Car Aftermarket Electronics.

**smartmlp** · 05-29-2007, 03:31 AM

Hello, this was just a quick question I was thinking about the other day and I wanted to know other peoples thoughts on it.
With the recent advancements of the OEM's, Do you believe that eventually aftermarket car alarms and stereos will become a thing of the past or at least shrink to a few manufactures/shops?
More and more cars are coming standard with keyless entry alarm setups, and every car now adays has an optional keyless entry/alarm. Infact, I think its only the compacts/subcompacts where keyless is an option, everywhere else its standard. GM has even recently started installing remote start on their cars as part of a package. Does the aftermarket even have anything to offer as far as alarms anymore? Why should a customer even buy one? Although there is still a source if vehicles that are 5-10 years old that people want alarms on, eventually this pool will dry up. Even worse, many manufactures are switching to ever increasingly complicated electrical systems. A good example of this is Mercedes, around 5 years ago they switched to a "smart key" interface. To this day, there is no manufacture that I know of that offers a bypass solution to this to allow aftermarket alarms. Mercedes is usually a trend setter, is this the future of all manufactures?

As far as stereos, with the car companies teaming up with aftermarket systems making their stock systems extremely good, will the aftermarket stereo industry fail? Even more importantly, the Single DIN/Double DIN arrangement is starting to become phased out, and wiring is becoming increasingly manufacture Dependant. Will there be a point where its not touchable by even a stereo shop?

**2k1Toaster** · 05-29-2007, 04:08 AM

By the mid 2010's to the early 2020's, AutoPC's will be standard. Of course manufacturer locked proprietary interfaces, but everything a CarPC offers will be there. So stereo installs as we know it today will not be. Who would take out their brand new factory carpc, to put in a regular HU? Nobody.

Of course in 10-15 years, audio might be streamed directly to our brains!

So the "regular HU" of zee future, who knows.

As far as the auto-start, and such, that will go away as you said. But it will be replaced again.

So what you know today will be like record players and betamax now. "You had to push a button to start your car?! That is so early millenia."

**durwood** · 05-29-2007, 08:17 AM

Aftermarket alarms/remote starters can offer more than stock, but you have to get the mack daddy of them-i.e. long range, 2way where you can see if your car has been starter, broken into etc etc.

OEM's are making it more difficult to install aftermarket, but there will always be the people who want more. AN OEM will not offer high grade audio in all cars, it's just not cost effective. Hell, even high grade OEM stereo's are still cheap IMO. I'll always want better than what OEM offers.

OEM electronics

**RedGTiVR6** · 05-29-2007, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by smartmlp

More and more cars are coming standard with keyless entry alarm setups, and every car now adays has an optional keyless entry/alarm. Infact, I think its only the compacts/subcompacts where keyless is an option, everywhere else its standard. GM has even recently started installing remote start on their cars as part of a package. Does the aftermarket even have anything to offer as far as alarms anymore? Why should a customer even buy one?

Because not all factory alarms offer the same level of protection. Shock, glass, etc. There's also the ability to roll up my windows or down at the touch of a button. Some alarms (Clifford G5) have the ability to be programmed via a computer. Change the alarm sounds, etc.
Pager remotes also aren't available through OEM.

As far as stereos, with the car companies teaming up with aftermarket systems making their stock systems extremely good, will the aftermarket stereo industry fail? Even more importantly, the Single DIN/Double DIN arrangement is starting to become phased out, and wiring is becoming increasingly manufacture Dependant. Will there be a point where its not touchable by even a stereo shop?

Stock radio's don't even compare to the quality of the aftermarket in terms of SQ. There will always be kids who want more bump. There will always be individuals who demand better SQ. The OEMs have always been slow to react to market demands in this area. They are getting better, but slowly.

If you look over in Japan, the aftermarket is absolutely huge and car audio the world over has exploded. Here in the states though, it's a different story.

Down in South America, car audio shows will routinely draw 15,000 spectators and cars, for a single point event. It's the same over in Japan and Taiwan.

Over there, cars with double din head units are the norm.

Over here, people are increasingly satisfied with mediocre.

The market has definitely slowed, but that's what markets do. They are cyclical, just like the economy.

The economy has slowed, and one of the first things to take a hit when the economy slows is luxuries. Aftermarket goodies are luxuries.

**mr_black** · 05-29-2007, 02:15 PM

nah i think aftermarket will stay alive, because although OEM equipt is good aftermarket will always be better and in many cases it is cheaper to go aftermarket than OEM sound packages stock systems have and will advacne but aftermarket will even more so

**Tony4Mayor** · 05-29-2007, 03:20 PM

Yeah i think a lot of it predicate on the advances made in car production. If it becomes substantially more difficult to install aftermarket accessories that market will suffer.