The effects of defective steering and suspension components on the steering of the vehicle and thus the safety of its passengers are enormous. Particularly with modern chassis designs, it is important that the interaction of all relevant components are a 100 percent functional. In addition to the main suspension gear components, small elements such as rubber-to-metal parts should also be checked and replaced regularly.

Operators of commercial vehicles fear nothing more than long downtimes due to repairs. If the clutch system is defective expensive and lengthy work may be necessary. With one exception: Repairs of the release system can be done relatively quickly – especially with the Sachs complete kits by ZF Aftermarket.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG has successfully completed the acquisition of commercial vehicle technology supplier WABCO, having gained approval from all required regulatory authorities. WABCO shares, previously listed on the New York Stock Exchange, cease public trading with immediate effect.

ZF has again achieved market success with its zero-emission drive technologies: London bus operator, Tower Transit, has ordered thirty-seven Metrodecker EVs from British bus manufacturer Optare. The battery-electric version of the typical red double-decker bus is propelled by the proven ZF electric portal axle, AxTrax AVE. ZF is now enabling two bus operators in London to offer clean mobility. Optare expects that one hundred electric double-decker buses will be on the roads of British city centers by the end of the year.

In order to make the conversion to local emission-free public transport as easy and flexible as possible, ZF supports commercial vehicle manufacturers with its broad technology expertise and system competence. Various manufacturers worldwide already rely on the AxTrax AVE portal axle as an electric drive for buses in public transport. Starting in the third quarter of 2020, the CeTrax electric central drive will be the second electric drive from ZF for public transport to go into volume production. The drive will be manufactured in Friedrichshafen.

With around 28 million units produced, the CDC system is one of the most widely used electronic chassis systems for passenger cars. In order to provide workshops with the best possible support for maintenance work on vehicles with CDC dampers, ZF Aftermarket is expanding its offering in this area. The extended product range includes Sachs CDC spare parts for mid-size and compact cars, in conjunction with many new additions from the luxury class. These high-tech shock absorbers offer an attractive opportunity for workshops as there are currently no low-quality replacement parts available.

ZF has launched an industry first Front Electric Park Brake, extending the range of Electric Park Brake (EPB) systems to a wider range of vehicles. With this solution, car manufacturers can now equip smaller vehicles with an advanced braking system and design their interior without the classic handbrake lever or park brake pedal.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG is joining the Open Manufacturing Platform (OMP), which was announced in 2019 by the BMW Group and Microsoft. The aim of this initiative is to enable faster and more cost-effective innovations in the manufacturing industry. The OMP technology framework and community are designed to nurture the development of smart-factory solutions across the sector. Sharing knowledge and utilizing industrial use cases and sample code, OMP members will be empowered to simplify and accelerate the development of their own services and solutions.

The Open Manufacturing Platform (OMP) has expanded, with new steering committee members and new working groups established. OMP is an alliance founded in 2019 to help manufacturing companies accelerate innovation at scale through cross-industry collaboration, knowledge and data sharing as well as access to new technologies. The OMP was founded under the umbrella of the Joint Development Foundation, which is part of the Linux Foundation.

Sinter Road & Track (SRT) premium brake pads by TRW are superior to conventional brake pads in several aspects. Even under the most challenging conditions, they ensure safe and precise braking. Compared to conventional sintered metal pads, they also exhibit considerably longer durability and more precise sensitivity under high loads.