Integrated Telematics Devices Will Be Key to Asian Markets in 2012, Finds ABI Research

SINGAPORE--Consumer vehicle tracking services provide emergency, roadside assistance, monitoring, and anti-theft services, with a focus on the safety and security of the vehicle and the owner. While buyers in regional Asian markets show distinct preferences in the kinds of devices and service they adopt, a new study from ABI Research suggests that integration of several functions will provide the best penetration as these markets evolve towards 2012.

“In 2007, China’s consumer vehicle tracking market value is expected to be worth more than $86 million and tracking units will take 94% market share in this region,” says research analyst Wang Tao. “Japan’s hardware shipments will total 650,000 in 2007, exceeding $2 billion.”

GPS/GSM-based navigation systems are the major consumer vehicle tracking products with network based services in the Chinese market. In Japan, however, due to the high penetration rate of navigation systems which also can receive real-time information and advanced telematics services, integrated telematics devices are the first choice for most users. In South Korea, with the development of location-based services, and handheld devices’ low prices, most consumers will choose handheld devices as tracking units despite their limited anti-theft value.

For most vendors or service providers in Asia, privacy protection is one of the barriers to success in this market. Telematics service providers, particularly in Japan, have to face the challenge of safety and security as perceived by the consumer.

With the development of the telematics industry, integrated telematics devices will become the most popular choice for Asian consumers. “To attract Asian consumers there should be more added-value functions and services in addition to tracking services,” advises Wang Tao. Telematics services in Japan and Taiwan used to focus on navigation, infotainment, and real time information. Emergency services and roadside assistance turn out to be the services most demanded in both markets.

ABI Research’s study, “The Asian Consumer Vehicle Tracking Market” (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/market_research/ACVT), identifies the differences in consumer preferences between the countries of Asia, and discusses the developments in hardware systems and services. It also analyzes market trends among GPS/GSM units, integrated telematics devices, and GPS enabled handhelds, and presents Asian consumer vehicle tracking market forecasts for hardware shipments, subscribers, service value and total market value. It forms part of the firm’s Commercial Telematics Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Commercial_Telematics_ Research_Service), which includes other Research Reports, Research Briefs, Market Data, Online Databases, ABI Vendor Matrices, ABI Insights, and analyst inquiry support. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID & contactless, M2M, wireless connectivity, mobile wireless, transportation, and emerging technologies. For information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.