PND has been evolving toward keep pace with automotive market trend.

Is PND an outdated in car device?

Navigation device is among most important functions for car electronic products. Unlike today that drivers normally use smart phone or pre-installed in-dash unit, PND (portable navigation device fixed on window shield or dash board by suction cup bracket) has been widely installed from 15 years to 5 years ago for after market. In dash unit was somehow popular as well during the same period, however, with lower price and simple installation, serve the nearly same application, PND had taken the dominant market position.

Besides to navigation, there were a number of other functions were put on PND, such as bluetooth (for hand free phone call, music transmission), TV playing ( with TV signal modem and antenna), GPRS/3G, FM transmitter.,etc. The screen size and different kinds of housing vary from various use case, for example, minimum size as 3.5inch with water resistant housing for motorcycle use case while 8” or 9” for truck. Based on market region, people’s preferences of PND functions are diverse too, in generally Japan market like navigation combine ISDB TV feature, whereas EU and North/A is apt to  basic feature of navigation.

Since the market demand was pretty huge, PND booming has prompted several  international giant brands  in automotive electronics, both for integrated product like Garmin, TOMTOM and Mio, as well as nav software space like iGo, Sygic, Here, Ndrive, all of them in today are still well-know and doing well in tech field. In the meanwhile, actually a multitude of ODM manufacturers involved in PND business also has sprung up and some of them got significant development then became big firms. In a word, PND was a very successful product which play crucial role in automotive electronics space of either China or oversea car after market.

Situation was began to change in around 2014 when smart phone together 4G LTE has emerged massively, obviously online navigation software features real-time traffic, always up to date map, nice voice guidance in a large vivid screen, what’s more, it’s no cost,  you just download a app from App store or google play, this leaves PND a redundant stuff in front of a smart phone. PND gradually fade out the market in parallel with the thriving of smart phone in recent years. In another side, more and more advanced technologies are being implemented into most kinds of vehicles, pre-installed in dash unit with built-in navigation function is becoming default spec for before market, in particularly the EV, it equips all necessary electronic devices include 5G network, seems there leaves zero space for the existing of PND.

PND still has a good marketshare

Given  analysis aforementioned, what does PND’s situation looks like in reality? well, not that pessimistic, btw, herein PND refer to not only portable nav device with WinCE OS, also include android OS nav tablet or named smart PND come with brand new features, such as drive record and online free map.In fact smart PND appeared as early as consumer tablet commodity in around 2011, however, the use experience was not better than regular Win CE PND or even worse due to the poor ecosystem of navigation section in the initial stage.

As of now, As far as I learned, there are still approximately tens of thousands PNDs are exported in monthly, and this number only represent traditional low-end Win CE embedded device, if taking Android based nav tablet into account, the amount is larger. Thus, PND is not a dead market. As a matter of fact, more likely its market share would be increased based on these points of view:

1, Cell phone has few inevitable disadvantages when comes to in-vehicle use case. for instance, comparatively smaller screen, not tolerant for low and high temperature which is quite often happens in driving environment, no consistent power supply, gps signal lost in event of poor network coverage. 

2, In generally peoples prefer to use dedicated device which serves just a specific purpose and need minimum operation so they are able to focus on other things.especially when driving, by using a mobile phone, at least each time you need open nav app and do setting, put the phone on the mount, plug the cable to charge for avoiding battery draining up quickly, distracted by incoming phone call or message popping up, whereas a PND would not has these annoying issues.

3, Elders are not adapt to new tech tools, smart phone is too complicated to use for them. In some developed countries, senior taxi drivers more likely to use a traditional PND or even paper atlas for driving guidance. 

4, In case of workplace scenario, a dedicated device would serves as productivity tool. For example, logistic&transportation industry, a nav device of ruggedized housing to withstand harsh environment,  large screen, louder speaker as well as specific apps for truck drivers is a definite need for their work.

PND respond the market needs.

Over time PND has evolved to keep pace with the progress of new technology .Powerful Android OS,  its energetic ecosystem and faster, higher computing power processor, bring more possibilities to PND product, make it better functionality and scalability to accommodate the market trend. Here are few good examples to show how Shenzhen ODM company utilize the new generation hardware and software to create innovative stuff.

Spreadtrum SL8541E is the core have to be mentioned when talk about Android PND theme in today, this processor is being massively applied to android PND and typically features Android 8.1 version, in terms of physical shaping, from the standpoint of screen size and ID design, there are four types as far as I’ve seen:

1, Traditional one, it looks same with prior Win CE embedded PNDs, using the same casing with various screen size from 7”~9.0”, typically fixed on window shield by a suction cup mount.

2, Portable Dashboard type, it come with foldable panel and on-board road facing camera, some of them equips motor so the panel could be automatically opened  or closed , it is an amazing feature. This kind of device was designed for a better view angle for driving assistance,  I believe it was originally developed to imitate the dash unit of some luxury cars, namely Mercedes, Audi, BMW.

3, Fixed dashboard type, the device is not removable because it’s attached on dashboard by adhesive tape base,with built-in front camera and rear camera, it could support better streaming media function than ordinary rear mirror did, because obviously the view angle and eyesight from dashboard screen is safer than rear mirror which you need to look up. 

4, Wind shield model, just dash cam but come with bigger screen and Android OS.

A new hardware platform SL8541E has dominant position in the market

The hardware platform and Android version implemented on above 4 kinds of device has no difference with each other ,namely SL8541E processor&Android 8.1 that went into the market 3 years ago, looks old? no, unlike consumer electronics, in-vehicle products has much longer life cycle. For instance, the main processor for Win CE PND is still Mstar 2531 which have been existed about 10years.In respect of Android based model, looks like SL8541E will be lasted long time too, as it delivers all necessary functions for a in vehicle infotainment device, navigation, dash cam, multi-media, FM transmitter, 4G LTE, that fairly match the trend of main stream market. 

The reason why SL8541E has dominant position in this niche field is not just advantage on  technical spec and cost performance ratio, more important aspect is stability and the ecosystem resources around it, as the working environment for in vehicle device is harsh, high speed moving, extreme high and low temperature, vibration, strong and dark light condition, background noise, electromagnetic interference …..it’s quite difficult to build a real robust hardware platform for in-vehicle use case, highly possible the development for either chipset or finished product end up with failure in the middle way, everybody is very discreet for emerging products in this space, and it takes long time between several months to a couple of years to verify the reliability. therefore, once a chipset platform gained reputation for proven reliable, very soon other user would take it, the more it is being used and quality is constantly being verified, the better ecosystem it would build, and eventually such kind of synergic interaction help to lower the product cost which facilitate the entire supply chain.

Public standard PCBA #84 board made a unprecedented success in PND space

Because the fundamental main processor and OS that everybody can get easily, the product functionalities and parameters are fairly similar, so does the PCBA and casing. Though the hardware (namely PCBA, the the hardware of the device) could be developed by different solution providers (aka IDH), nearly all of them would choose the same structure of PCBA (means board dimension, layout of main components, all kinds of physical sockets, buttons, usually calling it as board pattern of public standard), so it could fit the existing casings which were developed by various tooling factories but as well share the common internal mechanical structure, so there is actually industry standard in place for developers to follow. If the IDH or tooling maker choose to do the difference, means don’t follow the public standard, he would need to do extra investment to explore peripheral resources to matching their product, otherwise nobody would buy.  that’s exactly what does ecosystem means, and the reason why quite often we see the products looks close to each other, as consequences, eventually what could mostly differentiate an in-vehicle product would be the ID only, ID is not just external looking, even if the new design have to follow existed PCBA and mechanical architecture which already greatly determine the external looking,  through elaborate designing and engineering work on rest aspects of the product, including LCD screen size, the casing curve, CMF, etc. that’s still probably to create a distinguished product, though always not easy. Normally a sophisticated and marketable product only comes after a multitude rounds of iterations on prototypes and trial productions, so that’s why it’s rarely to see beautiful products, it represent a massive resources means money and time investment.

#84 PCBA in PND field is a good  example to show how a successful public standard of board pattern influence the industry.

Actually the #84 PCBA emerged almost 10years ago, it initially was developed by a renowned IDH named YF for Win CE OS PND which was very popular at that time, and I believe number 84 was their internal project serial number, quickly this standard was widely accepted by competitors and becomes the industry standard till now. In fact there were as well #80(by YF too), #86(by Apical, another famed IDH) standard board, but seems only #84 remains longevous. Surrounding this standard#84, a variety of in-car devices has created with different main chipsets, OS and casings, in addition to PND, rear mirror, car monitor, even dash camera. Its popularity is somehow unprecedented, however, on the other hand, the downside, it restrict the product innovation and diversity, because everybody tend to take advantage of existing resources to do development then push to the market quickly, with massive available matching or peripheral resources around #84 board, IDH or tooling factory is able to make product easily by simple development, but in the meanwhile they also are being locked to do significant improvement on designing or use experience, as they have to move within a certain framework，it led to a great part of portable car navigation device being looks so obsolete in these years, comparatively innovation is frozen in PND space, until TN18 appears, a ideal model which adopt #84 board but made a breakthrough design. 

TN18 is a distinguished design in #84 board family

TN18 share the common specs with the majority of smart nav device, SL8541E processor and Android 8.1 OS, wifi, BT, gps, 4G LTE network, and incorporate dual channels cameras as drive record, those are standard features for a in car device in today, either for in-dash or PND, what makes TN18 stand out from crowds is 10.26” wide screen and streamlined shape which looks slim and beautiful, in my opinion, this currently unique 10.26” screen plays critical role in this product, the design would not be that amazing w/t this screen. the positioning together the ID of front dash cam appears harmonious too, the size of adjustable adhesive base fit the device well and firmly keep it on dashboard, enable a ideal view angle for driving and even polish the interior trim too. well, it’s not portable, not applicable to put on window shield, maybe we should call it a new variant of PND? anyway,  I believe this design style will be popular for years.

UI&HMI design of TN18 as well seems within acceptable level, not perfect, but quite a good match with the ID, when comes to software, besides to streaming media video is as good as rear mirror while other android and monitor devices are unable to have, again, because they don’t have this nice 10.26” wide screen. ADAS is another highlight feature that prompt voice warning of LDW, FCW,FCMD occasion, however, the accuracy rate is far away from being good as I tested in road, in particularly in the night, I’d rather remove it at current stage.

Besides to SL8541E, there are other main processors used on dashboard nav devices but not adopt 84# board, such as All winner V526, Auto chip AC8257, however, they failed to make a success as I can imagine based on their poor design and reliability problem. A typical problem usually happens on local small scale IDHs is it looks they just focus on functionality and utility while have no sense of HMI and aesthetic aspects, often lead to a bulky, ugly even silly product, in my point of view, it’s still long way ahead for those local small and medium IDHs to improve the design ability related to fashion and art.

Next generation of SL8541E, namely quad-core 8581A has already been launched in 2020 while now under secondary developing by IDHs, it’s predictable we will see more powerful and smarter PND incorporate the TN18 design toward facilitate driving experience further, in a word, PND is evolving to keep pace with the times!

 For any demand related to navigation device and dash camera in after market, talk to McValley team, a converged ODM company dedicated to connected vehicle solutions,  let’s connect.