3D Sensor Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The global 3D sensors market will reach US$6.477 billion in 2029 at a CAGR of 10.00% from US$4.021 billion in 2024.

Growing demand for 3D-enabled consumer electronics devices along with the falling prices of sensors are some of the major factors driving the market’s growth. Rising demand for 3D sensors for 3D gaming technology coupled with the widespread use of such sensors with nanotechnology in a variety of applications is anticipated to propel the overall market demand during the forecast period. However, lack of technical expertise and complexity in manufacturing will pose a challenge for the market growth.

Market Drivers.

The growing incorporation of AI within the gaming industry is expected to drive the adoption of 3D sensors.

The incorporation of artificial intelligence and virtual reality into the gaming industry has been evolving rapidly over the years. Many large game development companies are integrating virtual reality into their products to enhance the user experience and improve their revenue generation opportunities. Moreover, the recent introduction of several virtual reality headsets is an indication of the growing interest in virtual reality within the gaming industry. For instance, the availability of Oculus Quest and Rift S VR headsets by HTC boosted the growth of the VR-based gaming industry, which in turn, is fuelling the growth of the 3D sensor market.

Bolstering growth in semiconductor demand has positively impacted the market growth.

3D sensors are finding their way in semiconductor manufacturing where they are used in various processes & operations such as inspecting wafer size, flatness & thickness. Such sensors also provide high-precision defect detection of die chips and other surface imperfections as well. The growing electronics consumption coupled with booing electric vehicle applications globally has accelerated the semiconductor demand thereby increasing the production scale in major nations as well. For instance, according to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, in 2022, global semiconductor sales stood at US$574 billion, and the same source stated that global sales for 2023 will witness a slight decrease to US$556 billion but will increase up to US$602 billion in 2024.

The booming electric vehicle application is anticipated to stimulate market growth on a global scale.

3D sensors come in varied dimensions and output powers for electric vehicles where they are used for EV battery inspection and other defects such as fissures, wraps, bulges, and more. The growing investments in sustainable fuel coupled with initiatives to reduce carbon emissions have propelled the demand for electric vehicles globally, with major economies namely the USA, China, and EU showing significant growth in EV adoption. According to the International Energy Agency’s “Global EV Outlook 2023”, the estimated figure for global electric vehicle sales reached 14 million units which represented a 40% increase over 10 million units sold in 2022. Furthermore, as per the same source in Q1 of 2023, electric vehicles showcased a 25% increase over Q1 of 2022.

Consumer electronics is projected hold a considerable market share.

Based on end-user industry, the market is segmented into manufacturing, healthcare, military and defense, consumer electronics, automotive, and media and entertainment. The consumer electronics will account for a significant share fuelled by the booming wearable electronics consumption followed by investments in the same. There has been a growing demand for 3D-enabled smartphones and cameras, further contributing to the growth of the global 3D sensor market.

Simultaneously, face recognition based on 3D imaging technology is becoming a standard within the smartphone industry. Furthermore, there has been an increasing trend of using miniaturized electronics, which is leading to increased production of miniaturized components. As a result, the production of miniaturized components of different consumer electronic products involves vision and optical inspection to ensure that they meet the required standards.

North America is projected to grow at a constant rate.

Geographically, North America is estimated to hold a considerable market share and is expected to grow at a steady pace during the forecast period fuelled by the growing technological adoption across various end-use industries in major regional economies namely USA and Canada. Moreover, 3D sensors applicability is also finding its way in inspection and measurement applications in heavy manufacturing so as to minimize the overall cost of production and improve the development cycle of the product.

Likewise, favorable investments in strategic efforts to bolster autonomous driving technology in the regional economies has further provided new growth prospects. According to the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association “AV Report” issued in April 2024, zero-occupancy delivery vehicle witnessed a 59% increase in autonomous miles driven in comparison to data recorded in August 2023.

Key Developments

• In March 2024: SmartRay showcased its new ECCO Series3D sensor products namely “ECCO X” and “ECCO95” both of which feature compact design and will target the automated optical inspection challenges in electronics and other sectors. The sensors would be used in Smartray’s industrial cameras. 
• In February 2024: STMicroelectronics revealed its new direct and in-direct Time-of-Flight 3DLidar sensor “VL53L9” which holds resolution up to 2.3k zones. The sensors are ideal for applications such as robotics & smart buildings, 3D webcams, virtual reality, and camera assist. It further expanded STM’s expertise in 3D in-depth sensing.
• In February 2023: SmartRay launched “ECCO 85+” which is the successor of the company’s ECCO 65 & 75 3D sensors. The economic & compact design of the sensor enables it to take high-quality 3D images up to 5kHz. It ensures flexibility & stability for robot and machine integration.
• In October 2022: SICK launched its first 3D ToF (Time-of-Flight) performance level C safety sensor “safeVisionary2” that supports 3D localization and object detection. The sensor’s ability to bolster 3D data measurement and environment detection makes it an ideal choice for autonomous mobile robot navigation.
• In July 2022: Toposens announced the market launch of its “ECHO ONE” which is based on the company's’ 3D-Ultrasonic Echolocation” technology. The sensors are ideal for mobile robot applications in industrial scenarios and exercise 3D collision avoidance.
• In May 2022: Infineon Technologies in collaboration with pmdtechnologies ag developed the AR headset “Magic Leap2” which features Infineon’s “REAL3™ 3D Image Sensor” which is the company’s improved IRS2877C Time-of-Flight sensor that enables the device in creating a 3D mapping of the physical environment around it. 

Segmentation:

By Technology

• Structured Light
• Stereo Vision
• Ultrasound
• Time of Flight

By Type

• Image Sensor
• Pressure Sensor
• Position Sensor
• Temperature Sensor
• Others

By End User Industry

• Manufacturing
• Healthcare
• Military and Defense
• Consumer Electronics
• Automotive
• Media and Entertainment

By Geography 

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• UK
• Germany
• France
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• Israel
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• Japan
• China
• India
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Taiwan
• Indonesia
• Others