Hyundai Mobis Amplifying Radar Capabilities
Hyundai Mobis is working with SMS, a German tech company that has worked with TRW (now ZF) and Continental, on developing entry-level front and side radars.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, Automotive Design & Production
ZF Launches Front Electric Parking Brake
Performance, design and weight benefits coming to smaller vehicles
Lawsuits Target Millions of ZF-TRW Airbag Controllers
Millions of airbag control modules may fail in a crash and prevent the airbags from deploying, according to two lawsuits that seek class-action status in the U.S.
U.S. Steps Up Probe of 12.3 Million Faulty Airbag Controllers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has upgraded a year-old investigation into an electrical flaw in 12.3 million TRW Automotive airbag controllers linked to eight fatalities.
Autoliv, TRW Fined $416 Million for Price Fixing in Europe
The European Commission has fined Autoliv and TRW for conspiring to rig prices for seatbelts, airbags and steering wheels supplied to BMW and Volkswagen Group.
UPDATE: Wabco Confirms Sale Talks with ZF
German powertrain and electronics supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG has begun talks about buying American rival Wabco Holdings Inc.
Northrop Grumman Exec Joins GM Board
General Motors Co. is adding Wes Bush, chairman of Northrop Grumman Corp.’s board of directors, as a director to its own board.
Auto’s Moon Shot
Automakers and suppliers are increasingly partnering with each other, competitors, tech companies and startups to reduce costs and ensure they have the proper expertise and resources to develop the necessary technologies needed for next-generation vehicles.
Steve Plumb
Senior Editor, AutoBeat Daily , AutoBeat
Former ZF Exec Tapped to Head Chassix
Chassix Inc., a Southfield, Mich.-based supplier of aluminum and cast iron casting machined chassis, powertrain and sub-frame components, has appointed Andreas Weller as president and CEO, effective immediately.
FCA Appoints Outsiders as COO, PR Chief for N. America
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV has named former executives from Amazon and Shell Oil to be chief operating officer and head of communications for its North American business.
Report: Former ZF CEO to Join Volkswagen
Stefan Sommer, who was ousted as CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG last December, reportedly will join Volkswagen AG as the company’s purchasing chief.
ZF Posts Record Sales as Operating Profits Rise
ZF Friedrichshafen AG reports its pretax earnings in 2017 rose 5% to €2.2 billion ($2.7 billion), as sales climbed 4% to a record €36.4 billion ($45 billion).
EC Fines Three Suppliers €151 Million for Price Fixing
The European Commission has fined Bosch, Continental and NGK a combined €151 million ($185 million) for conspiring to control competition for sparkplugs and electronic braking systems in Europe.
ZF Eyes Another Large Acquisition
CEO Stefan Sommer says ZF Friedrichshafen AG is financially strong enough to make another big acquisition similar in size to its $13.5 billion takeover of TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. two years ago.
ZF, Porsche and the 8DT
ZF TRW Active and Passive Safety Technology Division (zf.com) and Porsche have collaborated on an innovative 8-speed dual clutch transmission (8DT) that is modular in design and engineering such that it lends itself to a variety of situations.
ZF Buys Stake in Radar Company
ZF Friedrichshafen AG has acquired a 45% stake in Germany’s Astyx Communication & Sensors GmbH, which supplies ultra-high-frequency radar sensors and modules used in automated and driver-assist systems.
ZF to Sell Body Control Unit
ZF Friedrichshafen AG is preparing an estimated $1 billion deal to sell its Body Controls Systems unit in an effort to pay down debt, sources tell Reuters.
ZF Buys Stake in Lidar Supplier
ZF Friedrichshafen AG has acquired a 40% stake in Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH, a Hamburg, Germany-based supplier of lidar and other technologies aimed at self-driving vehicles.
Airbag Market in India Poised to Surge
Only about one in three passenger vehicles sold in India today comes equipped with airbags.
Driving Toward Vehicle Automation
The building blocks necessary for vehicle automation are falling into place, but will the transition be swift or steady?
Christopher A. Sawyer
Contributing Editor
Airbags on the Outside
Airbags are seemingly everywhere on the interior of vehicles. But what about on the outside? One day we could see them there, too.
The “Eyes” of Self-Driving Cars
To become truly self driving, cars will need multiple means of identifying such objects as lane markings, traffic signs, pedestrians and nearby vehicles, notes Sharath Reddy, engineering director for active and passive safety technology at ZF TRW.
The Brains Behind Self-Driving Cars
Perhaps the biggest challenge in bringing self-driving cars to market is giving them enough brainpower to process data about their driving environment and respond appropriately, says Andy Whydell, director, Global Electronics Product Planning at ZF TRW.
Automatic Lane Changing
Cars are coming to market now that can automatically stay in their own lane and maintain a proper distance from the vehicle ahead.
ZF to Open Global Electronics HQ Outside Detroit
ZF Friedrichshafen AG plans to open a 171,000-sq-ft global electronics headquarters for its ZF TRW unit in Farmington Hills, Mich., by June, Crain’s Detroit Business reports.
