They Don't Just Make TVs

THINK of Panasonic, and you think of what exactly? Televisions? Probably.

- Graham Hope

Many of us will have owned a Panasonic TV at some point. High-end audio equipment, too, possibly. But times are changing fast. While Panasonic is still a major player in these areas of the market, its automotive activity is becoming increasingly important.

The recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas illustrated this perfectly; Panasonic was one of a number of tech companies keen to show how it will have a much more integral role to play in a future where cars with semi-autonomous and autonomous features become the norm. Auto Express caught up with executives from the Japanese company to learn of its plans.

You may be surprised to learn just how key the car industry is to Panasonic is already; as Tom Gebhardt, President of Panasonic Automotive Systems, America, explained: “The Panasonic Automotive group has recently become the largest group within Panasonic North America.”

The brand’s interests are truly diverse; it has just announced a tie-up with Qualcomm to launch a next generation Android-powered infotainment system, it supplies lithium-ion batteries to Tesla and is developing a pioneering smart mobility system in Denver, Colorado.

But that’s only scratching the surface. As we found out when we visited its stand at CES, there are some radical innovations on the way as the industry prepares to enter an era of unprecedented change, with cars having the capability to drive themselves.