Communicating Outside of the Box: A Structural Model for Predicting Consumer Acceptance of In-Vehicle Electronics Implementations

The era of the vehicle as a standalone non-connected entity is rapidly drawing to a close. The “Box” on four wheels is being opened to multiple communication channels based on consumer demand and expectations of the latest features, functions and content. Concurrently, automotive planners, marketers, engineers, and system architects are subject to increased complexity as a result of the rapidly evolving consumer electronics industry.

This paper will discuss many of the limitations of existing automotive business models in attempting to successfully implement and meet consumer expectations. It will also propose a structural framework for automotive planners, marketers, engineers, and system architects to be able to better understand and predict consumer acceptance of electronics, multimedia features, and in-vehicle content access. As part of this discussion, the impact and possible alternative scenarios for implementation and connectivity to non-embedded mobile electronic devices will be analyzed. Finally, action plans for improving consumer acceptance of in-vehicle consumer electronics implementations will be discussed.