ZF Friedrichshafen has received a contract from Lotus to provide its CubiX software program to assist the sports activities automobile maker tune chassis features on the Eletre electrical SUV.
CubiX is likely one of the German provider’s rising vary of software-related choices to automakers because it seems to be to diversify away from its reliance on conventional {hardware} parts and faucet into the development of offering digital options that carry new life to {hardware}.
CubiX controls the Eletre’s brakes, front- and rear-axle steering, lively roll stabilizers and electrical drive, permitting Lotus to tune the texture of the automobile and supply totally different settings for drivers.
For ZF, CubiX is an opportunity to leverage its experience in {hardware} — on this case, chassis methods — to create extra worth each for the provider and for its automaker clients.
A latest McKinsey examine exhibits that automotive software program will probably be price $82 billion by 2030, up from $31 billion in 2019.
“The true worth is within the software program features and companies,” Jon Chalmers, senior supervisor for base software program growth at ZF’s middle within the U.Ok., informed journalists at a briefing.
CubiX, derived from its longer title — chassis management coordination (C cubed) — is a chunk of software program that directs indicators to good actuators controlling the steering, brakes, shocks and different chassis components.
Utilizing the software program reduces growth time for automakers, ZF says. Automakers can both provide ZF with an algorithm to use settings based mostly on their data or let ZF calculate the precise strategy.
“Some will say, ‘We do not know how automobiles ought to operate. Make the automobile work for us please,’ ” stated Rob Miller, software program supervisor at ZF Race Engineering.
Software program settings will be repeated throughout mannequin ranges. ZF claims automakers can seize dealing with traits on CubiX because the bodily expertise turns into extra digital due to new expertise that bodily disconnects the motive force.
“Lotus is making an attempt to duplicate model DNA so it looks like a Lotus,” Miller stated. “That has at all times been a problem for merchandise resembling steer-by-wire.”
The flexibility to direct the operations of a variety of chassis components can change which factor controls the automobile. For instance, the electrical drive unit can brake the automobile, or the brakes can be utilized to do the steering. Totally different modes could make the choice, relying on whether or not the client desires a extra sporty or extra snug drive.
The expertise that enables CubiX to work are the area controllers containing a robust pc chip that automakers have shifted to utilizing. These oversee a grouped variety of good actuators or sensors, on this case controlling the chassis.
Chalmers estimates that 30 to 40 % of automobiles offered between 2024 and 2025 may have software-defined automobile architectures with upgradeable management options operating on high of the actuators.
ZF would gladly promote its automaker clients the whole chassis {hardware} with corresponding good actuators, however CubiX may also run {hardware} from rival suppliers.
“5 years in the past, should you needed a braking and steering system to work collectively, you would need to purchase them from the identical provider,” Chalmers stated. “Now, it is rather more open. We provide every thing, however we’re not proscribing it.”