Market Trends of US Pressure Sensors Industry
Automotive Industry to Show Highest Growth
- The automotive industry is among the most vital end users for pressure sensors, with many of the critical systems in a car relying on pressure sensors to measure and keep track of crucial specifications. One of the most common uses for an electronic pressure sensor is to measure the pressure of the vehicle’s critical fluids, including engine oil, gearbox, transmission oil, and hydraulic oil in the braking, cooling, and fuel systems.
- The automotive industry, undergoing a technology transformation with the significant objective of increasing safety, comfort, and entertainment, provides various opportunities for pressure sensors. The miniature size of these sensors, such as MEMS, is influencing their demand in the industry's design scheme, making them a crucial factor for massive adoption.
- With technological developments driving the development of autonomous and self-driving cars, the adoption of car sensors is expected to witness subsequent growth. In the automotive sector, safety regulations enforced by governmental organizations also play a crucial role in incorporating pressure sensors. For instance, in the United States, the NHTSA has mandated using TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) since 2002. Hence, the US automotive sector has been leading the market due to its robust automotive industry.
- Due to several government regulations that are geared toward reducing environmental pollution, the automotive industry is now at a crossroads, moving away from the fossil fuel base and toward various alternatives such as greener fuels and technologies and digitalization. It is one of the primary factors that has led to a rapid increase in electric vehicles. As the automotive industry embraces electrification, it is essential to revolutionize powertrains and enhance the driving experience, where pressure sensors play a pivotal role.
- According to the IEA, in 2023, almost 14 million new electric cars were registered worldwide, bringing the total number of electric vehicles on the road to 40 million. In addition, the United States is one of the growing economies that is aggressively focusing on adopting electric vehicles. In 2023, the United States sold 3.5 million BEVs and 1.3 million PHEVs. These trends show that as the market for electric vehicles grows, it will thereupon drive the market for pressure sensors.
Medical Industry to Hold Significant Market Share
- Pressure sensors create contradictory requirements for developers that could compromise product quality and safety since health equipment manufacturers are constantly pressured to keep costs low and quality high. Pressure sensors present several reliability challenges for manufacturers, who must use costly continuous maintenance and replacement parts during the sensor's lifetime due to an inherently shorter life cycle. However, where these sensors require significant accuracy and reliability and the possibility of component failure, which could put safety at risk, a higher level of importance remains in medicine.
- The pressure sensors' requirement to make ventilators has been observed to rise. Multiple vendors have continued production to support a stable supply of ventilator pressure sensors.
- For instance, in April 2023, Superior Sensor Technology introduced pressure sensors for medical ventilators with over-sampling to expand the dynamic range. The oversampling also allows for direct use of sensor outputs at full speed by mechanical ventilators and eliminates the need for post-sampling of sensor outputs. Seven devices support applications from the measurement of flow to inlet, inspiratory, expiratory, and barometric pressure. Such trends are likely to increase the demand for pressure sensors and, thereby, are expected to put considerable pressure on the manufacturers.
- Sleep disorders like sleep apnea are more prevalent in US adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that three in four US adults have sleep disorder symptoms. According to the American Medical Association, around 30 million Americans are suffering from sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition where the upper airway is blocked while sleeping. Approximately 39 million US adults have obstructive sleep apnea.
- Positive airway pressure, or PAP, is the leading and recommended treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Pressure sensors are instrumental for PAP function. Patients wear a mask over their nose and mouth during PAP therapy, and an air blower gently pushes air into the mask. In order to prevent the tissues of the upper airway from collapsing during sleep, the air pressure is adjusted. The increasing number of sleep apnea disorders in the country will expedite the adoption of several PAP machines in the upcoming years.