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It will be difficult to make money in the future with fuel injection nozzles, timing chains and gear wheels. The suppliers are therefore changing their portfolios, as shown on the IAA lets watch.
The transformation of the automotive industry is not just a challenge for manufacturers. Suppliers also have to adapt their products and services to new requirements. At the IAA Mobility in Munich, they will show how this can be achieved. Four major trends can be identified.
Cheaper electric car kit:
The development of E-cars is expensive and tedious for manufacturers, so help from suppliers is very welcome. ZF is getting into position for this with the so-called “Modular eDrive Kit”, a modular electric car kit made up of coordinated components, which in addition to electric motors also offers inverters, software and various transmission options. The different versions of the technology can be used for different vehicles - from the 100 kW / 150 PS compact car to the premium model with 200 kW / 300 PS and a fast-charging 800-volt battery system.
The company from Lake Constance promises shorter development times and high levels of maturity. Similar technology packages are also available from other suppliers. Bosch, for example, packs power electronics, electric motor and transmission into one unit in its "eAchse". The whole thing can also be built into the so-called Advanced Driving Module with steering, brakes and engine control to form a complete axle module for the front and rear axles.
See better:
The further development of automated driving is even more complex and expensive than building an electric car. Last but not least, the latest generations of sensors for environmental monitoring can be seen in Munich. US supplier Velodyne, for example, is showing the current range of laser scanners, including the “Velarray”, which no longer requires moving laser components and has a range of 200 meters. How Lidar and Co. can be integrated inconspicuously in a vehicle in the future is shown by Webasto with a roof module that also contains cleaning technology for the sensor eyes. They have to be blown or wiped clean regularly in order to see correctly.
Bosch is going one step further in the direction of application: The Stuttgart-based company is demonstrating autonomous parking in a Munich multi-storey car park. There, on a smartphone command, cars maneuver into the assigned parking space without a driver, without the driver having to monitor what is happening. This is made possible by the interaction of vehicle sensors and intelligent parking garage infrastructure. With its digital radar "Icon", Magna wants to show that there is still development potential in sensor technology for non-autonomous vehicles. It should "see" much better than analog radar systems and also be able to detect a broken down vehicle in a dark tunnel or pedestrians up to 150 meters away. The market launch of this new radar technology is planned for 2022.
Calculate faster:
In addition to steel construction and mechanics, electronics are becoming increasingly important for car manufacturers. The US company Qualcomm, best known for its cell phone and tablet processors, is responding to the growing need for computing power by presenting the Snapdragon 8155 chip, which will be used in modern infotainment systems, among other things. The supercomputer “ProAI” from ZF is intended for more demanding applications and is intended to allow autonomous driving up to level 5. It can be equipped with processors from different manufacturers and enables a maximum computing power of 1.000 Tera-OPS. At the same time, power consumption should be 70 percent lower than its predecessor. Series use is scheduled to start in 2024.
Living more beautifully:
People around the world are spending more and more time in their cars. The car is becoming a “third place” - the third important place to stay after the home and office - as it is called in the industry jargon. Accordingly, it should be homely inside. Supplier Brose wants to make this possible with numerous detailed solutions - from the door that opens automatically when approaching to the extra-fast servomotor for the seats. Because at the latest in the sometimes autonomous car, the adjustment of the seating area in the interior is of great importance - from the driver's to the relaxed position, things should go as quickly as possible.
A networked rail system also helps here, with which interior elements can be moved independently of one another. Footrests or storage areas can only be seen when they are needed and otherwise stowed away to save space. Continental, for example, shows what the interior of the future might actually look like. On board the "Ambienc3" study based on a T2 Bulli, the Hanoverians are showing not only modern furnishings, lighting and air conditioning concepts, but also what is perhaps the first white steering wheel suitable for series production. Because a special coating makes it completely insensitive to dirt.
