Sensor Sensibility: ABI Research Probes the Automotive Sensor Market

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.--July 12, 2005--Automotive systems need sensors. Some have been with us for decades: they tell us when we're low on fuel or oil, or when the car overheats. But today, sensors -- especially those connected with safety -- proliferate in the vehicle. They're used in, for example, electronic stability control, (wheel speed sensors, gyro, and braking processor) and lane departure warning and blind-spot detection systems (radar, infrared or optical sensors.)

Today ABI Research announces a new study devoted exclusively to this market. "Automotive Sensors: Market Strategies for Accelerometers, Gyro, Hall Effect, Optics, Pressure, Radar and Ultrasonic Sensors" presents regional forecasts to 2012 for the leading sensor types. It discusses many of the safety applications that employ these sensor technologies, identifies market drivers and offers detailed profiles of the major industry players.

"Active safety systems are driving increased sensor use," says ABI Research Senior Analyst Robert LaGuerra. "Safety sells. It is becoming one of the biggest markets in the automotive industry. And the economic implications of road safety mean that governments are involved."

Blind-spot detection will be a growth segment, LaGuerra says, and he believes that radar will ultimately prevail over competing infra-red and optical technologies. For bumper-mounted close-range obstacle detection, he picks ultrasonics as a continuing winner.

But he adds that sensors are not "one size fits all": different sensors may address the same task, but not all perform equally under all conditions. So, many safety systems' futures will lie in combinations of multiple sensing technologies: radar and optics, for example, in forward viewing applications.

Sensors are improving, says LaGuerra; but factors that slow their evolution include the auto industry's long development cycle and a lack of standardization. These factors - which differ greatly with the difficulty of the task and the sophistication of the system -- must weave their way through a complex web of industry players: OEMs, system designers and sensor manufacturers.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in automotive, wireless, semiconductors, broadband, and energy. For information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.