Continuing just-auto’s series of interviews with tier one suppliers at the 2015 IAA, Matthew Beecham met with Peter Heimbrock, Director Engineering Tedrive Steering Systems GmbH to learn about its steering innovations and ambitions to grow business in China.
Could you tell us about some of the technologies that Tedrive Steering Systems is highlighting here at the IAA and your message?
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The main message on the passenger car side is lightweighting. For example, we have here a steering gear displayed that is 30 – 40 percent lighter compared to a conventional part. This one designed for eMobility vehicles hence those with very low front axle load.
We have developed a similar technology for column EPAS powered vehicles in the A, B and up to C class segments. For such cars, we have designed a mechanical steering gear with plastic housing that offers a reduction in weight of about half a kilogram. So saving half a kilo on the front axle becomes quite interesting for the OEMs.
Any other messages?
Although lightweighting is an important topic the other is, of course, autonomous driving. Due to our company set-up and history, we currently do not have any electric power steering (EPS) systems in production. We are working on that, though. In the meantime, we can offer another interesting solution, mainly for high front axle loads.
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By GlobalDataIn terms of higher front axle loads, there is a certain limitation in terms of EPS technology because you cannot offer enough electrical power which then limits the desired steering performance and feel. Therefore we believe that there is a good opportunity to use hydraulic [rack and pinion] steering gears. Our Intelligent Hydraulic Steering Assist (iHSA) enables us to control the hydraulics of the steering system independent of the driver. So we can supply all the comfort and safety functions which are usually only known from EPS systems. The major benefit of iHSA is that it is completely front axle load independent hence instead of requiring additional electrical power for the assist it takes existing energy from the hydraulics. By means of its torque overlay, iHSA can interface with driver assistance systems such as active lane keeping systems. Through the integration of the iHSA module into the rack and pinion or recirculating ball steering, we can make this technology available for cars, light commercial vehicles, trucks and busses.
What stage are you at with iHSA?
We are working on different projects with OEMs to get the system ready for the market implementation; and we are also developing modified applications of the iHSA for autonomous drive. Because with autonomous drive, of course, on the one hand you need to steer the vehicle without the driver’s input but on the other hand you need to make sure that the system is redundant. So let’s assume you have electric motor which fails and there is no driver. So you need to have a second way in which to steer the vehicle. You can achieve that in different ways and the iHSA systems offers some very smart solutions for that. We have already demonstrated such a system on a truck in a test situation.
We understand that you are expanding your sales in USA, Russia and China. Starting with China, you have been represented there mainly through your 50/50 joint-venture, Jebsen tedrive Steering Systems. How has this joint-venture performed so far and what are your ambitions to grow in the Chinese market?
The initial set up of this joint-venture is designed to identify opportunities in China and to help open doors for us. The partner [Jebsen Automotive Technik] knows the Chinese market well and is representing us in a sales capacity, initially. We are currently already in detailed discussions with a number of customers and are close to sign nomination agreements with them.
So if that initial sales push goes well, what then?
Basically there are two different markets in China. There is passenger car rack and pinion where it is always a unique steering gear to the vehicle. On trucks and buses, however, it is more a standard products which you can plug and play into different vehicle types which require only very small application work. That means we can enter the Chinese market [for trucks and buses] quickly. So if we win business tomorrow then we could probably start [shipping] three months from now.
What is the appetite for EPS in China?
We see in China – and some of the other [emerging] markets as well – that they are looking even more into cost efficient solutions. They are probably not the guys that need to have [quite] such high performance with the whole functionality range of an EPS system. They basically just need to steer the vehicle with maybe some base additional functions like speed depended assist. So they are looking more to a base line EPS without the full range of functionalities.
EPS has evolved through a number of technology generations. What could OEMs expect from the next generation?
There are some things which are a given with EPS these days, such as safety, steering performance and feel. When EPS took off a decade ago, the steering feel was a nightmare compared to the hydraulic systems. That has changed. The next step is really down to, on one side, weight saving so more on the mechanical side of the system. On the other side, I see far more integration of EPAS into the overall vehicle advanced functionalities.
OEMs talk about steering feel. Can it be tuned depending on the brand?
The remainder of this interview is available on just-auto’s QUBE light vehicle steering research service
