Implementation and importance of ISOFIX and Latch System in the Brazilian Automotive Market 2014-36-0165

The increase in crash tests done for independent entities of consumer protection, such as the Euro NCAP (Europe) or IIHS (United States) have shown increasingly importance for safety regarding the occupant protection. The consumer of the automotive market in developed countries, as United States or countries of European Union for example, they seek for a safer vehicle when buying a new one. On the other hand in Brazil, the consumer does not have the culture of buying a vehicle thinking in safety performance, but they choose the cars because of body style and accessories. The regulation of the Brazilian government's obligation to Air Bag and ABS brakes for all vehicles produced in the country from January 2014 and the INOVAR AUTO program, aims to bring more safety to vehicles produced in the country. And certainly the ISOFIX system will be one of the items that should be implemented in the coming years, because the government agency INMETRO, has made the rules for child seats with ISOFIX system in January of this year and our neighbor Argentina also has already set the date for implementing the ISOFIX system on all cars produced there from 2018.The Latin NCAP, responsible to evaluate the vehicles in Latin America region, changed the scoring rules in the final of 2013. In order to a vehicle receive 5 stars in the child protection category, it will be necessary improve child restraint system. The alternative to improve can be the implementation of ISOFIX system, where its effectiveness has been proven through studies and tests, both in Brazil and abroad. An action of the OEM's in Brazil is expected towards including ISOFIX system as a standard in the new vehicles. Similar action is expected for child seats manufactures to meet these requirements. This paper was prepared to show the technical and financial impacts of child restraint seats (ISOFIX system) implementation, for the OEM's and for the consumers, showing their roles in vehicle safety in the Brazilian automotive market.