Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Market Size - By Vehicle, By Propulsion, By Simulation, By Application, Analysis, Share, Growth Forecast, 2024 - 2032

Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Market Size

The global automotive crash impact simulator market size was valued at USD 814.8 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4% between 2024 and 2032. The surge in worldwide road accidents has had a substantial impact on the markets. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), annually, road traffic crashes result in the loss of approximately 1.19 million lives. Furthermore, these incidents cause non-fatal injuries to 20 to 50 million individuals, many of whom endure lasting disabilities.
 

This urgency prompts automakers to invest in simulation technologies to improve vehicle safety features and comply with tougher rules. The demand for exact accident evaluations drives innovation in simulation systems, resulting in market development. Furthermore, as consumers become more safety-conscious, they choose vehicles equipped with cutting-edge safety technologies. This tendency encourages manufacturers to incorporate crash simulation into their design and development processes, broadening the market's reach and usefulness.
 

Crash impact simulators allow manufacturers to virtually test vehicle designs, greatly reducing the need for costly and time-consuming actual crash tests. Using innovative simulation technologies, automakers can quickly analyze and improve car safety features, resulting in significant cost savings during the development process. In today's competitive market, where timing is critical, this decrease in development time and costs provides a significant advantage.
 

Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Market Trends

Next-generation crash impact simulators now feature advanced software technologies like finite element analysis, multibody dynamics, and fluid-structure interaction. These improvements deliver more accurate and comprehensive simulation results, offering a clearer understanding of the complex physics of vehicle collisions. This leads to more reliable predictions of how vehicles will behave in real-world scenarios.
 

For instance, In June 2024, Mercedes-Benz, in partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics and the Ernst Mach Institute (EMI) in Freiburg, achieved a milestone by conducting the world's first X-ray crash test with a real vehicle. This test included a SID II dummy, representing a female anatomy, strategically placed on the left side to face the impact. This collaboration at EMI's research crash facility in Freiburg, Germany, demonstrated the potential of high-speed X-ray technology to accurately visualize rapid internal deformation processes, marking a significant advancement in automotive safety testing.
 

The rapid evolution in vehicle design, driven by new materials, structural architectures, and propulsion systems, demands constant updates to crash impact simulators. Keeping these tools aligned with the latest engineering advancements is a significant and ongoing challenge for the industry.
 

Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Market Analysis

Based on propulsion, the market is segmented into ICE and electric vehicles. In 2023, the ICE segment accounted for over 75% of the market share and is expected to exceed USD 1.2 billion by 2032. Automakers are increasingly integrating lightweight materials, such as high-strength steel and advanced composites, into their ICE-powered vehicle designs. Crash impact simulators are vital for assessing the crashworthiness of these innovative materials and structures, ensuring that weight reduction does not compromise overall safety.
 

Moreover, the advancement of autonomous driving technologies necessitates extensive crash testing to guarantee the safety of ICE-powered vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and self-driving capabilities. For instance, In March 2023, Toyota advanced its Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) software, utilizing computer simulations to gain deeper insights into vehicle crash injuries. This latest development from the OEM addresses occupant posture changes during automated driving.
 

THUMS Version 7 now includes more accurate human body models, enhancing critical areas such as the pelvis, abdominal organs, spine, and ribs. Crash impact simulators allow automakers to validate the performance of these systems in various collision scenarios, ensuring the overall safety of their ICE-powered autonomous vehicles.
 

Based on the simulation, the automotive crash impact simulator market is divided into hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HIL), software simulation, and full-scale crash testing. By 2032, the hardware-in-the-loop segment is expected to exceed USD 855 million due to several key factors. HIL simulations assist automakers in reducing the cost and time required for physical crash test prototypes. Companies that focus on virtual testing reduce development cycles, save expenses, and improve overall efficiency. This strategy is critical in today's competitive market when automakers aim to introduce innovative automobiles swiftly while keeping strong safety standards.
 

With modern automobiles equipped with extensive safety systems and integrated electronics, comprehensive HIL simulations are required for complete testing and validation. As vehicle technology evolves, stringent testing employing HIL systems becomes increasingly important to ensure that these complex systems are reliable and safe.
 

U.S. automotive crash impact simulator market is expected to cross USD 430 million by 2032. In the US, automotive OEMs and suppliers are quickly adopting advanced crash impact simulation tools driven by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and real-time data processing. These technologies boost the accuracy and speed of crash testing, making vehicle design optimization and safety improvements more efficient. By leveraging these sophisticated simulations, US automakers can reduce the need for physical tests, shorten development cycles, and rapidly enhance safety features to stay ahead in the market.
 

European regulations emphasize pedestrian safety, leading to increased investments in crash impact simulators that improve vehicle design for better pedestrian protection. Automakers in Europe use advanced simulations to model complex interactions between vehicles and vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists. These precise simulations help engineers refine vehicle designs, integrate active safety systems, and develop solutions that minimize severe injury risks in collisions.
 

The Asia Pacific region, especially countries like China, India, and Japan, is experiencing rapid growth in automotive manufacturing. This expansion drives the need for crash impact simulation solutions to support new vehicle development and testing. Automakers in the Asia Pacific are investing in these tools to streamline product development, optimize safety features, and ensure compliance with local regulations.
 

Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Market Share

Dassault Systèmes, Ansys, and Siemens collectively held a substantial market share of over 19% in the automotive crash impact simulator industry in 2023. Dassault Systèmes uses its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to provide an integrated environment for automotive design and simulation. This technique promotes collaboration at all stages of vehicle development, allowing manufacturers to seamlessly transition from virtual prototypes to real-world testing. Dassault improves efficiency and reduces time to market by providing CAD, simulation, and data management technologies.
 

ANSYS focuses on creating innovative simulation solutions that use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This method improves the accuracy and efficiency of crash simulations, giving car makers predictive insights into vehicle performance during crashes. This enables improved design optimization and safety checks.
 

Siemens follows a strategy based on the digital twin concept, including Internet of Things (IoT) technology into its automotive simulation products. This allows manufacturers to develop virtual reproductions of automobiles that are constantly updated with real-time data from sensors during physical testing or vehicle operation. Siemens uses this data to help automobile firms optimize designs and improve safety features.
 

Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Market Companies

Major players operating in the automotive crash impact simulator industry are:

• Altair
• Ansys
• Dassault Systèmes
• ESI Group
• Hexagon
• Illinois Tool Works
• MathWorks
• Siemens
• TUV SUD
• VI-grade
   

Automotive Crash Impact Simulator Industry News

• In September 2024, Altair HyperWorks partnered with Oasys Primer to enhance automotive safety simulation modeling and analysis. Following last year's update to its Simulation 2022.2 portfolio, Altair's platform now enables engineers to efficiently prepare, visualize, and build data using AI-augmented 3D modeling tools. While SimScale added an AI-based physics prediction feature in June, Altair's integration with Oasys' software simplifies the sharing of complex results.
   
• In September 2024, Siemens updated Simcenter Testlab to support advanced manufacturers in eliminating prototypes and speeding up product development. Siemens claims these updates can boost efficiency in complex impact testing by up to 50%. Engineers can now save time by reusing existing CAD data for instrumentation and impact points. Additionally, the new support for multiple hammers in testing extends the frequency range, essential for evaluating EV characteristics.
   

The automotive crash impact simulator market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecasts in terms of revenue ($ Mn/Bn) from 2021 to 2032, for the following segments:

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Market, By Vehicle

• Passenger vehicles
  • Hatchback
  • Sedan
  • SUV 
• Commercial vehicles
  • Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV)
  • Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV)

Market, By Propulsion

• ICE
• Electric vehicles
  • Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)
  • Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV)
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)

Market, By Simulation

• Hardware-in-the-loop simulation
• Software simulation
• Full-scale crash testing

Market, By Application

• Vehicle design & development
• Crash safety assessment
• Driver & passenger safety studies
• Others

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
  • Nordics
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • ANZ
  • Southeast Asia
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• MEA
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa