this year, surpassing 2 million units.
About 15 percent of American households now own a vehicle with a connected communication/entertainment system. “CEA expects this figure to rise quickly in the coming years as car companies make these solutions available across more models,” according to Steve Koenig, the organization’s director of industry analysis. Research firm TechNavio anticipates that the global marketplace for this type of equipment will reach $99.8 billion by 2016.
All this comes amid enhanced governmental scrutiny as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is addressing distracted driving on its “Most Wanted List of Transportation Challenges.” While the tighter focus is on texting or yakking on phones and other portable devices, operating infotainment systems is another element of the agency’s attention. At least 3,092 people were killed in “distraction-affected crashes” in 2010, accounting for about one in 10 fatalities on the nation’s roadways.
Objecting to what the CEA terms an “abstinence only” approach, “the NTSB ignores established realities of human behavior, as well as the fact that in-vehicle technology – when used correctly – can make for vastly safer roadways,” says Michael Petricone, the CEA’s senior vice president of government and regulatory affairs. “Rather than calling for broad regulations or outright bans, policymakers should encourage the use of the many innovative driver safety technologies coming on to the marketplace,” he adds. “We look forward to working with the NTSB to enhance safety without inadvertently prohibiting or discouraging the use of innovative in-vehicle technologies.”
Mind on the mission
Advances being introduced by manufacturers include head-up adhere-while-you-steer display panels and other developments designed to deliver intuitive operating habits.
“Delphi believes driver safety and connectivity are achieved through eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and mind on the mission,” says Jeffrey J. Owens, the company’s chief technology officer. “By enabling drivers to keep their hands on the wheel while viewing the information they need, commanding entertainment and navigation systems, and supporting their handheld devices, we are helping to furnish new ways to make the driving experience safe and fun for everyone in the car.”
“Alpine takes this issue seriously,” concurs Steve Crawford, vice president and general manager of the aftermarket division at Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. For example, “we use interlock systems on our in-dash screens, which allow video entertainment to be played only when the parking brake is engaged.”
Yet with so much AVN sophistication being applied direct at the factory on newer vehicles, a key topic of conversation at CES was presented in the form of this query: “Are automakers running the aftermarket off the road?”
“The aftermarket continues to research ways to work with, and adapt to, OEM systems,” Crawford responds. “People are keeping their cars for longer, so there are still a large number of older vehicles in the market which are compatible with aftermarket upgrades.”
“It depends on who you ask,” answers Andy Wehmeyer, an aftermarket global product manager at Harman. “If you ask the car companies, they might respond by saying they have no specific interest in squishing the aftermarket, but they do want to minimize the cost of warranty returns. This is related to aftermarket installation quality.”
“Many of the OEM audio suppliers also have an aftermarket component in their businesses, and there’s no desire to kill another part of the company,” Wehmeyer tells Aftermarket Business World. So, I think the truthful answer is ‘no.’ However, the objectives of the two kinds of business are different enough that there’s little overlap. The manufacturing and design processes are completely different and so is the qualification process. No one is trying to kill the other, but the increase in complexity of the new OEM systems will squeeze out aftermarket shops and manufacturers that cannot keep up.”
Seeking expertise
Expertise among installers matters greatly when it comes to this type of add-on equipment, according Wehmeyer. “The average age of cars in the U.S. has crept up to 11 years. There’s still time to fix this.”
He goes on to assert that “the future of aftermarket audio retailing depends not on the big boxes, but on premium distribution channels that offer quality installation services that are comfortable for consumers. There’s far more to this than simply finding a place that can install equipment without breaking stuff or leaving the car with rattles.”
From a manufacturer’s perspective, the complexity of OEM systems – and even some that are 10 years old – requires a new style of product that is either designed as a package for a specific car with all the wires, plugs and mounting adapters required to make it plug and play, or offerings that include integration tools, explains Wehmeyer, citing the expense of inventing and bringing a system to market.
“While installers won’t have to be able to design circuits and write code, they will have to become familiar enough with the inner workings of the gear to troubleshoot and to assess the final performance of the systems they install,” he points out.
“Shops and installers who believe that their job is simply to take the car apart, hook stuff up, put the car back together and claim that the ultimate performance of the system depends solely on the equipment will see their income squeezed as the value in that service will continue to decline,” says Wehmeyer. “So much information is required to be an expert in integrating all sorts of gear into all cars, that greater specialization among technicians will be required. Someone is going to have to provide that training to willing learners.”
Merchants tend to be under the impression that manufacturers are solely responsible for bearing the cost of training, he notes. “This may suggest that many retailers simply don’t grasp the coming task. I can train technicians that understand the fundamentals in how to install the gear that I develop, but so many installers don’t grasp the fundamentals. I can teach audio fundamentals, but technicians have to be willing and interested,” Wehmeyer says.
“Ultimately, the cost of installation services is going to have to rise to attract capable technicians. The good news is that we’ll begin to shift the aftermarket business away from being a cheap alternative to replacement of factory-installed gear at the car dealership to a business of providing premium products, premium service and a good value to consumers,” he says.
“In this category, consumers love great sound but they hate risk,” Wehmeyer observes. “Retail installation poses the greatest risk and consumers know it.”
Harman has plans to add another 100 to 150 car audio specialists to its aftermarket distribution network. And installer training is a key component to selling these systems to a motoring public that may be wary about trusting this task to just any shop – even though they certainly love the high quality sound that can be obtained within the acoustic confines of a car’s cabin.
Wehmeyer suggests pursuing education through CEA’s MECP program, which stands for “Mobile Electronics Certified Professional.” He also contends that such training is only a start.
“More experienced peers should be encouraged to provide guidance in a team effort,” he says. “Installers are young and passionate. They’re also under serious pressure to know more than they know and to be the experts they aren’t yet. Peer pressure in the bays causes them to state opinion as fact and to resist the urge to ask for help,” says Wehmeyer.
“In every workplace, employees should feel free to stand up and scream from their cubicle, office, workbench or installation bay, ‘Something is wrong and I need help!’ without fear that they’ll be denigrated, ridiculed or fired. Shop owners must provide that environment and manufacturers and industry organizations must be prepared to provide the information that’s required in a friendly way. Installers must be willing to read, to check their bravado at the door of the training room and to help their colleagues,” he continues.
It’s time for the car audio aftermarket to step up,” Wehmeyer declares. “Consumers want the benefit of what we sell and they’re willing to pay for it, but we have to convince them that their fears of risk are unfounded. That’s going to take work, humility and patience. Most of all it’s going to take competence, and we’re all going to have to contribute to helping installers become more competent.”
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