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just-auto.com Forecasts Global Airbag and Restraint Market to Soar

8 January 2001

just-auto.com Forecasts Global Airbag and Restraint Market to Soar

    LONDON, Jan. 8 http://www.just-auto.com -- Since 1993, the
global vehicle occupant restraint market, worth over US$12bn, has grown by an
average rate of 12% each year. The growth is linked to the ongoing drive to
find safer restraint technology. Smart airbags that last two inflations,
anticipatory crash sensors, rollover protection, including curtain airbags and
low-level airbags to protect the knees are the latest devices.
    The just-auto.com feature at
http://just-auto.com/features_detail.asp?art=415 summarises the main ideas in
the exclusive report -- 'Global market for airbags and seatbelts: Forecasts to
2010' (http://just-auto.com/store/products_detail.asp?art=10813).

    Two of the key factors underpinning future growth in the industry are:

    * The major recall of Firestone tyres this year has, amongst other things,
       increased attention on rollover accidents and should further speed the
       take-up of these new systems. In an effort to alleviate safety concerns
       about sport utility vehicles, in particular, some carmakers have taken
       the decision to install curtain airbags that will open and remain
       inflated for six or more seconds, covering the side windows. In
       addition to curtain airbags to help shield front and rear passengers
       from injury in the event of a rollover incident, we expect to see
       meteoric growth in the US of front seatbelt pretensioners with fitment
       levels of around 15% this year reaching 100% by 2008.
    * The rush to offer rollover protection, especially for the ever-popular
       SUVs, has triggered a raft of major contract awards to suppliers of
       sensors, which activate rollover curtain bags. Just recently, Autoliv
       announced it had won contract awards for its new rollover sensor to be
       installed in 1.2m North American vehicles starting with the 2004 model
       year. TRW tripled production of curtain airbags in 2000 to 1.2m units,
       with around 10m units projected in 2004.

    'Global market for airbags and seatbelts: Forecasts to 2010' reviews key
market events for airbags and seatbelts, provides future analysis on product
trends and fitment levels for airbags.

    For the feature see:
http://just-auto.com/features_detail.asp?art=415

    For the report summary or to purchase the report see:
http://just-auto.com/store/products_detail.asp?art=10813

    just-auto.com is the premier online portal for automotive industry
professionals worldwide. Targeted specifically at industry and business
professionals the site provides a single point of reference for independent
automotive industry information.