A new study from Frost & Sullivan indicates that ease of use is the most important consideration for consumers contemplating the purchase of a navigation system. Cost is a close second.

The study, “Consumer Desirability & Willingness to Pay for Navigation Systems and Features,” is based on interviews with current and prospective owners of fixed and portable navigation systems in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. Research analyst Praveen Chandrasekhar said ease of use and installation factors suggest that potential customers need a hands-on demonstration prior to purchase. “Vehicle manufacturers and suppliers would benefit from educating consumers at their dealerships and explain how navigation systems work,” he said.

Frost said navigation system sales in Europe exceeded 10 million units in 2005. The firm predicted that the market will reach 35 million units by 2010. TomTom had the highest penetration of navigation systems, followed by Sony, Blaupunkt, Navman, Garmin and Acer.