ZF is poised to be the leading technology partner to the commercial vehicle industry with the addition of Wabco’s capabilities. The company is playing a pivotal role in the industry’s drive towards a more sustainable, connected and safer future. With a clear focus on reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing safety standards, ZF is also at the forefront of delivering the next level of vehicle automation and digital connectivity.
Recent applications and technology advancements were showcased today by the leading commercial vehicle technology systems supplier at a digital press event in the ZF Forum.
Building on its recent acquisition of Wabco, ZF is accelerating the development of its product and systems portfolio to enable intelligent commercial vehicles. This includes an industry-first autonomous trailer coupling function and energy-saving truck-trailer combination.
EU requirements for manufacturers to reduce new commercial vehicle CO2 fleet emissions by 15 percent before 2025, increasing to 30 percent by 2030, makes ZF an invaluable partner to the commercial vehicle industry as demand for electric drive trains in buses and trucks grows exponentially. In addition, the EU requires new driver assistance systems approvals from 2022 and, from 2024, for new registrations to include advanced blind spot warning systems.
“WABCO is a perfect strategic match for ZF and has enabled us to accelerate our global leadership as a future-oriented, full-range technology supplier and systems integrator serving the commercial vehicle industry,” said Fredrik Staedtler, head of ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Control Systems Division.
“When it comes to transformative solutions for the next generation of commercial vehicles, we are at full speed,” added Andreas Moser, Head of ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Technology Division. “As a result, we can highlight new innovations such as the fuel-saving truck-trailer prototype, designed for energy-efficient driving. It combines a lightweight design and aerodynamics with optimized chassis space offering major benefits for future electrification strategies.”
ZF has also accelerated its successful commercial vehicle electrification program. ZF’s AxTrax AVE electric axle has been in daily operation for a number of years and, this year, the Group will start volume production of the CeTrax electric central drive. By 2023, a complete modular electric drive kit, with axle and central drives, will be established for buses and trucks of up to 44 tons. As with other ZF electric systems, it will be ‘open to technology’, meaning it can be combined with a battery or fuel cell, for example.
ZF can now also extend its electrification expertise to trailers with the eTrailer.
For automated vehicle operations, advanced vehicle motion control based on WABCO’s ADOPTTM (Autonomous Driving Open Technology) software platform increases safety, efficiency and operational productivity. The ADOPT framework applies ZF’s expertise in Autonomous Driving and Artificial Intelligence to the commercial vehicle world, helping to simplify and accelerate the development of Automated Driving applications for Virtual Drivers (Autonomous Driving Artificial Intelligence). It is specifically designed to support automated driving modes by providing instant, precise maneuvering and stable vehicle control in response to “real world” automated driving.