As the European market for transport infotronics commences its
transformation from a collection of very interesting, but
restricted, research and development projects into an emerging
consumer market, the industry needs to successfully address a
number of fundamental issues if it is to fulfil its undoubted and
universally recognized potential.
Firstly, the industry must recognize that the overwhelming
majority of the general public are unmoved by the technology for
technology's sake. The true motivation to acquire a
sophisticated infotronics system is to gain access to a service, or
series of services, that meet a recognized need at a price that
represents value for money.
In addition to this basic, but fundamentally central principle,
within Europe the industry faces a series of unique challenges,
which will test the creativity of all those involved in the
development of the market. Whilst politicians and global industries
increasingly perceive Europe to be a single market, it remains (in
reality at the consumer level) a series of individual nation states
with different cultures, languages and, most importantly for
infotronics, vastly different capabilities in its key supporting
infrastructure. Those organizations which recognize these issues
early and work to develop appropriate solutions will be the ones
who succeed in the infotronics industry at a pan-European level