Description
This report examines existing and emerging automotive passive safety
technologies and the market influences that are driving developments in the
sector. It also contains market forecasts and company profiles of some of the
key suppliers in the sector.
Abstract
Passive safety systems include vehicle design features and restraint systems
that are intended to protect vehicle occupants and pedestrians from injuries
during a collision. Body design features include ' crumple zones' that absorb
impact energy and occupant ' safety cells' that are constructed to retain their
shape and direct energy around the occupants during a crash. Vehicle frontal
design is also increasingly being required to incorporate pedestrian
protection features, such as smooth profiles and deformable panels. Restraint
systems include seatbelts and airbags.
The passive safety systems market was launched during the late 1960s with the
first seatbelts and crumple zone technologies. The first frontal airbags were
launched during the 1980s. Since then, the market has grown to become a
US$18bn global industry with future growth forecast to keep outperforming
light vehicle production growth as the technology becomes more sophisticated
and installation rates increase.
Early attempts to introduce safer vehicles were largely unsuccessful for
several years as consumers avoided acknowledging the darker side of their
infatuation with the motor vehicle. However, as public awareness increased
concerning the enormous costs that road traffic deaths and injuries inflict on
individuals, families, communities and whole economies, government agencies
began introducing regulations requiring vehicle design to include occupant
safety technology. Consumer attitudes have now shifted to the degree that
safety ratings are among the first factors that prospective purchasers
research when seeking a new vehicle.
Along with regulations and consumer demand, market growth in the sector is
also driven by technology advances, which now extend to include so-called
' smart' seatbelts and airbags, occupant detection systems, adaptive seats and
the integration of restraint technologies with each other. Furthermore,
passive safety system deployment is being integrated with the advanced active
systems now coming to market that use sensors to detect an imminent collision.
Alongside this, pedestrian protection is advancing to include bonnet-raising
and airbag deployment to reduce the impact forces experienced by a pedestrian
- or cyclist - who is struck by a motor vehicle.
Against this, the increasing costs of additional technology introduce
something of a barrier as do OEM and supplier concerns regarding legal actions
that can be brought when systems fail and consumers are killed or injured as a
result. Another significant cost barrier arises from the considerable R&D
investments required to develop new technology.
This, in part, has enabled three of the larger suppliers to establish
significant market shares in the sector, although the fast-growing electronics
content in the sector is providing entry points for many smaller, Tier 2 and 3
companies.
Because passive safety technology for heavy commercial vehicles involves a
very different set of parameters, the scope of this report has been limited to
light passenger vehicles. Also, while child restraint systems are part of the
passive safety system sector, apart from the fitment of restraint anchor
points by some OEMs, it is essentially an aftermarket industry and is not
covered in this report.
Executive summary
Introduction
The global road crash toll
- The effects of passive safety improvements
Market drivers
- Regulations
- New Car Assessment Programmes
- Consumer preferences
Market barriers
- Cost
- Fear of litigation
- Increased weight
Market dynamics and forecasts
Passive safety systems technology
- Seatbelts
- Airbags
- Occupant detection systems
- Vehicle interior design
- Seat safety design
- Vehicle body structure
- Automatic crash notification systems
- Pedestrian safety systems
Integrating safety systems
- Integrating seatbelt and airbag functions
- Integrating active and passive safety systems
Enabling technology
- Sensors
- Airbag inflators
- Electronic and electrical systems
- Data communication
- Software
- Computer-assisted vehicle design
- Computer modelling of the human body
Supplier profiles
- Autoliv
- Bosch
- Continental
- Denso
- KSS
- Takata
- Toyoda Gosei
- TRW Automotive
