AVAS Platformization: Control-Unit Value Shift and OEM Focus on Integration and Calibration Cost

In the AVAS market, procurement decisions are rarely about “adding a speaker.” They focus on delivering compliant, repeatable exterior warning behavior on electrified platforms with minimal integration friction and validation risk. According to APO Research’s latest 2026 report, the global AVAS market generated about US$339 million in 2025; it is expected to reach around US$383 million in 2026 and approach roughly US$905 million by the end of 2032, implying a CAGR of approximately 15% from 2026 to 2032. For OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, AVAS sits at the intersection of regulatory compliance, vehicle E/E architecture, and brand-facing acoustic tuning, which is why it is increasingly managed as a system program rather than a standalone component.

An Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) typically comprises a control unit, power management stage, integrated amplifier, communication interface, and an exterior acoustic output path (e.g., loudspeaker), among other elements. The control unit is the primary value driver of the AVAS system, with an automotive MCU as its core. AVAS acquires vehicle signals such as speed and gear position over the in-vehicle network, interprets operating state, executes sound-generation and control algorithms on the MCU or a DSP, and outputs speed-dependent warning sounds to alert pedestrians and other road users.

Because AVAS must deliver appropriate tone, timbre, and sound pressure level across multiple operating scenarios (e.g., different speeds and changing ambient noise), program upgrades increasingly center on sound synthesis design, context-aware gain and spectral management, and verification of consistent warning behavior under real-world conditions. Mercedes-Benz provides a representative example: AVAS sound profiles can vary across the U.S., EU, Japan, and China to align with regional requirements and brand intent. In some designs, the vehicle is required to emit an exterior sound immediately when a drive gear is engaged, then progressively increase output during launch until approximately 30 km/h, after which the sound is reduced or turned off, forming a differentiation point for certain electrified models.

From an engineering and delivery standpoint, modern AVAS is best understood as a controller and drive chain plus an exterior acoustic output path, bundled with calibration content and verification artifacts. Programs typically revolve around interface consolidation, diagnostics and software version control, durability under underhood and splash-zone environments where applicable, and predictable low-speed acoustic performance without introducing new NVH, packaging, or thermal penalties. As platforms standardize, the “true cost” of AVAS is measured as much in integration loops, test iterations, and change-control overhead as in the nominal hardware BOM.

This is why system form factor is often the most decision-relevant segmentation. APO Research estimates that in 2026 integrated AVAS accounts for about US$284 million versus roughly US$98 million for split architectures, placing integrated solutions at close to three quarters of the market. Integrated architectures tend to shorten integration cycles and simplify validation, diagnostics, and software-release alignment across multi-platform deployments. Split architectures are more common when OEMs reuse legacy amplification, speakers, or domain allocations, but can be structurally disadvantaged as software governance, traceability, and platform consistency become harder requirements.

Regionally, 2026 revenue is anchored by markets where electrified volumes and enforcement intensity translate most directly into AVAS take-rate. APO Research estimates China at around US$196 million in 2026, Europe about US$102 million, and North America about US$56 million, with the remaining regions collectively in the high-US$20 million range. Scale is also visible in units: shipments are estimated at roughly 44 million systems in 2025 and are expected to exceed 56 million systems in 2026, indicating unit growth that outpaces value growth and pushing procurement toward cost normalization and lifecycle-quality discipline rather than one-off compliance sourcing.

On the supply side, the ecosystem combines platform-scale Tier 1 integrators and a long tail of regional specialists. Representative suppliers include Aptiv, HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, Denso, Harman, Brigade Electronics, Sonavox, Continental AG, Hyundai Mobis, Alps Alpine, BESTAR, Tianjin Bodun Electronics, Gemmy Electronics, and Qufu TEMB Automotive Electric. For 2026, the market is expected to remain meaningfully concentrated, with the top five suppliers collectively around the half-of-revenue range and a clear leader in the low-20% share band, while smaller suppliers stay relevant through localized responsiveness and cost positioning on specific platforms. By 2032, growth remains structurally tied to electrified production and regulatory rigidity, but competitive advantage increasingly shifts to system-level integration capability, software maintenance and OTA consistency, and scalable acoustic differentiation with controlled validation workload.