The report describes how Bluetooth opens doors for automakers to use telephony in a cost-effective fashion, using the driver's own wireless account, but the report concludes that Bluetooth in the automotive market “is a complex and continually emerging picture.”

Benjamin notes that some Bluetooth boosters have promoted the technology for in-vehicle entertainment, in the form of Bluetooth headphones for use with rear-seat screens. “But in terms of sales in the automotive environment, those would become available several years from now, if ever."

The expansion of Bluetooth beyond hands-free telephony depends on how "media in the vehicle" develops over the medium-term, according to Benjamin. “Will it be streamed in? Stored in a big media library? In the latter case, perhaps Bluetooth headsets might make sense, but it would still be a niche market.”

In terms of telematics, Benjamin says that beyond Microsoft’s partnership with Fiat to develop a telematics system, “not many companies have jumped on that bandwagon. Yes, a couple of similar partnerships have been announced for Europe; but the trend there is to adopt much simpler systems. Telematics has not proved very popular in Europe, and cost reduction is paramount.”