Market Trends of Automotive Airbags Industry
Passengers Cars Segment to Gain Traction during the Forecast Period
Passenger car sales are witnessing tremendous growth globally, with leading car brands including Volkswagen, Nissan, General Motors, and Ford. With the expanding passenger car market, there exist rising safety concerns among automakers to ensure that their vehicle models can provide all necessary safety solutions that can mitigate road fatalities, which is positively impacting the surging demand for automotive airbag systems.
- According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), new passenger car sales worldwide touched 57.4 million units in 2022 compared to 56.4 million units in 2021, representing a year-on-year growth of 1.9% between 2021 and 2022.
The rising urbanization rate and increasing per capita disposable income of consumers are aiding the demand for passenger cars as these consumers prefer private transportation mediums for their commuting purposes. Passenger safety is of utmost importance to governments and manufacturers. Regulations toward consumer safety and security have made manufacturers install safety devices in cars. Many countries have made using seat belts and airbags mandatory. Moreover, manufacturers are actively focusing on forming partnerships with major automakers to enhance their brand presence. They are introducing new products that can suit the requirements of new-age passenger cars.
- In May 2023, NIO, a Chinese-based high-performance electric vehicle manufacturer, reached an agreement with Autoliv Inc., the leading manufacturer of automotive airbags and seat belts, to manufacture safety products for electric vehicles. This development of safety technologies will increase the demand for inflatable seat belts, as airbag deployment works only when the seat belts are intact.
With the rising automobile vehicle production and sales worldwide, the automotive passenger safety authorities are adopting various safety regulations to reduce passenger injuries.
- For instance, in October 2023, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways India made six airbags mandatory for automotive passenger vehicles. This rule will apply to eight-seater passenger cars to make road travel safer. Due to the challenges faced in the global supply chain, this rule has been in effect since October 2023. Initially, the Indian government officials wanted to roll it out in October 2022.
With the growth in electric passenger car sales and the expanding production market, a massive demand for automotive airbag systems for passenger cars is projected during the forecast period.
Asia-Pacific Region is Expected to be Fastest-Growing Market During Forecast Period
Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the market, followed by North America and Europe. Asia-Pacific is a huge market for passenger vehicles, with India and China being some of the world's largest markets for passenger vehicles, contributing to almost 30% of worldwide passenger vehicle sales.
- According to the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, electric four-wheeler sales touched 48,105 units in FY 2023 compared to 19,782 units in FY 2022, representing a Y-o-Y growth of 143.1% between FY 2022 and FY 2023.
- According to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, in October 2023, the new vehicle market in Japan made a strong recovery, with sales rising by 10.7% to 397,672 units from 359,159 units in October 2022. In January 2024, mini vehicle sales in Japan touched 334 thousand units.
The increased consumer preference for safety and comfort features, the increased penetration of side and curtain airbags in mid-level cars, and the rising demand for safety features in vehicles are primarily responsible for the growth of advanced safety in passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Asia-Pacific. The demand for airbags is also anticipated to increase over the forecast period due to government initiatives to improve passenger safety and falling system and component costs.
Furthermore, governments in the region are increasing their focus on reducing road accidents and fatalities, fueling the demand for automotive airbag systems. Airbags are crucial in any vehicle to mitigate the impact of an accident, and therefore, integrating advanced airbag modules is a necessity that can enhance road safety in the region.
- According to the Indian government, 461,312 road accidents were reported in the country in 2022, resulting in 168,491 fatalities and injuries to 443,366 individuals, suggesting a growing need for airbags.
With major automakers strategizing to expand their operations and launch new vehicle models in countries such as China and India, a massive demand for automotive airbag systems across Asia-Pacific is expected during the forecast period.
