GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE NIGHT VISION SYSTEMS MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2024-2031)

Global Automotive Night Vision Systems Market Size and Trends

Global automotive night vision systems market is estimated to be valued at USD 3.82 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 8.13 Bn by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4% from 2024 to 2031.

To learn more about this report, request sample copy

The market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The key factors driving the growth of automotive night vision systems include increasing demand for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and growing concern for road safety. Moreover, positive GDP growth in emerging economies and increasing purchasing power are expected to propel the sales of luxury and high-end vehicles integrated with advanced driver assistance features including night vision systems during the forecast period. However, high development cost of these systems remains a major challenge. Key players in the market are focusing on lowering the costs and enhancing the features to accelerate their adoption in mid-range premium vehicles.

Growing Demand for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems

The automotive industry has been rapidly adopting advanced driver-assistance systems and technologies that aim to enhance vehicle safety, driver comfort, and autonomous capabilities. Night vision systems, a type of advanced driver assistance system, allow vehicles to detect objects and pedestrians in low-light conditions that the human eye may find difficult to see. As automakers strive to offer customers vehicles with the latest safety and convenience features, night vision has emerged as an important technology.

Night vision utilizes thermal imaging cameras and infrared sensors to detect temperature differences between objects in the roadway like animals, other vehicles, pedestrians and the ambient temperature of the surroundings. The system analyzes the infrared images and displays a video image on a monitor for the driver. This helps to enhance vision and allows for early detection of potential hazards in conditions with poor visibility at night or in bad weather. As autonomous capabilities continue to improve, night vision can also support advanced driver assist features for adaptive cruise control and emergency braking by enhancing object detection capabilities in low light.

Automakers have been quick to recognize the growing demand from customers who want vehicles equipped with comprehensive advanced safety aids. Night vision increases the value proposition as it provides an extra level of safety assurance especially for driving in less than ideal night time conditions which are common in many areas. The feature is becoming increasingly standard even on mid-range models and trims as costs reduce with mass production. With continued technology improvements and higher adoption across model lineups, night vision systems are poised to experience strong growth due to broader emphasis automakers are placing on active safety systems. For instance, in December 2021, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation developed a concept car that is equipped with near-infrared cameras and radio-wave sensors to monitor the driver and passengers and an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) to provide adaptive control of the headlights, both of which help to avoid traffic accidents.

The demand for enhanced safety features in vehicles has been steadily increasing over the years. With more and more road accidents occurring due to poor visibility at night, the need for advanced night vision systems has become imperative. Automotive night vision systems play a vital role in detecting pedestrians, animals and other obstacles on the road during nighttime driving when visibility is low. They use infrared cameras and sensors to detect heat signatures of humans and animals from a far distance, often more than 300 meters, and present the enhanced image on the in-vehicle display screen. This gives valuable additional time to drivers to react to potential hazards, thereby significantly improving road safety.

More automakers are now recognizing the importance of such active safety systems and are proactively making night vision a standard feature in many luxury and premium vehicles. For instance, as per the U.S. Department of Transportation, nighttime crashes accounted for approximately 25% of total traffic crashes in 2021 with majority related to impaired recognition of pedestrians and wildlife on roads. This alarming stat has prompted even mass market brands to include night vision as an affordable option through lower price tiers. Simultaneously, technological advancements are helping to reduce production costs and make the systems more accessible. Advanced infrared sensors with higher resolution and wider angle of view are allowing vehicles to 'see' further and detect obstacles earlier than before.

With growing consumer awareness about such unique safety aids, night vision is projected to become ubiquitous especially in regions with poor street lighting infrastructure and high deer-vehicle collisions. The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) also plans to incorporate night vision testing in their expanded safety ratings from 2023 which will accelerate its adoption across new models. The aftermarket for retrofitted night vision solutions is likewise gathering momentum. Therefore, increasing policy support coupled with rapidly expanding use cases is expected to catapult the automotive night vision systems market to unprecedented heights in the next five years.