Problem addressed
CRSs (Child Restraint Systems) are a key passive safety system for kids when suffering a car accident. This element is in charge of minimizing the damage when an accident happens, but all this safety can be affected if the user does not install the solution correctly or if the car isn’t the correct one for the CRS. Textia Origin CRS will avoid user mal functioning by eliminating this critical point, this means we will create the safest CRS for that car model.
Importance for society
The main cause for children deaths are car accidents (i.e. in Spain 78% of all last year’s children deaths happened in car accidents and over one third of children aged between 0-14 years that have died in car accidents weren’t using a CRS). Not using this safety device rises the possibilities of death in over a 75%. The numbers also show that more than a 30% of children who died in car accidents had the CRS solution badly installed. So, taking figures into consideration, not using a CRS and having it badly installed can make the difference between living or dying. In fact, a recent study has shown that using a CRS that is correctly installed decreases in a 75% the probability of death and more than a 90% the probability of injury.
Due to regulatory issues and following with the European Commission challenge of 0 deaths in car accidents that should be achieved by 2020, children deaths have been reduced in the last years but there is still a long way to go. Textia`s vision is to reduce children injuries and deaths when car accidents occur as well as simplifying the election of a CRS and eliminating fitment errors which are the main cause for children deaths. In other words, Textia wants to make cars safer for children.
Overall objectives
The project is focused on understanding client and user needs (from manufacturers to end users) that will imply a difference in the decision-making process and go to market strategy. We also needed to identify key changes required from our functional prototype (all-stage CRS) for the Textia Origin Product and potential development plant to make them happen. Obviously, our penetration to the market must be following a brand priorization strategy that we will also develop with this feasibility study. All these parts will be summarized in a business plan.
Conclusions
We must continue with the Textia Origin CRS because we think it will contribute importantly to Textia success, being one of the main products of Textia by 2025 which will help to recruit 7 additional people in order to develop and commercialize this new product. Additionally, it will be key in many other important aspects for Textia sustaining a global innovative positioning and pioneering the penetration of new markets.
During market access phase I we will be launching the first pilot with the company of a Tier1 car seat manufacturer or with a car brand. Textia has already analyzed which are the most relevant car seats Tier1´s, OEM´s and has already prioritized the main contact brands. We have clearly defined the changes that need to be done from our current Textia Portable CRS product to the Origin version. Textia can implement by itself part of these adaptations, but other companies will be subcontracted to specialist in their field.
Textia has also analyzed the competitive landscape and has key advantages such as time and maturity of the technology which are key for our success, although we have already identified potential competitors. With all these ingredients we have built a business plan for the project (including development plan, commercial and personnel needs as well as potential impact in many indicators such as revenue, employment generated etc.)
