While emissions remain top of the priority list for all OEMs and suppliers, 'safety' is still the most important factor when it comes to consumers. In Germany, for example, nearly 95% of the country's drivers feel that safety is more important than comfort according to a poll conducted by the EMNID public opinion research institute commissioned by Continental while in the US, consumers are finding safety systems to be more important than they were five years ago. According to this consumer research study conducted The Dohring Company in July for TRW Automotive: - 80% of respondents said the car-makers are doing a good job developing and making available vehicle safety features today. - 74% of respondents said vehicle safety features and options are more important to them than they were five years ago. - Almost 47% of respondents said they were only somewhat or not at all satisfied with the way the dealer sales representatives educate the consumer on the proper use of vehicle safety systems. This aspect was also shown in the German survey that showed many car owners do not know exactly just what advantages active vehicle safety systems provide or how they function. Analysis of the findings of the TRW Automotive consumer study also indicated that: - 84% see advanced occupant sensing/smart air bag systems as important. - More than 76 % of respondents said the availability of an active seat belt retractor would be important in their next vehicle purchase decision. - 76 % see future enhanced vehicle control systems that integrate electronics, braking, steering and suspension as important. - Almost 73% of respondents - 63% in the German survey - said they felt only somewhat informed or not at all informed about how vehicle stability control system work. However, more than 58 % said that the availability of stability control systems would be important for their next vehicle purchase. - Almost 63 % see anti-rollover/active roll stability systems as important in their next vehicle purchase consideration. - Almost 57 % thought future driver assist or lane guard systems that help prevent inadvertent lane departure would be important in their next vehicle purchase decision. - Side impact/rollover canopy airbag technology was selected by more respondents than any other system as the safety option consumers would be willing to pay extra for, with 42 % of respondents. The results of this survey underscore that with American consumers, safety sells. Today's consumers want safety technology - and indications are, when they understand what benefits the technology can bring, they are willing to pay for it.


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    Title :

    Focus on safety


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Automotive Engineer ; 28 , 9 ; 28-37


    Publication date :

    2003


    Size :

    6 Seiten, 4 Bilder



    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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