Christopher Hanson-Abbott: a pioneer in vehicle safety technology

Christopher Hanson-Abbott, who recently passed away at the age of 92, dedicated a significant part of his life to improving safety. He was a leading figure in vehicle safety technology. His company, Brigade Electronics, was the first to sell reversing alarms in the UK. He also helped create advanced broadband reversing alarm technology that has prevented many accidents and saved lives around the world.

Christopher was born in Alexandria, Egypt. His father was an officer in the Royal Air Force, and his mother was a keen golfer.

During the second world war, his family moved several times within Britain. Christopher developed a strong interest in aircraft from a young age and could identify most planes he saw.

He was educated at Haileybury and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. After joining the Royal Artillery, he worked as a shipbroker in London. His career later took him to Hong Kong and Japan. It was in Japan that he first saw reversing alarms, which were not yet used in Britain.

In 1976, he established Brigade Electronics, becoming the first person to offer reversing alarms to the British market. Working with a Japanese colleague, Masato Yamashita, he was instrumental in developing multifrequency broadband sound for these alarms. This patented technology allowed users to quickly tell where danger was coming from, while also reducing unwanted noise. This innovation was later used in other vehicle safety systems, tunnels, and emergency situations. Christopher often said he worked in the business of saving lives, and this was truly the case.

In recognition of his work in road and workplace safety, he was awarded an OBE in 2014. Brigade Electronics grew into a global company, receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2019 and the King’s Award for Enterprise in 2024.

Outside of his business career, Christopher had a deep appreciation for music. He started the Vivamus choir and was involved with music and arts organisations. He also supported Quiet Mark, a group focused on reducing unnecessary noise, a goal that aligned with his own values. He was known in his local area of Greenwich for his generosity and for supporting local people and projects.

Christopher was married and divorced three times. He had five children: Adrian, Philip, Nicola, and Julia from his first marriage, and Charlotte from his second. He also had eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and his partner of 23 years.