A report from Strategy Analytics "Automotive Entertainment Multi-Feature System Specification Database" concluded that Japanese automotive electronics suppliers such as Alpine, Kenwood and Pioneer are taking the market lead in rolling out the widest range of entertainment system features.

Strategy Analytics' news details more than 1,300 in-vehicle entertainment systems currently offered by more than 30 automotive system suppliers in North America, Europe and Japan, checking in-vehicle entertainment systems against a list of more than 10 entertainment functions. The database analysis highlights the major market shift toward 'soft' music playback, iPod connectivity, and touchscreen technology, as well as the growing availability of TV tuners, portable storage technologies, and hard-disk drives (HDD).

"Database analysis shows an average of two or three entertainment functions per in-vehicle system," said Clare Hughes, analyst, Automotive Multimedia & Communications Service (AMCS). "However, a growing number of systems feature five or more entertainment functions; and these are being offered, almost exclusively, by Japanese suppliers."