Autonomous vehicles to constitute almost 25% of global market by 2035

The intelligent car, once the stuff of science fiction, is now becoming a reality rather than a fantasy. Though the self-driving car may still be far off, features such as active safety and driver assist are on the near horizon or already in series production on premium cars.

The fully autonomous vehicle is probably the pinnacle for designers working in the field of intelligent car technology. There has been increasing investment by the IT industry in the automotive sector, one example being the Google self-driving car project. Even though the US has allowed test driving of fully self- driving vehicles on an individual state level, the completely driverless car is unlikely to be on our streets for a few years yet. However, advancements in intelligent systems on vehicles is being pushed by legislation. For instance, from 2014, original equipment manufacturers striving to obtain the highest rating of five stars under the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) must equip their new models with at least one driver assistance scheme.

According to BCG Analysis, the global market for fully or partially autonomous vehicles will reach, from virtually nothing today, US$42 billion in 2025 and should show exponential growth to an estimated market of US$ 77 billion in 2035. In 2025, autonomous vehicles are expected to account for 12.9% of all vehicles produced globally with 0.5% being fully autonomous. By 2035, almost 25% of the market will be autonomous with 9.8% fully autonomous.

The roadmap to the autonomous vehicle is expected to be in four stages. The first is already in production and includes ABS, ESP and airbags, as well as driver assisted features such as park assist, interior controls and headlight controls, along with remote diagnostics.

The next stage, now in development and on premium cars, is radar, camera systems, sonar sensors and the park assistant. The third stage is connected safety, which encompasses vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity, as well as, more sophisticated passive and active safety features. The final and ultimate stage is the self-driving vehicles with full connectivity and offering a zero accident environment.

Innovations such as the fully autonomous car need forward looking solutions to seal, damp and protect. A perfect fit for this application are engineered solutions in Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR). Trelleborg Sealing Solutions says its LSR offers one of the most advanced methods of producing engineered moulded components. Its capabilities in specialised LSR tool making linked with its knowledge in advanced process engineering allow it to offer solutions for the ever more sophisticated sensor functions that are at the core of ADAS technology. Able to produce the most complex of geometries, whether in LSR alone or combined with thermoplastic or other substrates, as two, three or more components solutions; Trelleborg Sealing Solutions says its initiatives in component and process engineering is helping make the intelligent or even the fully autonomous car possible.