Interview with Neeraj Banka, Director, Auto Trendz

  • May 2, 2012
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Are in-car multimedia systems acquiring added significance in an evolving world where staying connected, informed and entertained on the move is proving to be so very critical? Rahul Basu speaks to Neeraj Banka, Director of CASKA's India partner, Auto Trendz who offers deep insights on changing consumer trends and how the Chinese brand's latest product, the E-series is sure to set very high standards in the country's already blossoming automobile entertainment and accessories market

CASKA E-Series

How do you perceive the current in-vehicle entertainment and accessories market? What is CASKA’s success formula for India?
We started in 2010 with CASKA and started with their regular series. With the technology changing every year we change our products. Last year we launched a Smart Series products which was launched on a Windows 6C platform and it had some utilities like photo browsers, e-book readers etc. Now with 3G and mobile internet connectivity turning into a growing trend, it was important for us to introduce such functionalities in automobiles as well.


To support this internet connectivity you most certainly need a service provider, so 3G seemed like the natural choice. CASKA was ready with this particular product pretty long back, but owing to the steep prices for 3G service in the country, we decided to hold back the immediate launch of the E-series range (Read: E-Series Launch).



Most in-vehicle entertainment systems both in India and the world come as OEM’s fitments with the purchase of an automobile? Where does CASKA fit it?
At the moment whatever audio systems and media players we find in stock passenger cars offer basic entertainment features like a CD Player, USB ports and FM etc. This is not really what we look upon as a full-fledged multimedia unit that of the modern day, which in fact offers all these features and much much more.


We are not exactly targeting high-end cars that come factory fitted with advanced entertainment systems and safety features like rear parking cameras. Our focus is mainly on the A2 and C1 segments, wherein budget friendly cars like the Maruti Swift are quite commonly spruced up to provide better in-car entertainment options to the driver and co-passengers. 

Neeraj Banka, Director, Auto Trendz

When does this purchase decision really take place typically with your customers?
As of now it is taking place when the customer is buying the car, and is looking out for a lot of additional accessories and affordable gizmos to make his/her car that much more appealing.  After market purchases constitutes a major part of our sales here in India, but we are also in talks with various top car manufacturers who are validating our products and considering offering them to customers as factory fitments.

CASKA in-car navigation system

What will be the motivating factor for customers to consider spending an additional Rs.30,000-40,000 on installing your devices in their cars?
For customers spending 4-5lakh on a new car purchase, we have reasonable priced systems in the Rs 30,000 range. Today, no touch screen entertainment system in the market in under Rs 25,000. So the way we see it, by paying just Rs 5,000 more on a CASKA device as compared to any ordinary system our customers can take the benefits of handy features like Navigation, Steering Control Options, Parking Sensors etc

Don’t you feel multi-faceted entertainment systems such as the new E-Series would pose to be a distraction for the driver?
With our current systems we have what we call a dual zone option. So basically, even though the driver can easily operate the device’s navigation function for information about his destination, the device will find different use for the rear passengers. To make this possible, we see a lot of our customers installing separate infotainment screens for the rear passengers.

These screens can be controlled via a remote that connects to the main controller unit upfront, but we are also in the process of integrating dedicated control switches onto the rear screens for a more independent and non intrusive entertainment experience for our customers.

CASKA E-Series
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What are the real benefits that you see for your customers with the inclusion a 3G based functionality in your new E-Series range?
The CASKA E-Series has been pre-configured to support a variety of 3G plug in and play devices from various 3G service providers. Once inserted into the CASKA system, it will detect the modem settings of the same brand from its menu, following which customers will receive complete internet connectivity and can perform normal functions like browsing and surfing just like they would on their laptops.

The next step in this functionality will be telematics, which is a different concept altogether. Through our one touch function, customers can locate places of interest and get access to vital information via call centers that will provide you with the necessary information. It will further send you a link that will plot the location on your map, so you can plan your journey to the desired destination. Telematics will be a paid service, but represents our next step in the E-Series system integration process.

Have you faced any particular challenges with regards to the compatibility of your devices in various manufacturer models?
So far, all the feedback we have received from manufacturers suggests that our devices are in fact far better than the standard OEM fitments, so they have been well received and our customers have expressed high levels of satisfaction.  Our devices basically offer added entertainment, navigation and vehicle security features to the customers without any modification to either the system or the vehicle that he has purchased. It’s a perfect match.

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