NHTSA mulling to make EDR installation mandatory in new vehicles
Last week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a proposal to mandate event data recorders (EDRs) for all new passenger vehicles and light trucks. IMS Research (now part of IHS Inc. (NYSE:IHS)) sees this as yet another proactive step by NHTSA to promote safety within vehicles.
Last week’s proposal is nothing new. NHTSA has been looking into EDRs, or “black boxes” as they are also known, since 1997. It issued its first proposal in 2004, outlining specific requirements for voluntarily-installed EDRs, and in 2011 NHTSA proposed a rule to mandate installation in new vehicles. Since then, there have been delays, and lately just silence from NHTSA. However, NHTSA recently got the “go-ahead” from the White House after the Office of Management and Budget completed its review.
EDRs collect a minimum of 15 data points from a variety of inputs. In the event of a crash the EDR records and saves data from five to ten seconds before the crash, and in some cases also after the crash. NHTSA intends to use the data to improve highway safety by understanding the dynamics involved in crashes and the performance of safety systems. This information can be used to develop more effective safety systems which can save lives, prevent injuries and minimize financial consequences of traffic accidents.
Data such as vehicle speed, brake activation, and crash force might not be available or reliable unless an EDR is installed; the presence of an EDR allows for analysis of what went wrong and what could have been done to prevent a crash. This data can be used to further promote or instigate safety ratings or even warrant the rollout of mandatory fitment of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) like autonomous emergency braking or blind spot detection.
IMS Research’s analysis in its new report, World Market of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems – 2012, has shown that active safety systems like ADAS typically only grow to a certain fitment rate through novelty, marketing and sales efforts. Such systems are often costly options, and generally less attractive to most customers in comparison to other options available such as in-vehicle navigation systems. Without the push of legislation, regulations or other types of incentive, ADAS is likely to remain a high-end vehicle option with fitment rates below 10%. IMS Research believes that NHTSA’s announcement is an important step forward in promoting ADAS that will have a positive effect on the ADAS market in the mid- to long-term.
For more information please contact:
IMS Research: Helena Perslow, senior analyst, Helena.perslow@ihs.com, Tel: +44 1933 402255.
IHS Media Relations
press@ihs.com Tel: +1 303 305 8021
Alternative Contacts:
US
Stacy Hackenberg, Stacy.hackenberg@ihs.com Tel: +1 512 302 1977
Asia Pacific
Yvonne Zhang, yvonne.zhang@ihs.com Tel: +86 21 6720 1823
About “The World Market for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems – 20122. This is the third edition of IMS Research’s report on advanced driver assistance systems. This report reviews market size and forecasts for 13 ADAS and two supporting systems (navigation/GPS and head-up displays). Statistics are presented for revenues, unit shipments and system average selling prices (SASP). It also features a section where the Euro NCAP’s new star-rating system is explained in more detail.
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