SEMA Data Shows Spending on Auto Tech Is Skyrocketing

tech gadgets auto car electronics

Autoweek

Sticker prices. Meager inventory. Fuel costs. Whatever the reason, more and more Americans are driving increasingly older vehicles. The age of the average car on the road grew to just over 12 years old in 2022, according to data from the Specialty Equipment Aftermarket Association (SEMA). However, owning an older car doesn’t mean having to sacrifice the improved safety, convenience, and drivability options present on today’s vehicles.

The data from SEMA is clear: We’re spending more on aftermarket automotive tech and electronics than ever. Americans are doing whatever it takes to keep our cars on the road, and that means upgrading tech and electronics to keep up in today’s world. From hands-free modules to stay connected to Bluetooth adapters to stream entertainment to dashcams and backup cameras, it’s easier—and more affordable—than ever to bring older cars up-to-date.

So what are we buying? According to SEMA Market Research, the top five mobile electronics and the percent increase among manufacturers over the past 12 months are:

  • Sound-system and audio accessories: up 22 percent
  • Mobile TV and video cameras: up 18 percent
  • Navigation systems: up 18 percent
  • Alarms and security products: up 17 percent
  • Wireless and smartphone integration products: up 11 percent

    Well, folks still love their sound systems—that much is clear. Aside from that obvious nugget of info, the numbers show that given the rapid pace of technological advancement, cars manufactured just five or 10 years ago don’t have enough of the gadgets and gizmos modern Americans want.

    Here are some of the hottest-selling mobile tech and automotive electronics on the market today.

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    1

    Top Seller for Hands-Free Connectivity

    • Can hear your voice commands over music, A/C, and road noise
    • Compatible with most cars and trucks
    • Multiple cords can make setup difficult and aesthetics unsightly

    Echo Auto connects to the Alexa app on your phone and plays through your car speakers via auxiliary input or your phone’s Bluetooth connection. Now any older car can stream music, podcasts, traffic information, and even audiobooks. It’s fantastic for vintage automobiles and off-roading.

    2

    Top Stereo-System Upgrade

    • Includes rearview backup camera
    • Front, rear, and subwoofer preamp for speakers
    • Might require professional installation

    BOSS Audio Systems‘ double-din head unit can turn an older stereo system into an Apple CarPlay– or Android Auto–connected touchscreen gem. Access all your phone apps, including music, maps, and messaging, with just a tap or even voice control if applicable. It includes USB ports for charging, and an available adapter allows it to be controlled from the steering wheel.

    • Google Maps, speed, and G-sensor readings
    • Magnetic Click&Go Pro mount
    • Does not include Micro SD card (required for recording)

    The NextBase 522GW front and rear dashcam kit features 1440-pixel Quad HD technology with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It also rocks built-in Alexa connectivity, night-vision capability, parking mode, and 280-/360-degree six-lane-wide recording. There are a ton of dashcams on the market, and you could spend far less on one. But NextBase is one of the more

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    ELITE TRADES CHAMPIONSHIP Sequence ANNOUNCES ELECTRICIAN’S AND U.S. Car TECH Countrywide CHAMPIONSHIP Shows COMING TO FOX Athletics 2 ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6

    The championship series was made by Perfect INDUSTRIES, Inc., a trailblazer in the trades business, to celebrate the essential tradesmen and women who preserve the nation running and assistance increase the consciousness of unbelievable vocation opportunities in the skilled trades throughout the region.

    Mixed, the two championship applications awarded above $800,000 in dollars and prizes to exceptional experienced and college student/apprentice electricians and auto professionals. The television applications observe the finalists via their respective in-man or woman regional and digital qualifying activities to the Elite Trades Championship Collection competitions held live at the New music City Heart December 12 -18 in Nashville, TN.

    The Suitable National Championship marked the fifth calendar year of competitiveness, and 2021 saw the start of the ETCS with the addition of the U.S. Automobile Tech Nationwide Championship. In 2022, the ServiceTitan HVAC Countrywide Championship competitiveness will be additional as Perfect and other market model leaders carry on to winner the tricky-working guys and women of the trades.

    About the Ideal Electrician’s National Championship
    The Great Electrician’s Countrywide Championship was designed in 2016 to showcase the skills of electrical learners/apprentices and pros from throughout the country. Since 2016, the Suitable National Championship has viewed above 175,000 electricians participate in qualifying gatherings to contend independently or in the groups competitiveness for $600,000 in dollars and prizes. The Ideal Nationwide Championship was held December 15 – 17, 2021, in Nashville, TN. Great partnered with electrical distributors, retailers like Lowe’s, trade colleges, the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), the National Electrical Contractors Affiliation (NECA), the Intercontinental Brotherhood of Electrical Staff (IBEW) and many others to host Qualifying Activities throughout the United States. Sponsors for the 2021 Perfect Countrywide Championship also incorporate 7-Eleven, Cerrowire®, Price reduction Tire, Duluth Investing Business, Minimal Giant Ladder Methods, Legrand, Minerallac, Orbit Industries, Inc., ServiceTitan, Siemens, Trades Country and IVRY Technologies. For much more info, pay a visit to www.idealnationals.com 

    About the U.S. Vehicle Tech National Championship
    The competition was made in 2021 to celebrate and showcase the incredible expertise of car technician gurus and learners across the country. The software, which facilities all around a just one-of-a-sort competition sequence, involved 3 months of on the web and dwell in-person qualifying issues across the state to discover the ideal 64 expert (32) and university student (32) car experts, and introduced them collectively for a national championship occasion that took position December 13-14, 2021, in Nashville, TN. From the finalists, 3 specialist and three scholar winners ended up topped 1st, second, and third prize winners, and will divvy up $200,000 in money and prizes. Sponsors supporting the U.S. Vehicle Tech National Championship program and trades initiatives include 7-Eleven, Price reduction Tire, Duluth Buying and selling Company, Garage Gurus, Very little Giant Ladder Systems, Price cut Tire, ServiceTitan and the University of Northwestern Ohio. For a lot more information and facts, check out www.usatnc.com 

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    New J.D. Power Study Shows That a Lot of New Car Tech is Going Unused

    In a new study out today, J.D. Power released the results of its 2021 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Survey.

    The group found that while many new vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge technology, many new-vehicle buyers are not interested in using that technology, which could be costly to buyers and manufacturers alike.

    “New-vehicle prices are at an all-time high, partly as a result of an increased level of content,” J.D. Power executive director of human machine interface Kristin Kolodge said in a press release. “This is fine if owners are getting value for their money, but some features seem like a waste to many owners.”

    According to the study, for more than one in three advanced technologies, less than half of owners surveyed reported using the technology in the first 90 days of ownership. Most respondents said that they didn’t need those technologies.

    2021 Tesla Model Y
    The Tesla Model Y is one of the company’s four vehicles currently being produced.
    Tesla Inc.

    61 percent of owners said that they never used in-vehicle digital market technology, with 51 percent of those owners saying they have no need for it.

    The survey shows that when a technology is effectively executed in a vehicle, it positively influences an owner’s decision to buy another vehicle equipped with that technology.

    The technologies that received the highest scores for execution in the survey were camera rear-view mirror and a ground view camera. Owners indicated that those features were among the top three that they would want included in their next vehicle.

    For the second year in a row, interior gesture controls technology, which responds to hand gestures instead of touch, had the lowest overall satisfaction score. Drivers surveyed with that technology reported 41 problems per 100 vehicles.

    On the other end of the spectrum, electric vehicle owners with one-pedal driving technology reported high satisfaction levels, citing 8 problems per 100 vehicles.

    Unofficially, Tesla’s vehicles ranked first among carmakers in the Innovation Index. The electric car company received a score of 668 out of 1,000. The score is unofficial because the company did not allow J.D. Power to survey customers in 15 states.

    Genesis ranked highest overall and in the premium segment with a score of 634. Cadillac and Volvo came in second and third with scores of 551 and 550, respectively.

    In the mass market segment, Hyundai took the top spot with a score of 519. Kia was the runner up with a 510 score and Nissan followed with 502.

    For the Advanced Technology Awards, J.D. Power analyzed 36 technologies and divided them into four categories: convenience, emerging automation, energy and sustainability, and connectivity.

    The Cadillac Escalade received the highest marks for convenience in the premium segment, mainly for its camera rear-view mirror tech. On the mass market side, the Ram 1500 scored highest for the same reason.

    In the emerging automation category, the Lexus IS took the prize for its reverse automatic emergency braking system. The mass market winner was the Hyundai Elantra for its front cross

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