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Article: Destination dashboard: car navigation systems are rapidly becoming indispensable dashboard devices for drivers on Japan's nameless, traffic-clogged roads. Tanokura Yasuo charts the popularity of these ever more sophisticated systems. (Facts of Life).(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Look Japan
- Article date:
- December 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Look Japan, Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The number of car navigation systems being shipped in Japan is growing steadily. In 2000, the domestic market amounted to approximately 1.7 million units, an increase of 20% from the previous year. Sales are expected to reach 2 million units in 2001, 2.5 million units in 2003 and 3 million units in 2005. Of Japan's roughly 50 million passenger cars, approximately 10% are currently equipped with car navigation systems, the highest percentage in the world. There are as many as 10 domestic manufacturers of what Japanese know colloquially as "ka-nabi."
The popularity of car navigation systems in Japan is largely attributable to the nature of the country's road ...