(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High-Tech News Site in Japanese)
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| Car Navigation System Shipments Increase Sharply
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November 2, 1998 (TOKYO) -- Japan's shipments of car navigation systems
in the first half of fiscal 1998 increased 20.6 percent year on year
to 596,000 units, according to a survey conducted by Nikkei Market Access,
a membership data service provided by Nikkei Business Publications,
Inc.
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Shipments of commercial products as optional equipment*1)
totaled 209,000 units while those of standard sets*2)
stood at 387,000 units. The market for standard sets expanded by more
than 50 percent in 1997 because automakers increased the number of models
capable of using car navigation systems.
However, the market growth is slowing due to a drop in domestic car sales.
From the second half of 1998, the growth of both commercial optional
and standard-set products is expected to slow. For the full year, the
shipments are forecast at 1.352 million units, up 17.9 percent from
a year earlier. In 1999, sales are projected to rise 9.5 percent year
on year to 1.48 million units, according to Nikkei Market Access.
Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd.
and Pioneer Electronic Corp. held a combined market share for commercial
optional products of 44.2 percent*3)(See chart).
In 1997, those two manufacturers and Alpine Electronics Inc. competed
intensely for market share. But in the second half of 1997, Matsushita
Communication and Pioneer led the market over Alpine by releasing DVD
car navigation systems. Industry analysts expect that the two firms
will compete for the top position in the second half of 1998.
For standard-set products in the first half of 1998, Toyota Motor Corp.
accounted for 41.3 percent of the entire market. All of the products
sold through Toyota are manufactured on an OEM basis. Aisin AW Co.
Ltd., which accounts for about 60 percent of Toyota's products, held
the largest market share of 24.8 percent, retaining the top position*4). Sumitomo Electric Industries Inc.,
which provides its products to Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Honda Motor
Co., Ltd., had 16.0 percent of the market and ranked second.
*1) Car navigation systems
purchased by individual consumers at auto-parts retailers and electric
appliance retailers
*2) Car navigation systems installed in new cars on production lines
and by affiliated car dealers
*3) Market share of products made by major manufacturers and their products
supplied by OEM makers.
*4) Market share of makers that supply their products directly to automakers.
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Chart: Car navigation systems market share |
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(return to news)
Related story: Shipments
of Car Navigation Systems to Expand 26 Pct. in 1998
(Nikkei
Market Access)
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