Automotive

OpenAI is expected to introduce its first proprietary hardware product in the second half of 2026, according to comments made this week by Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane.  He described the forthcoming AI device as one of OpenAI’s most anticipated initiatives for the year but declined to provide details on form factor or functionality.  

As the pro audio industry heads into NAMM 2026 and ISE 2026, professional headphones are emerging from a period of volatility into a more measured, opportunity-led phase. According to Futuresource Consulting’s newly released professional headphones report, the global market is stabilising after the pandemic boom, with growth now driven by specialisation, replacement cycles and a more professionalised creator base.

Last month, Futuresource Consulting’s Audio Collaborative 2025 opened with a data-rich session that set the tone for the day. In his keynote, Futuresource’s Head of Audio, Guy Hammett, delivered a comprehensive overview of the forces shaping the consumer, automotive and professional audio markets worldwide. 

Futuresource Consulting has appointed David Watkins as its new Director of Consumer Electronics & Media, reinforcing the company’s commitment to intensifying its global influence across entertainment, devices and connected ecosystems.

Futuresource Consulting explores the fast-evolving in-car audio and entertainment landscape in its latest Future Sessions video episode

As automotive technology accelerates toward electrification, autonomy and software-driven innovation, the audio experience within vehicles is undergoing a radical transformation.

Buoyed by surging consumer appetites, the global music market is charting a course towards new growth. That’s according to Futuresource Consulting’s latest report, which forecasts music streaming subscriptions will exceed 1 billion by the end of 2027, climbing to 1.2 billion by 2029. Meanwhile, physical media continues to carve out a growing niche in this increasingly digital market.

Essential report highlights the evolution of automotive entertainment and the next big shift for AI, apps and automobiles. Futuresource Consulting has released its latest report, Automotive Infotainment: 6 Trends Set to Shape 2025, providing key insights into the rapid transformation of in-car entertainment systems.

As cars become more intelligent and connected, the immersive audio opportunity is accelerating through the automotive industry. A new report from Futuresource Consulting reveals that more than 83% of new passenger cars will have embedded voice assistants by 2028. More than two-in-five will feature active noise control, and 3D surround sound will grow from less than 1% in 2021, to more than 26%. It’s a situation that is creating a raft of opportunities for the audio industry.

Automotive is the new frontier of entertainment. Or at least, that seemed to be one of the key take-home messages of Audio Collaborative 2023. As cars become smarter and safer, so much more becomes possible – from both an audio perspective and regarding infotainment.

Many drivers and passengers now expect an audio entertainment experience which is in tune with home and personal offerings. And the expectation is growing. As a result, automotive brands are using their audio solutions as key differentiators, as well as adding increasing emphasis to branded audio in their advertising and promotion.

Over the years, CES has brought us some of the biggest cultural and technological milestones in audio. From Sony’s and Philips’ collaborative launch of the CD player in 1981 to the introduction of cloud-based music in 2011, the show has set the pace in audio innovation over the past half-century. In 2023, its reputation has been cemented, but a paradigm shift was felt.

The cars we drive are becoming smarter and more connected, opening up a wide range of innovative use cases and business models across a number of verticals.

Cars are becoming smart and connected, opening up a wide range of new use cases and business models for the audio industry, as explored in a new report from Futuresource Consulting.