Automotive Sensors

Report Highlights

• The more than $10 billion worldwide automotive sensor market in 2005 will continue to increase at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 6% to $14.2 billion in 2010.
• Automotive safety represents a growing and the most stable market due to influences from national governments, consumers and the automakers themselves. Through 2010, this segment will show the most expansion at an AAGR of 13.7%. In-cabin systems will rise at an AAGR of 6.2%.
• During the period, position, speed and oxygen sensors will rise at an AAGR of 6.7 %; pressure and acceleration sensors, 5.6 %; and mass airflow, temperature and other sensors, 4.5%.
• Position, speed and oxygen sensors will remain the largest market segment, rising from $6.2 billion in 2005 to $8.6 billion in 2010.

INTRODUCTION

Automotive sensors are an attractive and still-growing multibillion-dollar market characterized by very high production volumes of sensors that must be extremely reliable and low cost. Microsystem sensor technologies meet these needs and thus, are widely accepted for automotive sensor applications. Market growth continues to be driven by increasing demands for more safety and comfort and greater reductions in emissions. Existing sensors will continue to find new applications, and new sensors will emerge to improve functionality.

Although the electronics content of vehicles continually increases, the vehicle market itself is expanding more slowly than in previous years. The net effect is a steady increase in the value of the automotive electronics market as more onboard systems are converted to electrical/electronic systems.

This BCC study focuses on key sensor products and applications in automotive markets and provides data about market size and growth, company profiles and industry trends. The study also provides a detailed and comprehensive look at the North American, European, Japanese, Korean and rest-of-world markets for automotive sensors and potential future opportunities.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains:

• A focus on key sensor products and applications in automotive markets
• Assessments of new advanced sensors now under development
• Thorough coverage of the underlying economic issues motivating the automotive
• Analysis of the size and growth of automotive sensor markets, with forecasts through 2010 for North America, Europe, Japan, Korea and rest-of-world areas
• Company profiles and analysis of industry trends
• Coverage of legislative pressures for more safety and environmental protection, as well as users’ expectations for improved car functionality, comfort and fuel economy.

METHODOLOGY

The research methodology was qualitative in nature and employed a triangulative approach, which aids validity. Initially, a comprehensive and exhaustive search of the literature on Automotive Sensors was conducted. These secondary sources included automotive electronics journals and related books, trade literature, marketing literature, other product/promotional literature, annual reports, automotive analyst reports, and other publications. A patent search and analysis was also conducted.

In a second phase, a series of semi-structured fact finding email correspondence was conducted with marketing executives, product sales engineers, international sales managers, application engineers, and other personnel of the Automotive Sensors companies themselves. Other sources included Automotive and Electronics magazines published from the U.S., Germany, Singapore, the U.K., academics, technology suppliers, technical experts, trade association officials, government officials, and consulting companies. These were a rich source of data. Subsequent analysis of the documents and interview notes was iterative.

INFORMATION SOURCES

Initially, a comprehensive and exhaustive search of the literature on Automotive Sensors was conducted. These sources included the latest press releases on company websites including application news, company news, marketing news, product news, brochures, product literature, and automotive sensors and electronics magazines, technical journals, technical books, marketing literature, other promotional literature, annual reports, security analyst reports, and other electronic publications. There is very little data in the available literature that analyzes the Automotive Sensors industry as a whole, and the data that do exist, for the most part, present Automotive Sensors as part general purpose sensors. The challenge was to identify the Automotive Sensors market and evaluate how it fits in the Automotives industry, globally. An extensive patent analysis was conducted to gauge technological innovation and to determine research activity as it applies to new product development.

The second phase involved formal and informal telephone interviews/email correspondence with personnel in Automotive Sensors. Suppliers, design engineers, consulting companies, other technical experts, government officials, and trade association officials were also interviewed, as well as the personnel of the OEM companies themselves.

AUTHOR'S CREDENTIALS

Analyst B.L. Gupta, Bachelor of Engineering, mechanical engineer, has 33 years R&D experience at key positions and has handled high tech product development in a number of fields. Before starting own consultancy in 2001, Gupta worked with leading ISO-9000 certified and reputed multinational companies. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers since 1996; Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India) since 2001; Charter Engineer of Institution of Engineers (India) since 2001; member of Consulting Development Centre, a Goverment of India society, since 2000; and member of the Bureau of Indian Standards on formulation of national standards on printing presses and allied subjects since 1997.