Automotive Safety: What’s on the Minds of Automakers & Tier 1’s

While the automotive industry is always buzzing with numerous ‘trend words’, safety is probably the most important and relevant keywords of all. A survey done by AAA in 2021 revealed that 80% users want safer cars as against only 20% users want autonomous cars. Mordor Intelligence data tells that the automotive safety systems market accounted for USD 88 billion in 2020, and it is expected to reach USD 120 Billion by 2026, projecting a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period.

Gist of the matter is more and more users want automakers to make their vehicles safer. In this article, we would be taking closers look at global automotive safety scenario. We would look at what OEMs and Tier-1s are up to when it comes to taking automotive safety to the next level.

If we look at car safety globally, it is a long journey. Passive safety features like seat belts, collapsible steering wheels were mandated in the U.S. cars in the 1960s after Ralph Nader published his book ‘Unsafe at Any Speed’. After that, the progress in car safety measures averted accelerating. Today, they cars are equipped with not only passive safety features but also first and second-generation active safety features. We are experiencing a strong push for enhanced safety from three sides: government regulations, testing bodies like GNCAP and the manufacturers & technologies providers themselves. As a trend, users have prioritized style over safety, but things have already started changing. Now, customers are willing to pay premium for added safety. Here are some technology themes working towards making vehicles safer, worldwide.

Autonomous technologies:

 The major share of road accidents is attributed to human error. Autonomous driving technology is primary being developed to make cars safer by eliminating the human error.  In its white paper titled ‘Automotive revolution –perspective towards 2030’ Mckinsey & Company highlights that up to 15 percent of new cars sold in 2030 could be fully autonomous. Google and Apple are investing millions of dollars to develop OS that can offer autonomous driving features by integrating with smartphones. H.B. Fuller data anticipates that deaths from car accidents will be down by 90% by 2030 due to adoption of self-driving technologies.

Sensors and Actuators  

A 2016 survey by McKinsey & Company showed that while drivers are reluctant to share personal data, 60% of them are willing to do so when the feature is safety or convenience related. Sensors designed to detect driver fatigue or sensors which will quickly deploy air bags will make cars much safer than today. A range of sensors can be integrated in cars to make them safer; hands off detection sensors is one such category of sensors. In 2020, Skoda patented world’s first smart buckle to increase use of seat belts. The buckles can be programmed so that they play an animated sequence and are better noticed in dark environments. Tier-1s are also working on improving the performance of the actuators. For autonomous driving or even for deploying air bags in time, efficient actuators are a must. Effectiveness of safety systems will increase largely as the actuators become more responsive.

Smart Manufacturing:

Safety begins right from the manufacturing of a vehicle. OEMs are constantly experimenting with materials, joining techniques, vehicle body building methods and adhesive technologies to introduce a bottom-up approach towards safety. Almost all the manufacturers are using sensors and robots to manufacture safer vehicles. The usage of electronics and sensors is increasing drastically in the vehicles. What happens to a circuit or a sensor if coffee spills on it or if it is affected by salty, humid weather? Safety of electronics will play crucial role in safety of the vehicle and the passengers. Many companies specializing in safety of vehicle electronics are working towards offering better protection to sensors and electronic systems deployed in the vehicles. 

Third Party Services:

When it comes to automotive safety technologies and solutions, sky is the limit. Google Play Store and Apple App Store are flooded with Apps like Stay Awake, Coffee wake, Drowsy Driver Alert etc. that help keep the driver awake. Another App, EverDrive, encourages safe driving habits and highlights driving related issues driver might be unaware of. The number and scope of such applications in increasing steeply.

To summarize, one can say that when it comes to vehicle safety, work is being done on war footing on numerous fronts. In this process, we will need many new technologies and solutions – from better adhesiveness and sensors to better algorithms. For the automotive industry, the primary buzzword for the decade is going to be safety!

For more information you can write to me at sudhir.nerurkar@quanzen.com