ZF-HIGHLIGHT
The Tri-Cam front camera system features three lenses: a fisheye lens (up to 30 meters), a medium angle lens (up to 150 meters), and a telephoto lens (up to 300 meters). This system provides comprehensive environmental monitoring for automated driving, enhancing features like automatic emergency braking by offering long-range object detection and close-range wide-angle views. ZF plans to link the Tri-Cam with AI-compatible control units such as the ZF ProAI to advance automated driving capabilities.
Content Overview
- ON NEW PATHS: Reinventing transportation for the 21st century.
- MOBILITY FOR CITIES AND OVERLAND NEWLY DEFINED: Expert discussion on urban and rural mobility concepts.
- MOVING ON STRESS-FREE: Demand for emission-free vehicles and ZF's solutions.
- THE ROBOT ALWAYS RINGS TWICE: Intelligent delivery vehicles and their impact on shopping and traffic.
- HIGHLY PRECISE AND UP-TO-DATE: The role of high-definition maps for autonomous driving.
- NAVIGATING FUNDAMENTAL TRANSITIONS: Professor Robert C. Wolcott on managing industry change.
- SPLIT-SECOND DECISION: How AI and supercomputers enable autonomous vehicle decisions.
- SILENT RUNNING: ZF's innovative transmission function reduces fuel consumption.
- SYSTEM MEETS COMPONENT: ZF engineers discuss chassis readiness for autonomous driving.
- IN FOCUS: FARMING 4.0: ZF's technology applied to agricultural vehicles.
- MANY ASSISTANTS ONE LOGIC: A new concept for coordinating driver assistance systems.
ZF MOMENT
Description of the ZF Brand Tunnel at IAA, showcasing the five stages of automated driving (Levels 1-5) and "Vision Zero" (zero emissions) through video walls and mirror effects.
SMART MOBILITY: FACTS AND FIGURES
Key statistics and trends shaping future mobility:
- Alternative Drives: By 2026, alternative propulsion in medium-sized commercial vehicles will increase from 1% (2016) to 20%. (Source: Deloitte)
- New Cars: By 2030, 1 in 10 new cars sold will be shared, and 30% of miles driven will be from shared mobility. Electric vehicles could be 10-50% of global sales. (Source: McKinsey&Company)
- Software Beats Hardware: The telematics market for commercial vehicles will grow to €10 billion by 2026, with software's share rising from 5% to 80%. (Source: Deloitte)
- Intelligent Systems Save Time: Cooperative intelligent transport systems will save 2.6 billion hours in traffic in the EU by 2030. (Source: EU Commission)
- Services are Becoming Ever More Important: Mobility services turnover is projected to grow from $30 billion (0.85%) to $1,500 billion (22%) by 2030. (Source: McKinsey&Company)
- Robo-Taxis Could Replace Private Cars: In Munich, 18,000 robo-taxis could replace 200,000 private cars, reducing city center traffic by 30%. (Source: Berylls Strategy Advisors)
ON NEW PATHS
Summary: The transportation sector must reinvent itself to meet 21st-century challenges. The article draws parallels to the Industrial Revolution, highlighting how steam engines and railroads transformed society. It then discusses the car's impact on urban planning and settlement patterns, especially in the USA, leading to increased mobility needs. Prosperity and mobility are closely linked, with global population growth and emerging economies further increasing mobility demands. However, this growth presents challenges like resource scarcity, pollution, and climate impact. Smart mobility aims to satisfy growing mobility needs while addressing environmental concerns, including flexible work hours and leisure activities. The ZF Intelligent Dynamic Driving Chassis (IDDC) is mentioned in the context of the Rinspeed SNAP concept car, focusing on electric, autonomous platforms and pods for people or goods.
SMART MOBILITY SOLUTIONS ARE EMERGING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS
Summary: Conventional mobility concepts are struggling. Chris Urmson (Aurora) identifies three disruptive developments: electric motors, vehicle connectivity, and autonomous driving. These pave the way for new solutions. ADAC outlines six features of new mobility: seamless, autonomous, shared, efficient, connected, and intelligent. Smart mobility solutions will initially appear where problems are most pressing and economic power exists, coexisting with older solutions for at least a decade. The future vision includes electric autonomous cars and robo-taxis in cities, Hyperloop for inter-city travel, and underground cargo transport systems (Cargo sous terrain AG).
Did you know?
New mobility solutions extend beyond roads:
- Take Off in a Drone Taxi: Autonomous drone taxis are being trialed in Singapore and Dubai (Volocopter 2X). They are described as two-person vehicles with 18 rotors, top speed of 100 km/h, and 30-minute battery life.
- To Check-In Desk with WHILL NEXT: Autonomous wheelchairs (Panasonic/Whill) are trialed at Tokyo Airport for transporting people with disabilities. They navigate autonomously and return to charging stations.
- Carrying is So Yesterday: The "Gita" robot (Piaggio subsidiary PFF) follows people and carries up to 18 kg, navigating using SLAM technology.
- Sea Bubbles: Eco-friendly electric water taxis using hydrofoils are being trialed in Geneva, designed to ease urban congestion and pollution. They can be booked via app and will operate autonomously in the future.
MOBILITY FOR CITIES AND OVERLAND NEWLY DEFINED
Summary: Tom Kirschbaum (door2door) discusses the inefficiency of current transport and the importance of ride-sharing and supplementing existing infrastructure with digital options. He emphasizes that mobility is regional and requires tailored solutions, not one-size-fits-all. User behavior is changing, with mobility becoming a commodity focused on sharing. He foresees a future without privately owned cars in cities, especially with autonomous vehicles. Rural areas face challenges with fragmented public transport and reliance on private cars. On-demand solutions and shuttle services can improve rural mobility by optimizing routes and making second cars superfluous. Autonomous vehicles are expected to be widespread in cities by 2021 and commonplace within ten years.
MOVING ON STRESS-FREE
Summary: The article highlights the growing demand for new mobility concepts in urban areas due to urbanization. Traffic congestion, air pollution, and parking issues are major problems. The solution lies in an intelligent mix of emission-free, electric-powered vehicles and seamless, intermodal transportation. ZF offers components and systems for electric drives, including central drives for buses (CeTrax) and portal axles (AVE 130), as well as modular axle systems for cars and light commercial vehicles (mSTARS). ZF is also entering micromobility with compact e-bike motors. Shared mobility (car-sharing, ride-sharing) is crucial for reducing traffic volume. ZF's "Car eWallet" facilitates autonomous payment transactions for car sharing. Autonomous vehicles (robo-taxis, people movers, cargo movers) are seen as a key future solution, with ZF investing in e.GO Mobile AG for the e.GO Mover.
The robot always rings twice
Summary: The rise of online shopping has led to a logistics boom, increasing delivery vehicles on city streets and contributing to congestion and pollution. Autonomous delivery vehicles offer a solution, particularly for the "last mile." Self-driving robots can deliver goods at precise times, even when recipients are not home. ZF's AI-capable ProAI control unit assists delivery scooters. The article emphasizes the need to rethink delivery logistics alongside private car and public transport. Autonomous vehicles can enhance existing processes and complete tasks themselves, making urban logistics cleaner, quieter, and more efficient.
Highly precise and up-to-date
Summary: High-definition (HD) maps are essential for autonomous driving, providing detailed information about roads and surroundings with centimeter-level precision. These maps act as a localization tool, complementing GPS and sensors. Map providers like TomTom ("RoadDNA") and Here Technologies ("HD Live Map") create these maps using specialized vehicles with advanced sensors. The challenge is keeping them updated. ZF partners with Baidu for Project Apollo, an open platform for autonomous driving development, leveraging Baidu's HD maps and ZF's ProAI. The future of map updates relies on data from mass-produced vehicles, aggregated and verified in the cloud, with updates delivered via small, efficient tiles. Real-time data services based on this infrastructure provide benefits like parking space availability and traffic congestion information.
Navigating fundamental transitions
Summary: Robert C. Wolcott discusses how current shifts to electric propulsion and autonomous driving are reshaping mobility, similar to past transitions like steam to diesel. He advises companies like ZF to adopt a "two-speed" approach: maintaining core business while fostering future development. Key strategies include encouraging experimentation with low-cost tests and focusing on core values like stewardship and quality. These principles are crucial for navigating rapid technological change and building a lasting legacy.
Split-second decision
Summary: Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning are fundamental to autonomous driving, enabling vehicles to learn from vast amounts of data and make decisions like humans. The ZF ProAI supercomputer, developed with Nvidia, processes sensor data (cameras, lidar, radar) to simulate neural networks and make split-second decisions. AI is applied to safety systems, such as exterior airbags that inflate based on collision object recognition, and to monitor driver alertness. The ProAI platform benefits from swarm intelligence, sharing learning experiences across systems. The article notes that AI is already integrated into daily life through mobile devices and is crucial for advanced autonomous driving features, including flexible seating arrangements in future vehicles.
Silent running
Summary: ZF introduces a "sailing" function for automated manual transmissions (AMT) that temporarily disengages the engine from the driveline, allowing the vehicle to freewheel and save fuel. This technology, also available for dual-clutch and automatic transmissions, can reduce fuel consumption by up to 8.5%. The system uses intelligent clutch actuation and can even switch off the engine completely for zero emissions. It can be integrated with navigation systems and adaptive cruise control for optimized fuel efficiency, contributing to stricter emission standards like the EU's 95g CO2/km target.
System meets component
Summary: ZF engineers Dr. Caspar Lovell and Dominik Vogt discuss the integration of components into systems for autonomous driving. They highlight ZF's dual role as both a component and systems supplier. Components like brakes and steering are systems in themselves but are parts of the larger vehicle system. ZF's expertise in integrating these components, such as through Integral Chassis Control (ICC) software and Active Kinematics Control (AKC), adds significant functional value. This systems know-how is valuable for automotive manufacturers (OEMs) and new mobility players like startups and IT companies, allowing ZF to offer complete chassis solutions and gain early insights into market trends. Deep understanding of systems also helps in developing more competitive and fail-safe components, essential for autonomous driving.
In focus: Farming 4.0
Summary: ZF is applying automotive megatrends like connectivity, AI, and automation to agricultural vehicles. In collaboration with Lindner, ZF developed a semi-autonomous concept tractor based on the Lindner Lintrac 90. Equipped with cameras, lidar, radar, and the ZF ProAI platform, the tractor has 360-degree vision and person recognition. An integrated GPS system and ZF's TMT09 continuously variable transmission enable automated processes, including a "Follow me" feature where one tractor follows another. ZF also integrated its eTRAC close-to-the-wheel electric drive system into a plow, providing additional traction and reducing soil compaction by allowing smaller engines to pull larger plows. This technology is particularly beneficial for large farms and offers time and labor savings.
Many assistants one logic
Summary: The article addresses the complexity of operating numerous driver assistance systems in modern vehicles. ZF's "Concept 2020," developed with fka, proposes a simplified cockpit interface using a Head-Up Display Instrument Cluster (HUDIC). This display provides a bird's-eye view of the vehicle and its surroundings, visualizing the intervention of assistance systems through intuitive graphics and color changes. The system allows for adjustable sensitivity and central control of various assistants, ensuring a consistent user experience. This approach is crucial for semi-autonomous driving (Level 2) and beyond, enhancing safety and driver acceptance.
In a nutshell
TraXon Transmission System: Popular for trucks and buses, offering high efficiency and contributing to fuel savings (e.g., up to 7% for DAF XF). Praised for shifting comfort (e.g., IVECO Evadys bus).
Compact mild hybrid module (iSG48): Integrated starter generator from ZF for electrification. It's a space-saving, cost-effective solution providing 15 kW drive power for boosting and engine optimization, and 20 kW alternator output for recuperation.
Cleaner mobility with CeTrax: ZF's electric drive for city buses delivers high torque (4,400 Nm) and power (300 kW), matching conventional diesel engines. It integrates easily into existing bus platforms without chassis modification, contributing to cleaner and quieter cities.
A seat belt that warns: ZF's ACR 8 Active Control Retractor can be used as a man-machine interface, pulsing the seat belt to prompt driver action in hazardous situations.
Greater stability: ZF's Active Roll Stabilization system uses Electromechanical Roll Control (ERC) with a 48-volt electric motor to counteract vehicle roll, improving both sporty handling and driving comfort by decoupling stabilizers on uneven roads.
Imprint
Publisher: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, 88038 Friedrichshafen. Chief editor: Florian Tausch. Editorial team: Svenja Karl, Michael Scheibe, Frank Thoma, Jan Wienrich. Other authors listed. Concept, design, and production by Oliver Schrott Kommunikation GmbH. Printer: NEEF + STUMME premium printing, Wittingen.
Picture credits: Various sources including ZF, Getty Images, shutterstock.com, Iconfinder.com, and specific companies like Rinspeed, Volocopter, Piaggio, Lindner, FKA, DAF, IVECO, Baidu, etc.
Reader service: Information on subscribing or unsubscribing from Vision magazine, contact details provided.
ZF looks ahead
The Tri-Cam front camera system, featuring three lenses (fisheye, medium, telephoto), provides comprehensive environmental monitoring for automated driving. It enhances features like automatic emergency braking by offering long-range object detection (up to 300m) and close-range wide-angle views. ZF plans to link the Tri-Cam with AI-compatible control units such as the ZF ProAI to advance automated driving capabilities.
