Global Market Review of Vehicle Electrical Wiring Systems

The need to reduce cost, cut emissions, improve fuel economy and safety are the main forces driving the electrical and electronic distribution systems (EEDS) market. Manufacturers point out that the increasing use of electronics hard- and software can significantly help address these concerns.

The popularity of hybrid vehicles is also placing demands on EEDS. For instance, the additional voltage level for the electric drive must be safely distributed between the assemblies of equipment. Furthermore, the already existing demand for weight reduction becomes far more critical when the extra weight of the electro-motor and hybrid battery is considered. In today's hybrid vehicles, the conventional electrical system and the hybrid electrical system are, for the most part, separate.

For manufacturers, the increase in the content and complexity of electrical and electronic components also requires a broader overall design perspective. This shift in design philosophy is, as Lear Corp describes it, "moving from the wire itself to the wire ends", reflecting a view that design should include both the wiring and the electromechanical and electronic devices to which they are connected.

In this fifth edition report, just-auto has added an additional 3,000 words over the previous edition, reviewing the key market drivers for vehicle electrical wiring systems, and updating the market analysis. Following our market overview in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 presents overviews of the latest suppliers' activities.

Also, we run through what's been happening in the emerging markets in this sector and we provide 2008 supplier market share percentages of wiring harnesses for the major producing regions, plus the world market as a whole.

It's in chapter 2 where you'll find our latest historic and forecast data for wiring harnesses. We provide 2005 to 2016 market values in North America, Western Europe, Japan and China for vehicle wiring harnesses by application, e.g. separate data rows for engine harness, roof harness, floor harness, etc. In total, we split the market into seven sub-categories. Also included is our actual/estimate, best- and worst-case scenario data.

Plus we have included a detailed interview that just-auto conducted with Intedis' managing director, Pascal Degardins in June 2009.

Extract:

just-auto: When we think about the conventional wiring system architecture, presumably adding a device means adding a new wire. Or does it? Are you now seeing more and more inter-connects which are protocol-based? What are the implications?

Pascal Degardins: New functions imply new wires. Multiplexing can only be used between electronic units and act as the link between some intelligent sensors. The majority of sensors and actuators are hard wired. The silicon industry is making strong progress in integration using cost-effective single chip solutions. This has led to an increase of smart sensors and actuators. Silicon manufacturers, however, face a difficult challenge for two reasons. First, wires are cheap. Second, automotive requirements for electronics are more demanding than for consumer electronics.

Chapter 3 Technical review

Here we set out a review of recent innovations in this sector, including:

• Wire in composite packaging
• Sensor integration in ECUs
• Ultra-thin cabling
• Hydrolysis-resistant materials
• Non-lead stabiliser compounds
• The latest wiring harness development standards

Also provided is an interview with Gerulf Kinkelin, director of research and innovation at PSA Peugeot Citro?<

Chapter 4 Manufacturers

This chapter provides profiles of the major manufacturers, namely Alcoa Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Delphi, Intedis, Lear, Leoni, Sumitomo Wiring Systems and Yazaki.