Kenwood's latest "color speed navigation", "MDV-M907HDF" uses the floating mechanism. "Mr. NAVI" Mr. Shibuya and Mr. Nan, the head of marketing, revealed the secret of its development.

The Secret words used by floating Mechanism

　The display of fixed navigator is generally 7V in recent years. This is largely because the AV equipment installation space of Japanese cars is always 2DIN (180 × 100 mm), and the maximum display suitable for its size is 7V. Although there are more changes in the era when the navigator body is separated from the display, it is also the result of many users' choice. "taking into account the setting space and installation time, appearance, etc., a single unit is the most appropriate."

　The change in the direction of the wind is recent. By preparing a dedicated panel for installation navigation, you can install a larger display. But there's a problem. The design of the dashboard is, of course, very different from model to model. Except for the best-selling cars, the cost of preparing this is not commensurate, so the number of models that can be installed anyway is limited. What comes into being in order to get rid of these restrictions is the floating mechanism.

First of all, please tell me how to adopt the floating mechanism.

Shibuya: the opportunity for this product is the 9V HD model (MDV-M906 HDL) that goes on sale in 2019. "very beautiful and light on HD" has won high praise, but the seller has put forward the requirements of "can't keep up with his car" and "want a big picture of the color speed navigator". It's not "easy to sell" or "sell well", but "want to be yourself". Many guests have the same opinion, and the timing of "explore it", including overseas models, has been improved.

Some methods are needed to enable the 9V display to be installed on many models.

Shibuya: in fact, around 2012, a prototype of the floating model was made during the first development of the next phase of the model. At that time, Indash was the mainstream, and most of them were high-priced goods. Unfortunately, the floats that can be used will also become high-priced goods, so there is a process of giving up. If it is actually sold, the kit alone is 30, 000 to 40, 000 yen, and the navigator body is more than 200000 yen, a total of 3 to 400000 yen.

The floating mechanism is already being tried. However, that amount is really hesitant.

Mr. Shibuya: I always say I won't make more than 150000 yen. I can't afford it myself (laughter). If you work a little harder, no one will be very happy if you are not in a place where you can go. However, in the structure at that time, the price was even higher. I put down my hand and said it was not the right time to take it out.

Nan: it was 8V at that time. I was also watching the real phone at that time, so I was looking forward to "this can't be sold when it's out."

-- that's what happened.

Mr. Shibuya: there is another reason. I wanted to do two big things at that time: "float" and "Frick & Hoop Curse". This (ruffle-crisis) is really hard. There are also designers who can't sleep at night. It's too hard.

Now Frick and the squeeze-in / out operation have also become the melons of color speed navigation.

Shibuya said: "there will never be such a thing in the car,"you can't operate with the left hand." if it is realized, it will go on with the mood that "the world will definitely move." Overlaps with that.

-- Frick-crisis is a priority.

Shibuya: after taking a look at the situation, I got the topic that the 9V HD model wanted to be installed after the release of the 9V model from stores across the country.