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YEAR ONE IMPACT REPORT
Table of Contents

BrighterSignals

brightersignals.com
BrighterSignals
Textile sensors deliver safer experiences in cars, clinics, and robots.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Brighter Signals develops a proprietary materials‑science platform built around fabric‑based tactile sensor arrays for automotive, healthcare, and robotics. These flexible textile sensors capture detailed force and position data, closing a critical safety gap for vehicle occupants who face disproportionate airbag‑related risks. The same technology also strengthens safety and responsiveness in clinical and robotic environments, enabling smarter, more human‑aware systems.

Problem

Most restraint systems still treat every passenger the same, even though a child in a rear‑facing seat and a tall adult experience crashes very differently. Research shows these systems save lives, but it also highlights how airbags can cause injuries or even fatalities—especially for children and infants positioned too close to the airbag, and for shorter or older drivers who sit nearer to the steering wheel.
These risks underscore the need for restraint systems that adapt to different body sizes and seating positions, rather than relying on a one‑size‑fits‑all approach that can unintentionally increase harm in certain situations.

Solution

Euro NCAP’s 2026 protocol raises the bar for airbag deactivation, seatbelt adaptation, and out‑of‑position detection, all of which must now rely on real‑time occupant monitoring. Vehicles must identify driver and passenger size, adjust restraint strategies within ten seconds, and demonstrate adaptation across at least two size categories. Continuous posture monitoring and clear warnings are also required.
Meeting these standards demands more advanced sensing than what’s common today. Visual sensors alone have limitations, but when paired with weight sensors or seat‑pressure mats, vehicles gain a far clearer picture of occupant size and position. Brighter Signals’ technology enables these next‑generation systems, supporting personalised restraint strategies in real time.

BrighterSignals Impact Overview

Flexible, fabric‑based sensor arrays integrated into a single textile layer within vehicle seats create a new source of occupant data. By measuring force, weight, position, and proximity, these sensors capture the real‑world variability of how people sit—providing inputs that traditional visual sensors alone cannot reliably deliver.

Once integrated by Tier‑1 manufacturers, the system continuously monitors occupant presence, size, posture, and distance from the dashboard. This data feeds directly into restraint‑control systems, enabling personalised airbag deployment force, timing, and seatbelt load‑limiting. The sensors also detect micro‑vibrations from infant heartbeat and breathing, ensuring child‑presence detection even in poor visual conditions. Vehicles equipped with this capability can classify each occupant accurately and adapt restraint strategies to meet Euro NCAP 2026 requirements.
As adoption grows, more vehicles will make reliable, real‑time restraint decisions. The long‑term impact is safer travel for everyone, with disproportionate benefits for female occupants who currently face systemic safety disadvantages from restraint systems designed around male physiology.

Impact KPIs

Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) Status
ORANGE

Brighter Signals is gathering metrics to define its KPI targets.

KPI 1
Cumulative number of vehicles equipped with Brighter Signals technology

Impact Measurement & Management Status Key

  • GREEN

    Green Tag: Monitoring Framework Set

    Fully Set Up & Active Insights: Portfolio companies marked in green, have fully set up their Impact KPI framework. We provide comprehensive insights into their metrics and verified impact outcomes.

  • BLUE

    Blue Tag: KPI Target Set

    Data Collection & Target Calibration: Portfolio companies marked in blue are actively collecting data points to set accurate, realistic targets for their Impact KPIs.

  • ORANGE

    Orange Tag: Early Stage & Onboarding

    Deal Closed, IAC Endorsed, KPIs Set: Portfolio companies marked in orange are at the beginning of the IMM process, having only recently joined our portfolio. They have established initial KPI alignment with the investment team and with guidance from our Impact Advisory Committee (IAC).