Black Box Industry Targets MZ Generation with Customized Products

Increase in New Car Purchases Among MZ Generation... Strengthening Leadership with Customized Products

As the MZ generation, which values practicality and purpose, emerges as the new major consumers in the market, black box products optimized for their demands are being released one after another. The photo shows Fine Digital's FineVu LX3. Photo by Fine Digital

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The black box industry has rolled up its sleeves to target the MZ generation. As the MZ generation, who prioritize practicality and purpose, emerge as new major consumers in the market, products optimized for their demands are being released one after another.

According to the industry on the 21st, recently black box companies are introducing various new products targeting new car buyers with clear demand for specific functions rather than emphasizing specs. Representative examples include room mirror-type black boxes aimed at car camping enthusiasts and novice drivers, as well as detachable black boxes that record the vehicle interior, all waiting for young drivers’ choices.

Room Mirror-Type Black Boxes Specialized for Car Camping Enthusiasts and SUV Drivers

According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, with the spread of domestic travel trends, the number of car camping enthusiasts has increased, leading to a surge in large SUV sales in the first half of this year, with a total of about 200,000 units sold, up 52.6% compared to the same period last year. In response to this market demand, Fine Digital launched the room mirror-type black box ‘FineVu LX3,’ optimized for SUV car camping enthusiasts as well as novice drivers.

The product features a 28.8cm large screen detachable from the genuine room mirror, performing both black box and smart room mirror functions simultaneously. It provides a rear view with a wider angle in real time compared to a regular room mirror. This offers an optimal driving environment for SUV vehicles, where rear seats or passengers often block the view, and for novice drivers who struggle with rear visibility. Additionally, the company added that the LCD screen’s automatic brightness adjustment minimizes glare and reduces the sense of incongruity with the genuine room mirror.

Moreover, the ‘FineVu LX3’ supports an automatic parking screen switching function that displays the rear view automatically when the vehicle reverses, and the booting speed from parking mode to driving mode is fast, ensuring continuous recording even in parking lots. A Fine Digital official explained, "The FineVu LX3 features a smart time-lapse function that efficiently compresses recorded videos to store about five times longer than existing products without quality loss, maximizing the efficiency of memory cards."

Smartphone-Linked Black Boxes Strengthened to Target Digital-Friendly MZ Generation

Thinkware launched the built-in black box ‘iNavi S Shot,’ which enhances smartphone connectivity targeting MZ generation drivers familiar with digital devices. Unlike existing products equipped with an LCD display, this product connects to the dedicated app ‘iNavi Black Box Link’ via Wi-Fi-based smartphone tethering.

Drivers can check live views and recorded videos on the app, as well as download and share them. Thanks to this, the product features a small and slim design overall. Its small exposed area makes it perfect for those who value the vehicle’s genuine interior. Furthermore, the ‘iNavi S Shot’ significantly enhances parking recording functions. With a low-power parking recording solution, it supports long-term parking recording of up to 73 hours when an auxiliary battery is separately installed. It also features real-time battery discharge prevention and automatic high-temperature cut-off functions.

Black Boxes with Detachable Functions to Increase Usability

CatchOn released the world’s first detachable ‘CatchOn Quantum 3-Channel Black Box’ for drivers who prioritize safety and practicality. The product allows the interior camera to be detached from the 2-channel main body as needed. When operated as a 3-channel system, it can record the front and rear of the vehicle, interior, and both sides.

In addition, the interior camera has a 180-degree field of view and can rotate 360 degrees, allowing recording anywhere the driver desires. Moreover, the ‘CatchOn Quantum 3-Channel Black Box’ helps drivers drive safely by providing various alerts such as lane departure warning, forward collision alert, and front vehicle departure alert through an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).

Regarding these market trends, an industry official said, “In a situation where black box product performance has become standardized, product development strategies reflecting the characteristics and needs of specific drivers are proving effective,” adding, “Especially, the MZ generation, which has recently led the consumer market and emerged as major consumers, will continue to be a key target for the industry.”