Multi-Billion-Dollar VRU Detection Market Unlocking New Growth Opportunities

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The Vulnerable Road User (VRU) RF sensing platform market is gaining momentum as road safety becomes a top priority for governments, automakers, and smart-city developers. These platforms use radio-frequency technologies like radar and mmWave sensing to detect pedestrians, cyclists, and other at-risk road users—often performing better than cameras in poor weather or low-light conditions. The global VRU detection market was valued at approximately $2.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 14%, reaching over $6 billion by 2033.

Why it matters

As vehicles become more automated and cities invest in smarter infrastructure, RF-based VRU sensing is increasingly viewed as a must-have safety layer rather than a nice-to-have feature. This growth is being driven by stricter safety standards, rising urban density, and increased spending on intelligent transportation systems.

The details

VisionWave Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: VWAV) recently announced a successful live demonstration of SaverOne's proprietary Vulnerable Road User (VRU) radio-frequency (RF) sensing platform, conducted in Italy before a leading global commercial vehicle manufacturer. The demonstration provided a real-world illustration of the platform's ability to detect and alert drivers to human presence and movement in complex, dynamic, and visually challenged environments. Unlike traditional ADAS solutions that depend on direct visual input, SaverOne's VRU platform is designed to detect and localize vulnerable road users even when they are obscured, concealed, or outside direct line-of-sight — including in adverse weather, urban clutter, or visually degraded environments.

• The global VRU detection market was valued at approximately $2.1 billion in 2024.
• The VRU detection market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 14%, reaching over $6 billion by 2033.

What’s next

VisionWave is evaluating whether the underlying RF detection architecture may have relevance far beyond the road, including in transportation, infrastructure, and security environments where visibility is limited or unreliable. The company is also exploring potential applications in defense and security contexts, including deployment on unmanned aerial systems (UAS), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and fixed installations.