EU has mandated for manufacturers to reduce new commercial vehicle CO2 fleet emissions by 15 percent before 2025, increasing to 30 percent by 2030. 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. There are several such initiatives being taken by the governments across the world.
ZF, a global technology company and supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, sees this as an opportunity. The company is enhancing its efforts to enable intelligent commercial vehicles. Building on its recent acquisition of WABCO, it is working on development of its product and systems portfolio this includes an industry-first autonomous trailer coupling function and energy-saving truck-trailer combination.
Some of the steps taken by the company are as follows:
By integration of WABCO’s leading advanced driver assistance and fuel-efficiency systems into its existing technology range, the company is demonstrating the advantages of a complete and unique product portfolio for trucks, buses and trailer OEMS as well as fleets.
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.
ZF can now also extend its electrification expertise to trailers with the eTrailer. This semitrailer, with integrated electric motor, can convert the conventional truck it is coupled with into a hybrid vehicle that consumes up to 16 percent less fuel. In addition, with the e-trailer, traction and acceleration improve while noise level and brake wear decrease.
ZF also demonstrated recently fully automated coupling assistant which enables trucks to find their allocated trailer autonomously and engage automatically. Another innovation, Advanced Reversing Assist, a further enhanced reversing assist function for trucks was also revealed. – Both solutions help to reduce the risk of accidents, offer depots increased operating safety and efficiency while reducing the risk of time delays and repair costs that are typically associated with maneuvering damage.
For automated vehicle operations, the company is making use of WABCO’s ADOPTTM (Autonomous Driving Open Technology) software platform. 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).
The extended and integrated offering of truck, bus and trailer technologies provides ZF with broad access to a rich reservoir of vehicle systems data, which in turn power its growing portfolio of cloud-based applications and services to further optimize fleet efficiency and safety.
