Powerful Accessories That Boost Vehicle Efficiency and Functionality

New products in the mobile-electronics category at the 2014 SEMA Show ran the gamut from high-powered horns to connected-car and navigation aids. Each year, the electronics displays become more advanced and provide potential for increased revenue at specialty-equipment retail outlets. The latest offerings featured traditional automotive audio and video systems but also included interfaces for smartphones and tablets as well as vehicle maintenance technologies.

More Information and Entertainment Come Into the Car

Smartphones permeate American society. They’ve become much more than communications devices, providing Internet access for mobile e-mail, texting, navigation and dozens of applications ranging from dieting and exercise to photography and literature.

Integrating Wireless Technology Holds Boundless Potential

Connected-car technology continues to flourish in the mobile-electronics segment of the automotive aftermarket. Wi-Fi, smartphones and tablets now allow users to bring their apps and content into their vehicles and link wirelessly to onboard electronics, providing greater degrees of personalization.

Powerful Accessories That Boost Vehicle Efficiency and Functionality

New, more advanced electronic features are added to vehicles each year, both from the automakers and from specialty-equipment companies. No wonder that some of the most sought-after innovations were displayed in the Mobile Electronics section of the New Products Showcase at the 2013 SEMA Show. From navigation consoles to rearview cameras and from vehicle-tracking devices to some of the world’s loudest horns, the aisles were replete with entertainment, information and connectivity devices—along with the power cells, chargers and batteries to run them.

The Mobile Connectivity Trend Continues

For 2013 and the immediate future, the buzz phrase in the mobile-electronics market remains “vehicle connectivity.” At least, that seems to be the consensus of a variety of category observers within the field, from journalists to marketing professionals.

“Just as we’ve seen in past years, in-vehicle technology has been driven by the iPhone and the efforts to either connect with it, integrate with it or make it part of the environment,” said Mobile Electronics Magazine Editor in Chief Solomon Daniels. “Manufacturers know that consumers carry their music around with them. The vehicle is no longer the central point for entertainment; it’s more of an offshoot.”