As part of just-auto’s annual review of steering systems, Matthew Beecham talked with Salvatore Oliveri, chief technology officer for tedrive Group, in September. tedrive designs and makes driveshafts, differentials and steering systems. Since then, however, the company has been declared bankrupt yet the management stresses that the company will continue to trade while in receivership.
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just-auto: Could you talk us through tedrive’s roadmap for its steering system technologies?
Salvatore Oliveri: The automotive industry’s general demands and benefits, namely fuel efficiency, packaging, complexity, quality and cost considerations, need to be addressed simultaneously which is a challenge. Although our packaging solutions for hydraulic systems are already minimized, we need to improve it further, in particular with regard to cost and integration ideas. Enhanced input shafts to reduce the overall complexity in the steering system is one example. For fuel efficiency improvements, we are currently searching for a development partner to create integrated systems which would bring real savings in miles per gallon. Our roadmap takes account of our expertise and knowledge of hydraulic steering systems integration with a high local tendency to find a partner to keep costs down and remain price-competitive globally. Overall, tedrive’s priorities are: cost efficiency; systems integration; packaging; NVH [noise, vibration and harshness] expertise; and flawless customer support with on-time product deliveries.
just-auto: Could you tell us the special / novel features of your steering gears for hydraulic and electrohydraulic steering systems?
Salvatore Oliveri: A special feature on the hydraulic and electro-hydraulic steering gear is our valve set-up which, in Europe, demonstrates our state-of-the-art steering feel performance at an affordable cost level.
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By GlobalDataAlso, the stiffness of tedrive’s steel housing for steering gears allows us to reduce the overall complexity of the steering gear while increasing the quality level due to better control.
Novel features in tedrive’s production portfolio are, since 2005, the steel housing steering gear. The product was honoured by the German steel industry association with the 2006 Steel Innovation Prize for its steel housing, finishing in first place in the steel products category.
The next step will be the integration of EPS features in such hydraulic designs, where we believe we are improving design for future needs like cognitive safety system warnings or lane keeping features. The integration of a parking steer support feature is also an achievable benefit with hydraulic steering systems with electronic upgrade in the near future.
just-auto: Do your systems appeal to certain segments of the car and truck market?
Salvatore Oliveri: tedrive’s steel housing and other steering products certainly do appeal to the global car market at the moment. These products are also feasible for the truck market up to four tons GVW [gross vehicle weight].
just-auto: I guess EPS systems are pushing hydraulic steering-assist systems off the road. How do you see the hydraulic steering sector evolving over the next few years?
Salvatore Oliveri: The hydraulic steering market will decline over the next few years in Europe, but with a very slow rate after 2012. We estimate that the European market will keep more than 25% HPS [hydraulic power assist] after 2015.
The reasons for these developments are:
- gross vehicle weight greater than two tons results in steering load demands greater than 16 kN;
- improvements in HPS to gain EPS features;
- improvements in low CO2 adaptive hydraulic pumps;
- a premium steering feel;
- careful evaluation of cost versus benefit.
just-auto: Despite early predictions of electro-hydraulic steering being a transitional technology, it looks as if it is here to stay, albeit for the foreseeable future.
Salvatore Oliveri: We agree that this technology will stay longer than those early predictions. The main reasons for [electro-hydraulic steering] maintaining a presence in the market are sue to packaging benefits, niche application solutions, cost benefits and the fact that EPS requires a high investment.
just-auto: What are your forecasts for fitment of hydraulic and electrohydraulic steering systems in Europe?
Salvatore Oliveri: By 2015, we expect the European steering market to see fitment rates of 25-30% HPS 55-65% EPS and 5-10% EHPS.
just-auto: Do you foresee drivers being able to adjust steering like current suspension settings?
Salvatore Oliveri: Yes, this will come to increase safety and comfort aspects, but within ‘safety-adjusted’” technical limits.
just-auto: Could we see more design integration of braking, steering and suspension?
Salvatore Oliveri: This close interface is amongst the most important ones regarding safety, stability and the reduction of stopping distances even with uneven roads. The link will be tuned by software only, with open interfaces.
just-auto: Do you see an even stronger link with advanced driver assistance systems?
Salvatore Oliveri: Yes, but maybe not before the link braking, steering, and suspension is mature in production; developments are taking place for certain future cognitive safety features.
just-auto: Are there other approaches being developed that use advanced electronic techniques? What about rear wheel steering perhaps supplemented by ultra-capacitors coupled with improvements in sensors, power and control?
Salvatore Oliveri: Rear wheel steering systems are useful, if you need agility, suspension improvements, or stability in certain turns. [However,] the cost versus benefit for such systems is highly dependent on the physical platform branding needs of our customers. Such systems are starting in niche areas get modern again.
See also: RESEARCH ANALYSIS: Review of steering systems
Global market review of automotive steering systems – forecasts to 2014 (download)
GERMANY: First casualty of global credit crisis – tedrive
About tedrive
tedrive’s central areas of expertise include system design, integration, prototyping, testing, component manufacturing and final assembly. The company’s current annual global manufacturing capacity is 2.3 million steering gears. tedrive’s core steering products include steering gears for hydraulic and electro-hydraulic steering systems. The company’s portfolio includes manual steering, aluminium and steel housings, racks, valves and tie rods. To date, steering specialist tedrive is the only automotive supplier mass-producing steel housings for steering gears. With annual sales of some €500 million and 2,600 employees at five locations, tedrive is a focused mid-sized automotive supplier that is active globally. The company headquarters is located in Heerlen, the Netherlands.
