Occupant Classification Systems Market Worth Over USD 3 Billion By 2025
According to a new research report by the market research and strategy consulting firm, Global Market Insights, Inc, the Occupant Classification System Market will grow at a CAGR of 7% from 2019 to 2025.
Global occupant classification system market is anticipated to grow due to the increased awareness regarding vehicle safety systems in nations such as India and China. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1.25 million mortalities were reported in road crashes each year and car accidents are the leading causes of these deaths globally. This has forced automotive manufacturers to provide enhanced vehicle safety features in their vehicles. There is a need to detect the weight and position of the occupant to prevent injuries due to airbag impacts. Increasing deployment of advanced smart airbag systems leading towards the development of passive occupant detection systems (PODS) driving the market.
The occupant classification system market is growing as most of the developed countries including the U.S. and European countries have made such systems mandatory in all car models. Countries including India and China have high growth potential in the industry as there are emerging airbag safety regulations in the Asian countries. For instance, the government of India has made it mandatory for all cars to implement airbags and seat belt reminders from 1st July 2019.
The U.S. and Europe dominated the occupant classification system market in 2018. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 2008, which was given by National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has provided the mandatory requirements for active & passive safety restraints and performance requirements for occupant's protection. As a result, the automotive manufacturers including Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, and Honda have been implementing these systems in most of their mid-range & flagship models. The regulations for airbags in countries such as India have influenced the installation of these systems in economy-class vehicles creating growth opportunities for the market.
Bladder system is the most widely used technology across the industry. These systems comprise of a bladder assembly, belt switch sensor, an airbag ECU and a pre-tensioner. Ford and Chevrolet cars integrate this technology for occupant safety and is being adopted across several mid-range and luxury vehicles. Strain-gauge technology is installation friendly and is implemented across car brands such as Honda, Jeep, Accord, Hyundai Elantra etc. Pressure-sensitive tape systems technology is less adopted and are mostly found in high-end car models such as Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Cruze, and Buick Enclave driving occupant classification system (OCS) market.
Increasing developments in sensor technology has fueled the occupant classification system market growth. Increased research & development activities in emerging technologies such as 3D video cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and optics-based system is contributing significantly towards industry growth. ZF Friedrichshafen AG, one of the leading players in the market is working on developing the 3D interior observation system for occupant sensing. This technology will detect the occupant's size, position, and location. Autoliv is working on ultrasonic sensors for the detection & classification of occupants for enabling airbags according to the requirements.
The players in the occupant classification system market include Delphi Technologies, Denso, Aisin Seiki, Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Mayser and Hyundai Mobis among others which are consistently working on new product developments. Freescale is into the development of E-Field Technology, which is basically an electronic Field Detection imaging system. This technology has a seat entry system, which induces a low-level e-field using multiple antennas, which are mounted in the seat cushion. The system can detect the height of occupants as well as their proximity to the front airbags. The companies are focusing on strengthening the distribution network by partnering with suppliers and distributors to strengthen their position in the market. Robert Bosch and Continental AG have several sales partners for their global distribution.
While there is a substantial growth potential for the occupant classification system market, some factors can restrain the growth to some extent. As governments are providing mandatory norms for these systems, automotive manufacturers need to implement these systems in economic cars. This will raise the prices and can have negative impacts on automotive sales. Customers purchasing economy cars do not prefer to pay high prices for these systems. The Takata airbags, which were implemented millions of vehicles in the U.S. are subject to recalls due to major safety defects. These defects can cause airbags to even explode, leading to serious injuries or deaths. Such incidents can highly restrain the growth of airbags and eventually the OCS market. Source: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/occupant-classification-system-market
