• History

History

  • 1937Pioneer’s founder, Nozomu Matsumoto, develops the A-8 dynamic speaker.
    1938Jan.Fukuin Shokai Denki Seisakusho (precursor of Pioneer) is founded in Tokyo.
    1947MayFukuin Denki Kabushiki Kaisha is incorporated.
    1953Dec.Introduced Hi-Fi Speaker PE-8.
    1961Jun.Company name changed to Pioneer Electronic Corporation (now Pioneer Corporation).
    Oct.Shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section.
    1962Jun.Introduces the world’s first separate stereo system.
    1966Mar.Establishes sales subsidiaries in Europe and the U.S.
    1968Feb.Shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section.
    1975Nov.Introduces the world’s first component car stereo.
    1977Dec.Introduces the world’s first two-way addressable CATV system in the U.S. (with Warner Cable).
    1979Feb.Introduces Industrial-use laser optical video disc player.
    1980Jun.Introduces VP-1000 LD player for home use in the U.S.
    1982Oct.Introduces LD Karaoke system for business use.
    1984Oct.Introduces the world’s first car CD player.
    1985Dec.Introduces Pioneer’s first 40-inch projection monitor.
    1990Jun.Introduces the world’s first GPS car navigation system.
    1992Oct.Introduces the world’s first 4x speed CD-ROM changer.
    1996Jun.Tokorozawa Plant earns ISO 14001 certification.
    Dec.Introduces DVD player and the world’s first DVD/LD/CD compatible player for home use.
    1997Jun.Introduces the world’s first DVD-based car navigation system.
    Oct.Introduces the world’s first DVD-R drive.
    Nov.Introduces the world’s first OLED-equipped car audio product.
    Dec.Introduces the world’s first 50-inch high-definition XGA plasma display for consumer use.
    1998Jun.Introduces the world’s first DVD-based GPS car navigation system featuring 8.5GB dual-layered DVD disc.
    Oct.Introduces new corporate logo.
    1999Dec.Introduces the world’s first DVD recorder compatible with the DVD-RW format.
    2001Jun.Introduces HDD-based GPS car naviga-tion system.
    2002Nov.Introduces a car navigation system with built-in wireless communication module.
    2003Sep.Total shipment worldwide of PC-use recordable DVD drives surpasses 5 million units.
    2004Jul.Introduces the world’s first DVD player for professional DJs and VJs.
    2006Apr.Introduces BDR-101A Blu-ray Disc/DVD internal drive for PCs.
    Jun.Introduces PDP-5000EX, the world’s first 50-inch 1080p plasma display.
    Dec.Introduces BDP-HD1, BD player in North America.
    2007Jun.Introduces plasma TV “KURO” offering stunning black reproduction.
    2008Jul.Succeeds in developing world’s first 16-layer BD-compatible optical disc with 400GB.
    Sep.Introduces speaker unit PE-101A to celebrate the 70thanniversary of the foundation.
    2009Sep.All of Pioneer’s main production sites in Japan obtain the certification of ISO14001.
    Oct.Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (Group) and Pioneer form a joint venture on car navigation business in China. (Anyo Pioneer Motor Information Technology Co., Ltd.)
    Nov.Moves head office to Kawasaki.
    2010Feb.Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and Pioneer conclude business and capital alliance agreement on organic light emitting diode (OLED) Lighting.
    Introduces world’s first speaker with HVT (Horizontal-Vertical Transforming) technology.
    May.Pioneer has formulated a new corporate vision : “Spread the smiles. Feel the vibes. Share the passion. Pioneer engages you anytime, anywhere.”
    Group Vision
    2011Feb.“Pioneer Plaza Ginza” opens at Ginza, Tokyo as a showroom and for customer communication.
    Apr.NTT DOCOMO, Inc. starts “docomo Drive NetTM” navigation service for smart phone.
    MayNew Cyber-Navi with augmented reality (AR) scouter mode is introduced, which displays an actual image and overlays the route guidance and other information obtained by proprietary image analysis technology.
    Aug.Pioneer and Asia Optical Group of Taiwan agree to establish a production joint venture in Brazil since September, 2011.
    Pioneer strengthens the strategic alliance with Suning and Suning starts sales of Pioneer-branded digital cameras.
    2012May.Carrozzeria “Raku-Navi” series achieved the accumulated shipment of 3,000,000 units (since February of 1998 to May of 2012)
    Jul.Pioneer introduces the world’s first car navigation system in Japan (Carrozzeria “Cyber-Navi”) with the Head-Up Display to project augmented reality information in front of the windscreen.
    Oct.Pioneer starts shipping of organic EL lighting modules with color-mixing and dimming fuction which achieved high brightness and high luminous efficiency.
    2013Jan.Pioneer establishes the new company “Pioneer OLED Lighting Devices” to produce OLED lighting panels.
    Mar.ROHM Co., Ltd. and Pioneer suceeed in terahertz imaging using small semiconductor element “resonant tunneling diode.”
    Sep.Pioneer introduces world first wireless portable BD/DVD/CD writer drive.
    Pioneer introduces world first cyclocomputer and pedaling monitor sensor which enable to visualize users’ pedaling.
    Pioneer and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation start shipping the OLED lighting sample module with a wet coating process for a light-emitting layer first in the world.
    Dec.Pioneer and NTT docomo jointly develop “Docomo Drive Net Info” App to provide new car telematics and infotainment services. (Provided as the service of NTT docomo.)
    2014Mar.Commercialization of OLED lighting for makeup for the exclusive use of Shiseido.
    Sep.Pioneer forms business alliance with Treasure Data to develop big data‐driven services for the automotive industry.
    Dec.Pioneer started shipping medical laser blood flow meters to JMS Co., Ltd.
    2015Jan.Pioneer launched Vehicle Assist, a telematics service for fleet vehicles.
    Mar.Pioneer announced subscription to the new shares of common stock of Onkyo Corporation and the completion of the transfer of Pioneer Group’s home AV business, phone business and headphone-related business to the Onkyo Group.
    Pioneer and KKR agreed with the Pioneer DJ share purchase.
    May.Pioneer formed a business alliance with RecoChoku Co., Ltd. on Flat-rate system music streaming service for cars. (launched CYBER NAVI equipped with music streaming function)
    Jun.Pioneer formed a business alliance with Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. in Telematics Service Business.
    Jul.Pioneer Launched In-Car Rearview Mirror Telematics Unit which can cooperate with 3rd Party Cloud-Based Solutions.
    Aug.Pioneer developed of a dimming and color tuning-type OLED lighting panel with a wet coating process for a light-emitting layer. (Mass production shipping scheduled to start in early 2016)
    Pioneer developed “Car Beacon Service Platform,” the first telematics solution in the industry to fully utilize the beacon terminal for automobiles. (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. decided to use the platform for its automatic accident report support service)
    Sep.Pioneer launched in-car trials for development of 3D-LiDAR high-performance, compact, low-cost driving space sensor.
    Pioneer came to a Basic agreement to discuss with HERE on the utilization of advanced maps, in support of automated driving and advanced driving support.
    Pioneer concluded a capital investment and business alliance agreement with SyncPower Corporation.
    Pioneer formed a business alliance with Baidu in the field of telematics in China.
    Oct.Pioneer announced the establishment of PT PIONEER ELECTRONICS INDONESIA, a sales subsidiary in Indonesia. (Established: May, Operation commenced: August, Import business scheduled: November)
    Nov.Pioneer collaborated on ADAS-related technologies with a venture company, an affiliate of Tsinghua University Suzhou Automotive Research Institute in China.
    Dec.Pioneer announced completion of payment for zero coupon convertible bonds due 2020 issued through third-party allotment. (It received 15,075 million yen)
    2016Feb.Pioneer established new production facility in Mexico (Start of operation: on February 2017)
    Mar.Pioneer moved its head office to the Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
    Apr.Pioneer developed a drowsiness detection unit capable of detecting sleepiness of a driver.
    May.Pioneer and HERE agreed to perform proof experiment utilizing Pioneer’s 3D-LiDAR towards building a “Data Ecosystem”.