Accident statistics attract worldwide attention. In the US and Europe more than 40,000 people per year are killed in automobile accidents and countless more are injured. A new study by ABI Research reveals that available technologies, including ultrasonic, radar, lidar and camera-based safety systems can address many of the causes.
“Some of these obstacle detection systems have been available for a number of years,” says senior analyst David Alexander, “but only at the top of the market. Costs are coming down with volume, but not by the same amount across the board.”
ABI Research’s study, “Automotive Obstacle Detection Systems,” finds that the market is primed to take advantage of the benefits of a number of different approaches to obstacle detection and that some technologies are going to drop in cost more rapidly than others. But in the absence of legislation, how many buyers will choose to pay for them?
“In the consumer market, education is critical to the uptake of obstacle detection systems,” says Alexander. “Widespread adoption is needed if we are to achieve a significant improvement in accident statistics. Car buyers need to learn more about how the technology works and to understand that they really will benefit from purchasing these systems.”
While initial cost is still an issue, the benefits are huge. Avoiding costly body and paint repairs may deliver a big enough ROI, but saving a life or avoiding an injury is priceless. Market interest could bode well for Tier 1 system developers such as Visteon, Delphi, Siemens, Bosch, Continental, Hella and TRW, and coordinated public relations coverage, with help from the government, will deliver strong demand for the technology.
“Luxury cars have had obstacle detection options long enough to get the bugs out,” concludes Alexander. “The first OEMs to make them available to the mass market could reap huge rewards.”
“Automobile Obstacle Detection Systems” provides an analysis of global market trends, cost and technological evaluations of different approaches and strategies used by safety system developers and discussion of existing product announcements and design wins. System and sensor forecasts for vehicles are provided globally, by region though 2012.