Automotive EEDS Market to Experience Spectacular Growth

DUBLIN, Ireland /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of "Electrical and Electronic Distribution Systems Report" to its offering.

This first edition Electrical and Electronic Distribution Systems Report provides and in-depth market overview, along with key supplier profiles of all the major players in the sector.

Executive Summary
Automotive electrical systems have come a long way from the simple wiring harness of only a few decades ago that connected the 12/14 V supply, via mechanical switches, to a relatively small number of devices, such as starter motors, lights, windscreen wipers, and gauges. The valve radio and later the transistor tape cassette player were the first in-vehicle electronic devices. Electronic control devices arrived with analogue fuel-injection systems in the 1960s and progressed through hybrid digital-analogue systems through the 1970s, until digital microprocessors controlling engine management and ABS were developed in the 1980s.

Since then, the quests for improved fuel efficiency and road safety have ensured that the number of electrical and electronic devices has kept increasing, with the average modern new vehicle now fitted with between 40 and 100 electromagnetic devices, of which 20 to 50 are electric motors, and around 65 are electronic control units managing up to 165 functions. The tasks of providing power to, and controlling signals to and from, this plethora of devices has demanded multiplexing solutions that are far more sophisticated than the traditional wiring harness.

While it has been increasingly possible to derive solutions from the computing and communications industries, the automotive industry is considerably more demanding than the consumer goods industries, with long component life cycles, high reliability requirements, and some inhospitable operating environments. These factors, combined with the need to keep research, development, and production costs as low as possible, have prompted automotive manufacturers and suppliers to form collaborative groups to develop standardized protocols and interfaces for data transmission and software.

While necessarily lagging behind the consumer goods industries, automotive electrical and electronics distribution systems (EEDS) comprise a technology-driven arena in which technologies such as fibre optics and flexible printed circuits play leading roles. Advanced applications, such as active safety and telematics systems, are also bringing new demands, and automotive EEDS have begun to fall into three of four groupings for which certain technologies and protocols appear to be most suited.

While global vehicle production is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 3.6%, the automotive electrical products market is expected to have a CAGR of over 8% through to 2011, from an estimated volume of $74 billion in 2006. Within the forecasts of high overall growth are some spectacular growth sectors. EEDS for telematics systems and local interconnect networks (LIN) are forecast to grow at over 20% during the next few years, while those for advanced safety and driver assistance applications could achieve CAGR as high as 37%.

Market Drivers
The intense development of automotive EEDS is being driven by several factors, including:

  • the drive for better fuel efficiency and lower emissions

     

  • the increasing fitment of safety, driver assistance, and convenience features

     

  • the increasing use of mechatronic devices

     

  • the increasing fitment of entertainment and communications systems

     

  • the drive to reduce the cost of linking and supporting the increasing number of sensors, actuators, and controllers.