Vehicle safety is “the next frontier” for automotive electronics, according to Jason Forcier, president North America, automotive electronics, Robert Bosch LLC. Speaking at the 2008 SAE World Congress in Detroit, Forcier said automakers, suppliers, legislators, regulators, and consumer advocacy groups must collaborate to achieve technology-neutral legislation and a common understanding among consumers of the benefits of safety technologies.

Citing statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Forcier noted that vehicle-related fatalities have remained relatively constant at 40,000 per-year for nearly a decade. He said active safety technologies like forward collision warning, predictive braking and lane departure warning help to improve drivers' safety by avoiding crashes or reducing their severity.