Europe Automotive Airbags and Seatbelts Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis - by Airbags Type, Seatbelts Type, and Vehicle Class

The automotive airbags and seatbelts market in Europe is expected to grow from US$ 14,465.29 million in 2022 to US$ 28,203.11 million by 2028. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 11.8% from 2022 to 2028.

With the rapid expansion of the Europe automotive landscape, manufacturers are primarily focused on enhancing engineering fuel and cost efficiency, improving the driving experience, and working toward the overall safety of passengers and drivers. Airbags and seatbelts remain a key passive safety system in the automotive sector. The growing advancement in airbag and seatbelt technologies is increasing their adoption across passenger vehicles, thereby propelling the market growth. The airbag is best used in combination with wearing a safety belt. It can prevent injuries and fatalities in front-end collisions. Airbag manufacturers have developed an array of airbags, side curtains, and knee bolsters to protect front-seat occupants and are further planning to design a new generation of airbags for rear-seat passengers. For instance, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. has unveiled two airbags, one mounted on the roof and one in the back of the front seat, which could protect rear-seat passengers during a frontal collision. In addition, the Citroën C4 Cactus is a subcompact crossover SUV, which is equipped with a new roof-mounted passenger airbag technology. The growing advancement in technology for airbags in the automotive industry is fuelling the market growth. For instance, the computer-operated dual deploys, or dual-stage airbags can deploy at two speeds. Airbags deploy at the lower first stage in less severe accidents, usually about 70% of full force. In more severe accidents, both stages are deployed. Further, side airbags are effective in preventing the driver and passengers from head injuries due to the rigid areas of the vehicle in side-impact collisions.

Nylon-based airbags are poised to experience significant demand in the near future. This can be attributed to various benefits of the fabric, including high specific heat capacity, lower density, and better impact resistance. Additionally, airbag manufacturers are focusing on developing nylon-based fabrics coated with organic silicon instead of neoprene, as these coated fabrics have a longer service life, stable performance, high wear resistance, and are lightweight. New developments and innovations are coming up to enhance efficiency and widen the production capabilities of airbags. For instance, in July 2019, ZF Friedrichshafen, a German car parts manufacturer, developed external smart airbags for vehicles that reduce the impact of the crash and decrease damage to the occupants. Moreover, the technological advancements in seatbelts are strengthening the market growth. For instance, in September 2019, Hyundai Mobis announced that it had developed a “Safety Integrated Control Module” that ensures increased efficiency and safety in operating automotive safety devices. This new development combined two separate electronic control units (ECUs) for airbags and electronic seatbelts into a single unit. Thus, such developments in technology for airbags and seatbelts are anticipated to drive the market.

Market Overview

The thriving automotive industry in Europe is supporting the growth of the automotive airbags and seatbelts market. As per OICA 2021 statistics report, the number of motor vehicle produced in Europe was 1,63,30,509; 1,69,42,248; and 2,15,75,118 in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. Also, the total passenger cars produced across the region was 1,38,03,297 in 2021, 1,45,56,548 in 2020, and 1,87,24,208 in 2019, as per the same OICA 2021 statistics report. Germany, France, Spain, the UK, and the Czech Republic are the leading countries in Europe that produced the maximum number of motor vehicles and passenger cars. Further, the national regulatory bodies are taking numerous initiatives to support the development of the automotive industry in the region. For instance, CARS 2020 Action Plan, GEAR 2030, and Horizon 2020 are a few major European government initiatives. The Horizon 2020 Plan focuses on providing funds for research & development (R&D) activities in the automotive industry by launching programs such as the European Green Vehicles Initiative and programs on factories of the future and information and communications technology (ICT) for smart mobility, road transport, and logistics. Therefore, the presence of a robust automotive industry helps boost the demand for automotive airbags and seatbelts due to large-scale motor vehicle production and several European governmental schemes..

Europe Automotive Airbags and Seatbelts Market Segmentation

The Europe automotive airbags and seatbelts market is segmented into airbags type , seatbelts type, vehicle class, and country.

• Based on airbag type ,the market is segmented into front, knee, side and curtain. The front segment registered the largest market share in 2022.
• Based on seatbelts type , the market is segmented into 2-point and 3-point. The 3- point segment held the largest market share in 2022.
• Based on vehicle class , the market is segmented into passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. The passenger cars segment held the largest market share in 2022.
• Based on country, the market is segmented into Germany ; France ; Italy ; UK ; Russia and Rest of Europe. Germany dominated the market share in 2022.

Autoliv Inc. ; Continental AG ; Denso Corporation ; INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG ; Robert Bosch GmbH ; ZF Friedrichshafen AG ; Hyundai Mobis ; Joyson Safety Systems and Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. are the leading companies operating in the automotive airbags and seatbelts market in the region.