Enforcement of Pedestrian Protection Legislation to Drive Demand for Pedestrian Safety Systems
LONDON, February 15 --
- Vehicle Manufacturers to Increasingly Offer Pedestrian Safety Systems as Standard Feature in Cars to Meet Legislation Requirements
Despite the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) introducing pedestrian protection tests, vehicles in Europe continued to be excessively dangerous for pedestrians. With 4,458 pedestrian deaths- 15 per cent of the total road fatalities in Europe during 2002- vehicle manufacturers became increasingly aware of the need for enhanced pedestrian safety systems.
At the same time, rising pedestrian fatalities prompted the establishment of stringent European pedestrian protection legislation. Such trends have fuelled greater demand for pedestrian safety systems with high growth expected for the developing active and passive pedestrian safety systems segments.
European pedestrian protection legislation is divided into two phases of tests. The first phase, which will be in effect from October 2005, is relatively easier to comply with. However, the second phase that will come into effect from 2010, is relatively more challenging.
As a result, vehicle manufacturers are working on improved solutions to meet the necessary criteria. In addition, this legislation will require these pedestrian protection systems to be installed as standard across all vehicles, thus driving up installation rates.
"The market potential for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers is immense in the pedestrian safety systems market as almost all safety systems, whether active or passive, are still in their respective development phases," notes Frost & Sullivan (http://transportation.frost.com) Transportation Analyst Vinay Joshi.
"Manufacturers are working on either passive pedestrian safety solutions such as energy absorption front end, installing deployment solutions (airbags, deploying bonnets or bumpers) or active pedestrian safety solutions such as driver warning systems and automatic systems."
While initially passive pedestrian safety systems are expected to experience significant growth, the development of reliable pedestrian sensing technologies will ensure substantial growth of active pedestrian safety systems to complement the more stringent, second phase of pedestrian protection legislation after 2010.
Within the passive pedestrian safety systems segment, structural solutions will have a market penetration of 72.1 per cent in 2006, rising to 100 per cent in 2011- 2012. Reversible deployment systems and non-reversible deployment systems are poised to rise from their almost non-existent penetration rates at present to reach 21 and 26 per cent respectively, in 2015. Reversible deployment systems are expected to have a high-level of penetration in the premium vehicles segment, whereas non-reversible deployment solutions are expected to be common in sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and compact segment vehicles.
In the active pedestrian safety systems segment, half the vehicles in the premium vehicles segment are likely to have some form of driver warning and information system by 2010 whereas 25 per cent of the cars are expected to have a driver warning pedestrian protection system by 2015, and less than 2 per cent are expected to have automatic systems.
A key challenge in this scenario remains high development costs. Due to the use of sophisticated sensors in various active and passive pedestrian safety systems, the cost of development and validation is high. This has substantially increased the overall costs of developing a pedestrian safety system.
"To overcome high development costs, vehicle manufacturers can outsource the research, development and testing of these systems to Tier 1 supplier whose expertise in this field is growing, who can then be offered suitable supplier contracts," advises Mr. Joshi.
At the same time, an end-user study conducted recently in five European countries revealed that approximately 30 per cent of respondents were willing to pay for the pedestrian safety systems. Vehicle manufacturers thus have an opportunity to increase the cost of vehicles and implement sophisticated pedestrian protection systems, albeit, after effectively proving the reliability and efficiency of these systems.
If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the European Market for Pedestrian Safety Systems, then send an e-mail to Magdalena Oberland, Corporate Communications, at magdalena.oberland@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address and source of information. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you through e-mail.
Background
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.
Media Contacts:
Europe:
Magdalena Oberland
Corporate Communications
P: +44-(0)20-7915-7876
E: magdalena.oberland@frost.com
Americas:
Tolu Babalola
Corporate Communications
P: +1-210-477-8427
E: tolu.babalola@frost.com
Asia Pacific
Donna Jeremiah
Corporate Communications
P: +603-6304-5832
E: djeremiah@frost.com
India:
Surbhi Dedhia
Corporate Communications
P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131
E: sdedhia@frost.com
Australia:
Sharmin Jassal
Corporate Communications
P: +61-2-8247-8900
E: sjassal@frost.com
List of Key Industry Participants: Siemens VDO Automotive, Faurecia, Canesta: Roeder-Johnson Corporation, Flexpoint Sensor Systems, IMS Vision, MobilEye NV, IBEO Automobile Sensor GmbH, GE Advanced Materials, Smart Microwave Sensors, Autoliv, TRW
List of Keywords in this Press Release: Pedestrian safety, Europe, active pedestrian safety, passive pedestrian safety, new car assessment programme, NCAP, European pedestrian protection legislation, obstacle sensing technologies, driver warning and information systems, automatic systems, structural solutions, energy absorption solutions, non-reversible deployment systems, reversible deployment systems, research, information, market, trends, technology, service, forecast, market share
Media Contacts: Europe: Magdalena Oberland, Corporate Communications, P: +44-(0)20-7915-7876, E: magdalena.oberland@frost.com. Americas: Tolu Babalola, Corporate Communications, P: +1-210-477-8427, E: tolu.babalola@frost.com. Asia Pacific, Donna Jeremiah, Corporate Communications, P: +603-6304-5832, E: djeremiah@frost.com. India: Surbhi Dedhia, Corporate Communications, P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131, E: sdedhia@frost.com. Australia: Sharmin Jassal, Corporate Communications, P: + 61-2-8247-8900, E: sjassal@frost.com