Given that 1st-gen in-car ripping CD mechs (proper automotive spec, not like the sony or pioneer ripping head units) are only just coming out - and ditto for automotive spec HDDs - there's a price premium on these items. Also take into account the large margins that aftermarket resellers take in car audio (40%+) and it starts to get very hard very quickly to get a "cheap" product to market.

A $500 automotive aftermarket product is realistically going to have to have parts that cost no more than $200. There's a market, and it's getting bigger all the time, but I don't think it's primetime just yet.

Hugo