Just like some of its auto finance company clients, CalAmp is diversifying its portfolio beyond its GPS solution division that can help with recoveries and mitigate risk.

On Tuesday, CalAmp announced a strategic partnership with Pioneer Electronics to expand connected vehicle services through Pioneer’s aftermarket and installation specialist channels in the United States.

Technavio market research analysts project the global automotive aftermarket telematics market to grow at a compound annual growth rate close to 29 percent during the period between 2018 and 2022, according to their 2018-2022 Global Automotive Aftermarket Telematics report. CalAmp believes the rise in in-vehicle communication options is one of the key factors triggering the growth of the market.

The combination of Pioneer’s aftermarket automotive hardware design and software development legacy, and LoJack’s vehicle theft recovery technology, led to the development of rDrive, a new connected car solution that can allow consumers to upgrade their existing vehicles with advanced connectivity, safety, Wi-Fi and location-based services.

With the latest in LoJack Stolen Vehicle Location Assist and CrashBoxx crash detection, driver assistance, arrival notifications and vehicle health alerts, CalAmp believes drivers will have peace of mind on the roadways.

The company rolled out rDrive this week and it is planned to be available at authorized Pioneer rDrive retailers in the U.S. starting in the spring.

“The exceptional quality, safety and security solutions offered by CalAmp highlight this partnership,” said Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing for Pioneer Electronics. “Our mutual goal is to give consumers access to best-in-class connected vehicle services, and we believe we’ve created a solution unique in the market today by partnering with CalAmp.

“We are excited to be underway with development on advanced telematics solutions that expand the portfolio of products we are able to offer, helping consumers add new features and technology to the vehicle they already own,” Cardenas continued.

CalAmp president and chief executive officer Michael Burdiek added, “We are thrilled to partner with a trusted consumer brand and leader in electronics products for the U.S. automotive aftermarket.

“Both companies focus on producing quality products that are developed with the end-user in mind. By partnering with Pioneer to create more intelligent and insight-driven products, we’re using what we’ve learned from our customers, to deliver the best possible product for Pioneer customers across multiple vertical markets,” Burdiek went on to say.