ZF TRW says it welcomes ever-more stringent regulation as legislation makers challenge manufacturers to come up with increasingly creative and technologically-driven solutions to real-life situations.
The supplier – a division of parent company ZF – has a business-vested interest in meeting authorities’ mandates to deliver stricter compliance with regulations but maintains it embraces the demands placed on it.
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“One of the major challenges is with the rapid pace of technological change, how will we ensure long-term service for what might be regulatory systems in the future,” ZF board member and ZF TRW EVP business development director, Peter Lake told just-auto at the component maker’s winter test facility in Arvidsjaur, Northern Sweden.
“If you buy an autonomous vehicle, you expect it to be running for many years and if you are the second or third buyer, you expect it to be working.
“That is a rich area for industry to think about. That is good because it challenges the status quo.”
Despite the plethora of regulatory requirements, Lake added ZF TRW was not front of house when it came to pushing its case on a legislative level, but noted the supplier’s technical know-how meant it was occasionally asked for its opinion.
“We are not an active lobbyist,” said the ZF board member. “Particularly in the safety space we are regarded as having expertise and are consulted.
“So a notice of proposal might come to us and we might be asked to comment, but we we are not in any way, shape or form, an active lobbyist.”
Among some of the technology being showcased at this week’s Northern Sweden winter test in Arvidsjaur, was ZF TRW’s Integrated Brake Control (IBC) system.
Starting production in 2018, IBC is a vacuum independent technology which simplifies the brake system architecture, with the technology being demonstrated on a prototype SUV for the first time.
Also being presented at the test track was the component manufacturer’s Advanced Electronic Stability Control (EBC460) – on the latest production BMW 7 Series.
In addition to its range of braking functionality, the technology acts as a so called ‘black-box’ integration hub, hosting software algorithms to control certain automated driving, safety, chassis and drivetrain functions.
