ZF, an automotive safety and electronics suppler with facilities in Livonia, Northville, and other metro Detroit locations, is supplying the software for the intelligent networking of all chassis control for the Lotus Eletre electric SUV, which went into production early this year.
The cubiX software allows the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical dynamics of a vehicle to be coordinated. This is especially important for automated driving, according to ZF. It controls all chassis systems and ensures harmonious acceleration and braking, precise steering, and balanced damping.
The Lotus Eletre electric SUV from the Geely Group is the first production vehicle to be equipped with cubiX software. Deliveries to customers started in February. From the middle of the year, the vehicle will be available in Europe. ZF’s software controls all chassis functions such as brakes, front and rear axle steering, and active roll stabilizers as well as the electric drive of the new sports car. Further production start-ups of the innovative ZF software will follow from 2023.
“With the series premiere of our cubiX software, we impressively demonstrate our system competence for vehicle dynamics of software- defined vehicles,” says André Engelke, head of the Vehicle Motion Control System House at ZF. “We can harmoniously control the entire longitudinal, lateral, and vertical dynamics of the vehicle according to Lotus’ specifications. The system know-how from the entire ZF Group meets decades of experience in the fields of braking and steering systems, active dampers, and driveline technology.”
The cubiX software optimizes driving behavior with a view to comfort, dynamics, and efficiency, and also forms the basis for progressive driver assistance systems.
As ZF’s first pure software product, the company says cubiX offers another decisive advantage: The platform is compatible with various actuators such as dampers, brakes, or rear-axle steering — regardless of the manufacturer or the specific design. This gives manufacturers the flexibility to implement different model series with one and the same control platform without additional integration effort.
Future updates or upgrades to the software can be carried out over the air without a visit to the dealership.
