CAMBRIDGE, England—According to a recent study by IDTechEx, autonomous and electric vehicle applications will drive demand for copper over the next decade. The research firm predicts that annual copper use in the auto industry will grow 5 percent annually between now and 2034.

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will be one of the main reasons for this increased demand. As autonomous technology continues to gain in popularity, critical safety sensors such as cameras and radar will use copper within their internal circuit boards.

While rising automation features will increase wiring complexity, the main factor driving demand for copper will come from electrification within the automotive sector, due to important components such as batteries, power electronics and traction motors. In addition to a need for more high-voltage cable and wiring, that will lead to growing demand for bus bars, copper foil and other components that transfer electricity.