BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Enterprise  >  Open For Business  >  How Automotive Synergy Navigated Through ‘Kodak Level’ Disruption

How Automotive Synergy Navigated Through ‘Kodak Level’ Disruption

Ian Sia, Founder, Automotive Synergy

12-Jun-24 10:00

How Automotive Synergy Navigated Through ‘Kodak Level’ Disruption

“My mum said to me, stop playing with cars or turn it into a business. So I turned it into a business.”

Established in 2004, Automotive Synergy started life as Malaysia’s distributor of satellite navigation systems with Garmin, as satnav became more popular, Automotive Synergy’s business expanded, developing key connections with car manufacturers such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, and BMW, as well as oil and gas companies like Mobil and Shell. However with the rise of the smartphone and apps such as Google Maps and Waze, satnav as a standalone product lost prominence and faced ‘Blackberry Level’ disruption.

Thankfully the business had shifted its focus to providing car care chemicals, before distributing other automotive care products and establishing export markets in various countries for its own in-house products.

With all that in mind, we explore the origins of Automotive Synergy, how the company pivoted as the satellite navigation business changed, and the ambitions ahead for this company.

Produced by: Roshan Kanesan

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  marketstechnologymanagingentrepreneurs

Tags:  automotive care solutionsautomotive industryentrepreneurshipbusiness





Play / Pause

Listen now : BFM 89.9 -- The Business Station

Today’s Shows



11:00 AM

Best of Enterprise

(REPEAT) We sit down with Edmond Yap, co-founder of Tupai, to deconstruct ‘The Grade C Trap’, on the back of the recent Education Blueprint announcement made recently.

12:00 PM

Popcorn Culture

(REPEAT) 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple + Zombies on Screen

1:00 PM

Cruise Control

(REPEAT) The new, fully imported Subaru Forester is a solid car, but the high asking price is a little bit hard to swallow, according to Daniel Fernandez. Tune in to hear his full thoughts.

2:00 PM

Matt-Splained

(REPEAT) In the second part of their Tech in ‘26 series, Matt and Rich examine some of the headline treatments and advances we’re likely to see this year.

3:00 PM

Earth Matters

(REPEAT) RimbaWatch files Malaysia’s first climate greenwashing lawsuit. We unpack what the case means for climate claims, accountability, and regulation with RimbaWatch's Head of Legal Advocacy, Kuberan Hansrajh Kumaresan.

4:00 PM

Bar None

(REPEAT) Young Malaysian golfer who turned pro last year, Mirabel Ting joins us to share the eventful journey in her career so far.

5:00 PM

BBC World Service

How do video and board games get from idea to reality? Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women who invent, tweak and perfect the games that so many of us love to play.