Market Trends of Whiplash Protection System Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Whiplash Protection System Market according to our research experts:
Technological Developments Will Help This Market Grow
The whiplash protection system equipped seat; the entire backrest is designed to protect the front occupant's neck in case of rear impact. This system uses a specially designed hinge mount that attaches the back rest to the seat bottom, which has a pre-determined rate of rearward movement in the event of certain types of rear impacts. The seatback also has a series of spring that allows the cushion to move slightly rearward upon impact. This combined with high-mounted head restraints, help limit the whipping motion of the head that often occurs during a rear-end impact. Volvo undertook the most comprehensive study that examined the whiplash protection system over a period of more than 10 years. The company developed WHIPS which is deployed in event of rear-end collision, where the angle and speed of the collision and the nature of the colliding vehicle have an influence. Volvo has published that they have successfully reduced short-term injuries by 33% and long-term injuries by more than 54% using the WHIPS system. However, the cost of the system remains to be the major constraint. The extra cost incurred in designing and testing the system makes it expensive.
The Reactive head restrain system is expected to be the most preferred automotive whiplash protection system. Pendulum system is expected to show a slow growth rate during the forecasted period. Compact passenger vehicles are expected to be the largest users of whiplash protection systems in the market.
OEMs are investing into development of the whiplash protection technology to reduce cost and produce more effective product. On March 20, 2020 Volvo has started a new safety initiative of Open sourcing safety related data for all OEMs and suppliers. This market is expected to grow during the forecasted period due to above mentioned factors.
North America Captures the Largest Market
The United States continues to dominate the whiplash protection system market. The United States continues to be the leader in terms of car volume sales, sold over 4.7 million units in 2019. Different markets have different demands; The United States of America is the leading manufacturer of automotive safety systems. In 2019, just under 17 million light weight vehicles were sold in the United States. Increasing luxury car sales across the United States of America is having a positive impact on the automotive whiplash system market; this has led to investment in R&D by OEMs to develop efficient and low-cost whiplash protection systems. BMW (324830 units), Mercedes-Benz (316090 Units), and Lexus (298110 Units) were the top leading luxury brands by sales in 2019. An increase in production standards of manufacturing, sustainable innovation, and excellent technical know-how based in the country will help to strengthen the position of the United States of America to emerge as a leading automotive whiplash protection system during the forecast period. Going forward, OEMs must be active in achieving the commitment or face the possibility of brand erosion due to being behind in safety advances. Safety systems being incorporated into government safety ratings may alter consumer perception one way or another in a positive way.
