AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nexteer Automotive, a global leader in intuitive motion control, today announced it has manufactured its 40 millionth electric power steering (EPS) system. The production milestone signifies a shift in industry demand for lateral control systems offering greater fuel efficiencies; tailored, tunable driving experiences; as well as enabling advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.
The company was the first steering supplier to introduce Brushless Motor Controlled Column Assist EPS (CEPS) in 1999 for Fiat and Volkswagen in Europe and has since grown its portfolio to include Brush Motor Controlled C-EPS, Single and Dual Pinion Assist and Rack Assist variants tailored to the global marketplace. As a core technology, Nexteer's EPS product line accounts for 62 percent of the company's revenue, growing 22 percent (comparing the first half of 2015 to the first half of 2016) and significantly contributing to the company's $24 billion business backlog according to the company's 2016 interim results.
Since January 2013, Nexteer has doubled its EPS production numbers in response to greater global demand for EPS benefits. Latest benefits include enabling ADAS features such as lane keeping, pull compensation, park assist, active damping, stability control enhancements, active return, road shake reduction and variable effort steering.
Nexteer's EPS systems use a combination of electric motors, actuators, sensors and controllers to provide reliable steering control in all driving conditions. Consequently, a Nexteer EPS system reduces fuel consumption by up to 6 percent and CO2 emissions by up to 8g/km.
"We estimate that our 40 million EPS systems have saved enough fuel to fill more than 6,060 Olympic-sized pools," said Steve Spicer, Global Product Line Executive of Electric Steering, Nexteer Automotive. "Our EPS systems are engineered to provide the best steering control for small cars all the way to full-size trucks, while minimizing the vehicles' carbon footprint."
In 2010, Nexteer introduced a 12-volt EPS system, the first of its kind, for the full-size truck segment. Today, the company supplies 9 out of 10 full size trucks in the U.S. market. The company credits its EPS growth in part due to its in-house ownership of design, manufacturing and validation as well as providing OEMs with steering systems that integrate seamlessly and achieve goals for efficiency, weight reduction and ADAS feature compatibility.
ABOUT NEXTEER
Nexteer Automotive – A Leader in Intuitive Motion Control – is a multi-billion dollar global steering and driveline business delivering electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steering columns, driveline systems as well as advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) and autonomous technologies for original equipment manufacturers. The company's global workforce of over 13,000 serves more than 50 customers in every major region of the world. The company has 22 manufacturing plants, five regional engineering centers and 11 customer service centers strategically located in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Nexteer Automotive's customers include BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, PSA Group, Toyota, and VW, as well as automakers in India and China. www.nexteer.com
