2.2013

9HP SUPERSAVERCompact, efficient – and 9-speed

HR STRATEGYDoing business with Generation Y

I A A S p e c I A l

ZF AND SUPER GT GO

FULLSPEED

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drive in motionIf you enjoy reading the print edition of drive magazine,

why not visit the Apple App Store and download our drive app for iPad and iPhone – free of charge!

Just follow the link at www.zf.com/drive-app

MULTIMEDIA

drive

The drive app for iPad and iPhone is

a supplement to the print edition,

packed full of multimedia content.

The latest issue features photos and

videos of Super GT races, interviews

with Generation Y employees, and

e xploded views of the 9HP.Once again, there are plenty of fascinating passenger-car innovations on display at this year’s Frankfurt M otor Show (IAA). Most of them are fitted with i ncreasingly efficient internal combustion (IC) engines or hybrid drives, but more and more all-electric vehi-cles are also on show. Speaking of which, we now have a competitive e-concept in the ZF Group’s port-folio, complete with an all-electric powertrain devel-oped entirely in-house. Precisely because electric v ehicles are technically so very different from conven-tional vehicles with IC-based powertrains, we should – indeed, we must – take this opportunity to com-pletely rethink the nature of automobility.

We should also remember that the younger genera-tion is developing its own relationship with and atti-tudes towards the car. Regarding the car as a means of transport rather than a status symbol, prioritizing car sharing over car ownership – these are just two e xamples of this shift in attitudes. Nowadays it is not enough to offer innovative technology; manufacturers

Editorial

must also ensure it is intuitive and user-friendly. Tradi-tionally, ZF is famous for building sophisticated, cut-ting-edge driveline and chassis solutions that often set industry benchmarks – but many drivers have no in-terest in the complex background processes required to make an automatic transmission change gears smoothly or sportily, or to build adaptive dampers that turn a jolting ride along bumpy roads into a cushioned glide. At the same time, we are revisiting many of the technical features we currently take for granted. Are there no modern alternatives for steering wheels, foot pedals or gearshifts? How can we give drivers better, smarter assistance without making them feel disen-franchised? Clearly what we need is even more so-phisticated technology characterized by ease of opera-tion and contemporary design. All these developments are making the driving experience more enjoyable than ever, and mean that cars are acquiring the same “I want it now” factor so long associated with the highly desirable products designed by Apple, Inc.

“With our electric mobility solutions, we’re supplying efficient,

cutting-edge technology that’s also really enjoyable to use.”

ZF CEO DR. STEFan SOmmER

32.2013

CONTENTS

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

12 THE QUEST FOR THE Y FACTOR Well-educated Millennials are

invading the job market: what are their expectations, and what can ZF offer them?

MOBILITY

20 THE FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE A look at the transport systems of

tomorrow and the ZF technologies that already exist to build them.

TECHNOLOGY

24 9HP Ta-da! ZF presents the world’s first

9-speed auto transmission for cars.

29 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE? ZF developed the 9HP’s electronic

control unit entirely in-house and now manufactures it, too.

30 “DELIBERATELY PUSHING THE ENVELOPE”

ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer talks about ZF’s concept car, innovation, electro-mobility and lightweight design.

32 AT A GLANCE All the new ZF products appearing at

the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in one big fold-out overview.

38 A TOOLKIT FOR HYBRIDS Currently, hybrid tech nology offers

the best prospects for improving energy efficiency.

40 A LOOK AT THE ROADMAP ZF introduces latest innovations to

the international trade press ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA).

52 405 MILLIMETERS ABOVE THE ROAD

Full low-floor buses are making an important contribution to inner-city mobility around the world.

GLOBALIZATION

42 TAKING THE HEAT IN SEPANG Starting this season, ZF is sponsoring

Japan’s Super GT race series. A report on the Malaysian event, the one race held outside Japan.

48 RACING IN XXL STYLE How does a top driver prepare him-

self and his 1,100-horsepower tractor unit for a Grand Prix truck race? drive was on the spot to find out.

ESSAY

54 TAKING THE ELECTRIC HIGH-wAY TO THE FUTURE

Could electric cars recharge their batteries while they’re driving along? An essay by top mobility researcher Dr. Sven Beiker at Stanford.

MAGAZINE

6 NEwS Brazil prepares for the 2014 Football

World Cup – New vehicles equipped with ZF technology – Official opening of ZF’s Gray Court transmission plant in the U.S. – ZF road test

58 YESTERDAY AND TODAY The hydrofoils of the 1950s and

catamaran ferries of today have some-thing in common: both of them run on ZF transmissions.

59 SERVICE Masthead and subscriptions

24THE 9HP... ... shows just how ZF’s automatic transmissions are improving vehicle efficiency.

20TOMORROw … we’ll see radical differences in how cars work and how we interact with them.

12THE Y FACTOR … explained by two Generation Y employees and two HR experts from ZF.

54IN THE FUTURE … electric cars may be able to recharge their batteries by magnetic induction.

I A A S P E C I A L

You’ll find more info on selected stories in this issue in our free app for iPad and iPhone.

Follow the link at www.zf.com/drive-app.

This icon shows you where to find the app.

4 52.2013

Football fever on the rise in Brazil: four new stadiums for 2014 WCEverywhere drills are whining and jackhammers are pounding; giant cranes dominate the skyline; every minute another dump truck roars into or out of a building site. With just under 12 months to go until the 2014 World Cup, host country Brazil is making huge efforts to ensure next year’s tournament is a resounding success – and a modernized infrastruc-ture will play a key role. Stadiums are only part of it; to accommodate, feed and transport the anticipated hordes of visitors, the entire country is seething with new building projects, from urban highways to hip hotels and bars. It’s a challenge for the people involved, but also for the machinery – and a brutal test for the ZF technology found in many of the trucks and heavy vehicles.

NEWS

2.20136 7

The Iveco Urbanway is the first in a new

generation of city buses, with a new look and

improved passenger comfort – not least thanks to a

big increase in headroom. The bus is fitted with the

energy-efficient ZF EcoLife 6-speed automatic

transmission, as well as steering shafts, steering

columns plus a power take-off unit and ZF

Servocom, all supplied by ZF Lenksysteme.

The mid-range Škoda Octavia has been in

production since 1996. The third generation of this

classic car is available with gas and diesel engines

producing up to 220 bhp. The car also has a

Servolectric power steering system from ZF

Lenksysteme, as well as electronic and suspension

components manufactured by ZF.

The multi-purpose Steyr Multi tractor is fitted

with ZF’s TPT11 powershift transmission, with 32 x 32

speeds and a quad powershift. This successor to

the highly successful T-500 is the first transmission

to use two range clutches when starting. This

obviates the need for a main clutch, streamlining

the design without sacrificing functionality.

The BMW R 1200 GS travel enduro is

capable of driving smoothly over uneven

surfaces without jolting its rider – thanks to

a semi-active CDC damping system from

ZF. The new BMW also has a number

of ZF electronic components aboard.

Enthusiasts have been awaiting

the legendary E-Type’s suc ces sor

for decades: now the

Jaguar F-Type has

finally arrived. The

roadster features three

different engines, producing 340,

380 and 495 bhp respectively. All three versions

are fitted with an 8-speed automatic transmission,

electronic and chassis components and an

electronically controlled Servotronic steering

system designed and built by ZF.

The new Opel Cascada two-door convertible

is available with two different engines producing

120 and 195 bhp. ZF supplies the Servolectric

power steering and CDC active damping, as well as

the clutch, steering column, intermediate steering

shaft and other electronic and chassis components.

Automotivated by ZF techNEW VEHICLES

A classic English roadster, a new generation of city bus, a Bavarian motorcycle tourer – they’re all avail-able right now, and they all feature ZF technology.

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2.2013

news

At a ceremony in late July, ZF inaugurated the company’s new Gray Court plant for automatic passenger-car transmissions in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Aside from ZF’s eight-speed transmission – already a major success in the marketplace – the plant also manufactures the new 9HP for cars with front transversely mounted engines. Costing around half a billion euros, the plant is the single largest investment in the company’s history. “We’re proud and happy that we’re now represented by a produc -tion plant in the home country of the automatic transmission,” said ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer at the opening ceremony. “This is a big step in bringing us even closer to our customers and tapping into the important North American market in the future.”

“Closer to customers”NEW PLANT OPENS IN THE U.S.

ZF’s first Sustainability Report has been available online since July. Based on the cross-industry re-porting standards defined by the Global Reporting Initiative, the report provides detailed information on management practices, the economy, the envi-ronment, working practices, human rights, product responsibility and social trends, with status updates on initiatives for making further progress in each area. The report brings greater transparency to ZF’s efforts to achieve sustainable corporate governance and will henceforth be published annually. It can be downloaded from www.zf.com/sustainability

Tracking corporate responsibility

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

The Škoda Octavia is the best compact car in Germany. That’s the result of ZF’s road test, fifth in a series organized in collaboration with Auto Test magazine. The competition is the only road test in Germany where ordinary drivers are asked to test and evaluate the vehicles. Readers were asked to vote for their favorite models out of a preliminary selection of 24 compact cars. 10 of them made it onto the final shortlist, and were then exhaustively tested by a panel of reader-testers at the ADAC Driving Safety Center in Schlüsselfeld. By the end of the test, the Skoda Octavia had scored 8.44 out of 10 points.

And the winner is…

ZF ROAD TEST

The ZF Forum building is taking shape. Visible from afar, five high-rise cranes are currently working to assemble the building’s structural components in Friedrichshafen’s Löwentaler Strasse. By the time ZF celebrates the company’s centenary in 2015, the new building will have been transformed into ZF’s corporate headquarters, with a staff of 600 and plenty of space for exhibitions and cultural events.

Increasingly, the annual Formula Student design competition is turning into a race to discover the most innovative e-mobility parts. For the first time, ZF also made components from the company’s newly developed electric drive available to a racing team. The students were able to test their vehicles at the Race Camp in Friedrichshafen at the end of June. At the Formula Student Germany 2013 event in the Hockenheim Motodrome, things got really serious: 75 teams competed in the internal combustion engine class (FSC), the remaining 40 in the Formula Student Electric class (FSE). The ZF-sponsored team from Oregon State University and DHBW Ravensburg won first place in the FSC competition, while the team from TU Delft took the FSE trophy.

New ZF head office

Race Camp features electric drives

ZF FORUm

FORmULA STUDENT

“Today their ideas and deve lopments are also a

major driving force b ehind the electric and hybrid

drives produced by auto manufacturers.”

hAndelsblATT ,

DISCUSSING SUPPLIERS LIKE

ZF AND BOSCH

q u ot e

Formal opening by ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer (second from right) accompanied by Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina, plant manager Ludger Reckmann and Andreas Brand, Mayor of Friedrichshafen (R to L).

1st place Skoda Octavia

2nd place Audi A3 Sportback

3rd place VW Golf

10 112.2013

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

THE QUEST FOR THE Y FACTORWell-educated Millennials are invading the job market. What does Generation Y expect from employers? And what can ZF offer in return?

Generation Y employees at ZF: Dhanashree Kad (L) and Tatiana Paiva

12 2.2013 13

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

person. So we have to help our younger col-leagues understand their attitude, too. Wolff: I encounter this in my own projects. My boss likes to explain things face to face, whereas I prefer to dash off a quick e-mail, which isn’t always as carefully put together. This culture of dashing off bits and pieces of information isn’t to everybody’s liking. In fact, it’s a daily bone of contention!

Millennials sometimes irritate their older colleagues by the very self-confident way they pursue their own agendas. Have you experienced such culture clashes? Schudy: People have different ways of inter-acting with other people, depending on their age, but it’s also a question of person-ality and the stage you’ve reached in your life. Younger people are like a breath of fresh air in a company, whereas older peo-ple have a better idea of what’s possible, thanks to their experience. While we have to be innovative, efficiency is also impor-tant. That’s why we need both approaches.

Do your younger employees have a differ-ent sense of responsibility?Wolff: Our young employees are keen to take on more responsibility at an early stage; they come across as ambitious and motivated, and like to extend their sphere of influence. For managers, the main chal-lenge is to give them more responsibility without overtaxing their abilities. But on the whole, they’re organized and have well-developed project management skills. After all, most of them have already had the ex-perience of organizing their first trip abroad for themselves.

Does this high level of motivation reflect a strong desire for managerial roles?

have plenty of opportunities to work auto-nomously, and we give them considerable latitude – even though it’s not always easy to make that happen for inexperienced newcomers. But for Generation Y, these things are important. Wolff: The phenomenon differs from one country to another; so Generation Y in I taly, for example, is very different from the way it is in Germany. Personally, I think it’s really about “digital natives”. I belong to Generation X, so I have a very different at-titude: I had to learn how to deal with the internet, whereas Generation Y has grown up in this totally networked environment.

And according to your study, how has that affected them? Any big surprises? König: The thing that surprised us most was their – very strongly expressed – desire for more feedback: 60 percent of the Gen-eration Y employees we surveyed wanted significantly more feedback than they’re getting. We hadn’t been expecting that!

So how’s that worked at ZF up to now?König: As you might expect, the frequency of feedback ranges from “several times a week” to “once a year”. As a rule, appraisal interviews happen annually, but 91 percent of our young employees tell us they’d prefer to be given individual appraisals at least every six months. Only 56 percent of our survey respondents were being given ap-praisals twice a year. Wolff: I get the impression that ideally, Mil-lennials would prefer to be given feedback after every weekly presentation...König: Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that 58 percent of employees are never asked for feedback by their line managers. 34 percent of our respondents give their bosses unsolicited feedback in any case.

And how do their bosses cope with this? König: Well, it’s a novel experience for managers, of course. But interestingly, none of our survey respondents said they thought it was impolite. Evidently all the parties concerned have a clear sense of how much to say and how best to say it!

Perhaps “digital natives” don’t communi-cate all that differently from their more analog colleagues... König: But they do, or at least they tend to: increasingly, communication is migrating to digital media. Older managers some-times view this as a shortcoming, because they prefer to discuss important issues in

ing a keener awareness of the needs of a younger generation generally referred to as “Millennials”.Michael Wolff: While this whole topic is widely discussed in the media, we also have to assess its relevance to our own company, and then translate our findings into recom-mendations for further action.

Does that mean you’ll have to turn ZF into a trendy cybercorporation? Christian Schudy: Millennials have very specific values and expectations – and in fact we can already respond perfectly well to most of them. We’re a company with a long tradition, a good reputation and plenty of exciting work on offer. Our employees

T hey’re young, well-edu-cated and highly moti-vated. They travel inter-nationally. They’re well-connected individualists with ethical standards –

and they need a lot of attention. What’s more, they know demographic change is working to their advantage. With their high personal expectations, Generation Y is putting businesses to the test. Experts agree that this new generation of employ-ees is going to change working environ-ments and management cultures. But are companies r eally prepared for them?

“In many cases, they really aren’t,” re-plied HR researcher Professor Jutta Rump in a recent interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “We know the younger generation chooses employers based on their reputations and career prospects – and that they often leave these companies again because of the management culture.” But what does that mean in real terms? ZF was keen to find out.

Many young engineers join Germany’s third-largest automotive supplier in the ex-pectation of finding exciting, varied work. ZF is heavily engaged in HR marketing, working with selected universities and running a brand ambassador program in which former interns work as corporate evangelists. Many young motorsport en-thusiasts first get to know the company at ZF Race Camp, a regular event organized as part of the Formula Student race series. But how can the company successfully in-tegrate this new generation of employees and win their long-term loyalty?

To answer this question, ZF sallied forth on a quest for the Y factor. In the fall of 2012, Business Administration student Lisa König conducted two online surveys for her Bachelor’s dissertation – one aimed at Generation Y job starters, the other at ZF management. Subsequently, drive asked head of HR Development Projects Michael Wolff, HR specialist Dr. Christian Schudy and Lisa König herself about the “chal-lenges confronting ZF managers against a background of changing values.”

Ms. König, Mr. Wolff, Dr. Schudy, you’ve investigated Generation Y here at ZF – what first prompted this study?Lisa König: Many ZF managers first en-counter and get to know this generation in the course of their daily work together, and clearly they’d like to know more about what makes them tick. It’s really about develop-

ZF STUDY

For the ZF study, two separate online surveys were carried out – one targeting Generation Y job starters, the other targeting managers and executives. The job-starter sample consisted of 239 individuals who had recently completed a training program or work-study course at ZF. The average age of the Generation Y employees who took part in the survey was 25.

“Increasingly, communication is migrating to digital media.

Older colleagues view this as a shortcoming.”

ChriSTian SChUDY

“Generation Y is actually less interested in traditional

management roles.”

MiChael WolFF

Wolff: As a matter of fact, our observations suggest that Generation Y is actually less interested in traditional management roles, because they give high priority to achieving a good work-life balance. This means we have to find meaningful tools for identifying and developing future manage-ment talent. We already offer attractive terms in our trainee program for junior managers, which is very popular.

Do your younger employees really leave their desks at lunchtime to go train in the gym, and then spend another two hours in the evening working from home?König: We looked into this when we did the survey. Most of them prefer to work in the office, but ZF does offer plenty of flexibility. Some of them go for runs at lunchtime, but on the whole it’s more about achieving a work-life balance, about reconciling the varying demands of work and family life.Schudy: Working conditions at ZF are, of course, somewhat different from those at “creative enterprises” like Google. Produc-tion processes rely on strict scheduling; there’s limited room for maneuver. Flexibil-ity isn’t a one-way, employee-only thing – it’s something the company needs, too. Af-ter all, ZF operates in various locations across different time zones, and production is subject to fluctuations. So everybody in-volved has to be flexible at certain times.

It’s said that Generation Y is more inter-ested in the broader meaning of their work. How does that affect daily routines? Wolff: People don’t just do their jobs, they also want to see the big picture – the wider relevance to society of the work they do in the enterprise. Communicating this rele-vance poses a genuine challenge to manag-ers; it’s something young people definitely

HR specialists at ZF: Michael Wolff (L) and Christian Schudy

14 152.2013

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

TaTiana Paiva

Tatiana Paiva values her private life. The me-chanical engineering graduate enjoys the opportunities offered by an international working environment, but in the long run wouldn’t want to move far away from friends and family for the sake of an attractive job. “i want to travel a lot, but then always come back home afterwards.”

B razilian mechanical engineer Tatiana Paiva is 25 years old and currently works as a trainee in the U.S., selling test systems for ZF in

Northville, Michigan. Despite her age, she has already visited a couple of dozen countries. She first traveled to Germany as a student. Then, as a ZF trainee, she got to know Bremen, Saarbrücken and Passau. “In our very first year at ZF, we trainees were encouraged to build our own broad-based international networks,” she says. But even though Tatiana Paiva found living abroad was “a great experience”, she feels her future lies in Brazil: “I would consider spending a few years abroad at the beginning of my career, but not over a longer period. I love my country; it’s the place where I feel most at home.”

As a mechanical engineer, what she loves most about her profession is its dynamism and diversity. “I wanted to work in the automotive industry, but prefer-ably in a company that develops different technolo-gies, and where I could work with people from other parts of the world.” She likes exciting, varied work be-cause it enhances quality of life, but also finds more meaning in work that “enables me to help others.” It goes without saying that competent performance should earn suitable rewards, but Tatiana Paiva be-lieves that feedback is one of the keys to success. “There’s always room for improvement,” she says. “Lis-tening to the opinions of more experienced colleagues helps me identify my strengths and weaknesses, so I can work on eliminating my weak points and develop-ing my full potential.”

How much Y factor has she got? As she says, many of the things her generation takes for granted would have been unthinkable to her parents – at least in Bra-zil. “I’ve visited more than 20 countries, speak several languages, and have friends in various corners of the world. I have the opportunity to directly experience cultural and social differences and learn how to deal with them.”

On the other hand, Tatiana Paiva is finding that young people tend to be much more impatient and anxious than their elders. “I live in a world of extreme individualism and competition,” she says. She appreci-ates the serenity of older colleagues who have already had to cope with many changes in their lives. “They’ve adapted to new technologies without losing sight of the positive aspects of life without technology. Now that is remarkable.” ■

TaTiana Paiva

“Meaningful work is about quality of life”

GeneraTion “WhY”

Sociologists generally use the term generation y to refer to the generation of young people who were in their teens in 2000. Depending on the source, this generation is also referred to as millennials or sometimes as digital natives. Generation Y is the first genera-tion to have grown up with the internet and mobile communica-tions. Generation Y is also de-scribed as questioning every-thing and looking for the mean-ing in everything – hence the “Y”, which sounds like “Why?”. The term Generation Y is also used to distinguish the younger generation from the age group born between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s, for which author Douglas Coupland coined the term “Generation X” in his eponymous novel published in 1991. Generation X was gener-ally viewed as not very driven or goal-oriented, with a predilection for subcultures.

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want to know about. But there’s another aspect to this shift in values: the younger generation doesn’t work exclusively – or even primarily – for money; they also have high ethical standards.

What are the consequences of this survey for ZF in real terms?Schudy: Among other things, we’re putting more effort into our social media activities, and as far as recruitment is concerned, we’re currently running a pilot project that’s targeting potential employees via Xing, a social media platform. In addition, we’ve started planning a number of staff development projects.

16 172.2013

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

S he may only be 23 years old, but Dhanashree Kad has already gained considerable inter-national work experience. After graduating

as a mechatronics engineer, she started working for ZF as a trainee at the company’s Pune plant near Mumbai in India. Less than six months later, she was posted to Friedrichshafen and then to Saarbrücken. She’s currently working at ZF (China) Investment Co. Ltd. in Shanghai. Once she’s finished the trainee pro-gram, she would love to spend a few years working in Germany, followed by a couple of years in North or South America. She is one of a growing group of highly educated Indian women who are willing to sac-rifice everything for their dream job – at least in the short term. She likes the thought of very different people coming together from all over the world and merging their ideas, knowledge and cultural identi-ties. “I feel international, and I think that’s because of the internet,” she explains.

Since her early childhood, Dhanashree Kad has been fascinated by vehicles of all kinds – from motor-cycles and cars through to tractors and cranes. She re-gards Germany as the Mecca of the automotive indus-try, and ZF as the epitome of a cultural and techno-logical melting pot – a crucible of innovation. “I wanted to be one of the ingredients in this melting pot, and here I am,” she laughs. The young trainee is prepared to change herself to achieve her goals, and believes feedback will help her succeed.

Like all ZF trainees, Dhanashree Kad’s performance is evaluated after every project. “I really like it – it’s like a reward after working hard.” The feedback provides her with valuable guidance.

Dhanashree Kad spends most evenings on her PC, Skyping with her parents and chatting online with friends and relatives. After work and at weekends, she plans outings with her local friends. She describes her-self as “ambitious, expressive, spontaneous, outgoing, positive, enthusiastic, flexible, self-confident and very experimental.” How does she differ from her older col-leagues? As she says: “I’m much more expressive com-pared to older colleagues. I compliment, criticize and laugh more than they do, and I’m more competitive.” At work she loves change, respects creativity more than experience, and in cases of doubt, prefers to ex-periment. “I don’t know if it’s the Y Factor or just me,” says Dhanashree Kad, “But I feel most friends of my age share these characteristics.” ■

author anja Schnake (hamburg, Germany) is a journalist specializing in business and the sciences, with a particular focus on health,

employee welfare and continuing education.

DhanaShree KaD

“Feedback gives me valuable guidance”

DhanaShree KaD

Dhanashree Kad was just 22 years old when she started working for ZF as the youngest trainee on the program. “For an indian girl, i’m really very ambitious,” she says. Yes, she’d love a managerial role at some stage in the future. “i don’t see anything wrong with aiming high in life, especially if you believe in yourself and you’re willing to work hard.”

China

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shanghai

Our app for iPad and iPhone has

more on this topic: www.zf.com/drive-app

18 192.2013

In 2030, cars will still be playing a key role in the trans-port mix, although in terms of how they look and work and how we use them, they’ll be very different from the cars of today. What are the most likely scenarios, and how much of the future is already here in the present?

THEFUTURE

ISALREADY

HERE

MOBILITY

The future of personal transpor-tation: people will

soon plan their journeys with the help of personal

devices – the hardware set to

supersede smart-phones.

from building and selling vehicles, carmakers will op-erate fleets of carshare vehicles – running on a mix-ture of electric and conventional drives – that will be distributed across urban areas in strategically placed underground parking garages. The fleets will offer a range of transport options: two-seaters, four-seaters, minivans and full-size vans.

On days when Ms. Mason decides on a rental car, she can order it at short notice via an app. Five min-utes later, the driverless car arrives at her front door from the nearest underground parking garage, the smartwatch on her wrist gently vibrates to let her know, and she’s on her way. By 2030, car designs will also have changed dramatically, sharing very little in common with earlier vehicles. Shapes will be more flowing and dynamic. The interior will also be very different – instead of a dashboard covered with but-tons, dials and readouts, important information like speed and vehicle status will be projected onto the windshield in a head-up display. Many vehicles will be semi-autonomous or even fully autonomous, also known as “driverless”.

ZF technology will be smarter than ever In 2030, a wide variety of technologies developed by ZF Friedrichshafen AG will also play a key role in Ms. Mason’s journey to work. Powertrain and chassis technology will still be crucial components in most kinds of advanced driver assistance systems, hence in the ongoing automation of vehicles of all kinds. Semi-autonomous and driverless systems will rely on key areas of ZF expertise, such as steering and automatic transmissions. But other ZF components will also have turned into “smart components” and will be helping to make traffic even safer. Even today, driver assistance systems use a wealth of ZF technologies. Active rear-axle steering is helping drivers with their parking; a combination of rear-axle steering with ac-tive roll stabilization is reducing the danger of skid-ding during sudden evasive maneuvers. Both systems are already playing an important part in improving road safety.

By 2030, people won’t just be using their personal devices as an everyday organizational aid – they’ll be using them as wearable computers. Thus the devices will also hold their driver profiles, capable of tuning any vehicle’s powertrain and chassis to the individual user’s personal driving style. Personal devices will also hold details of the user’s favorite routes and mu-sic tracks, plus a vast repository of other information.

As soon as Ms. Mason gets into the car, the onboard computer links up to her personal device. The two sys-tems exchange data. Seconds later, the head-up dis-play on the windshield is showing her appointments

C arsharing plans and rental bicycles, all easy to book via smartphone; advanced driver assistance systems that mini-mize the risk of accidents; flexible speed limits on freeways, controlling the flow of traffic depending on traffic

conditions... Smart technology is changing road trans-port very rapidly, in many different ways. All these changes could be the start of a future that just a few years ago would have sounded like science fiction. Semi-autonomous or even completely driverless vehi-cles capable of guiding themselves through traffic will almost certainly be with us in the not-too-distant fu-ture. By 2030, a typical city dweller – let’s call her Ms. Mason – will probably associate mobility less with her own car and more with her personal devices – succes-sors to the smartphones we use today. These devices will have become an essential part of her daily life, helping her organize the way she travels as well as many other activities. To make her journey from her suburban home to her workplace in the city as pleas-ant as possible, she has stored her “commuter” profile in her personal device. This profile includes her home address, work address, the address of the nursery that looks after her three-year-old daughter, plus details of supermarkets, gyms and other places she regularly needs to visit. Overnight, the mobile terminal pre-pares Ms. Mason’s journey to work by analyzing traffic forecasts, projected traffic congestion, road closures, weather conditions, accidents, latest electricity and fuel prices and a wide variety of other data. By the time Ms. Mason gets up in the morning, she’ll be able to see at a glance which way – and by which form of transport – she should travel to work.

In the future, people won’t just travel by car. They’ll use various forms of transport, depending on weather and traffic conditions. If the weather service predicts all-day sunshine, they’ll cycle. If a rain front is pre-dicted by evening, they may choose to c ycle to work using a bikesharing plan, then return in the evening by metro, tram or bus. If it’s going to be raining all day and important meetings mean they should be well-dressed and punctual, they’ll opt to drive. While they’re still tucked up warm in bed, their personal de-vices will already have worked out their ideal routes for the day and set their alarms accordingly.

Automakers transformed into mobility facilitatorsBy 2030, owning a private car might well have fallen right out of fashion, especially in big cities. In smaller towns and cities, and of course in rural areas, people will continue to rely on cars. Even so – instead of sell-ing cars exclusively, the auto manufacturers of tomor-row will have turned into transport providers. Aside

MOBILITY

2120 2.2013

In the future, in-vehicle sensors

will not just process data but

make it available to other vehicles, users and infra-

structure, improv-ing road safety.

is more energy-efficient, flows more smoothly and travels more safely.

Ms. Mason has finally reached her destination – safely and on time. After she gets out, the vehicle drives off to pick up its next passenger, or perhaps to park itself in the nearest underground parking garage. At the same time, Ms. Mason’s personal device trans-mits details of the distance she has just covered to her

Mobility Service Provider (MSP) via the Internet. At the end of the month, she will be sent a statement with a detailed breakdown of her travel costs. ■

Author Martin Randelhoff (Dresden, Germany) is an expert in mobility concepts, transport and

infrastructure planning. His “Future Mobility” (Zukunft Mobilität) blog won the Grimme

Online Award in 2012.

Construction site

Damaged road surface

Flooding

Vehicles tell each other about traffic obstructions such as construction projects or damage to the roadway. Infrastructural systems such as traffic management centers also send and receive information.

Car-to-X communication

MOBILITY

for the day, a 3-D route map and her virtual Personal Assistant. The human-machine interface – or HMI – in the vehicle has become smart and super-lean – so streamlined that the vehicle only displays information that is relevant to the individual driver, and only when that information is actually needed. Ms. Mason no longer has to concentrate exclusively on the rush-hour traffic, so she can use her journey time productively; to answer messages, for example. This means that when she returns home in the evening, she has more

time for her family. To make her journey safer, the ve-hicle is equipped with a variety of sensors, including laser scanners, ultrasound and infra red. Every second of the journey, the onboard computer collects and as-sembles many millions of pixels to form a 3-D image of the surrounding environment. At the same time, the vehicle is constantly exchanging real-time informa-tion with the local traffic management infrastructure regarding the speed, relative position and direction of travel of all vehicles in the traffic stream (a process known as car-to-X communication).

Road transport: safer and more efficientElectronic control units and sensors in the different ZF components collect data that is processed inside the vehicle, but also by other vehicles and by the transport infrastructure. This all helps to ensure that by 2030, vehicles will be much more energy-efficient than they are today. So for example, by coordinating with downstream traffic and taking factors such as wind speed, gradients and traffic light sequences into account, these smart systems will be able to calculate the best – that is, the most fuel-efficient, low-carbon – driving strategy for the automatic transmission. Fuel consumption is reduced even further by optimizing the settings of the vehicle’s chassis kinematics.

What’s more, the processed data also helps im-prove road safety. This will substantially reduce the number of traffic accidents by 2030. For instance, sen-sors mounted in various parts of the vehicle monitor current road conditions in case the roadway is wet or icy. In accordance with the smart component princi-ple, ZF control arms are capable of analyzing the state of the road by measuring the lateral forces on tires, for example. This data is passed directly to other vehicles and to the traffic management systems, which then pass the data on to vehicles in the upstream traffic. This helps prevent aquaplaning or skidding on snowy or icebound road surfaces. Each vehicle’s vibration dampers will also be capable of detecting potholes and transmitting this information to following vehicles, giving their active suspension time to automatically adjust its damping characteristics, keeping passengers safe and comfortable.

The synchronization of upstream and downstream traffic over a matrix of connections known as a mesh network makes another contribution to improving road safety. Here, ZF’s Openmatics telematics solution turns out to be an important component in enhancing vehicle coordination; this open, flexible, non-proprie-tary platform supports the exchange of data between all relevant in-vehicle systems, as well as a wide vari-ety of external systems. Thus the data collected from each vehicle helps ensure that road traffic as a whole

CAR-TO-CAR COMMUNICATIONVehicles wirelessly exchange data and information on parameters such as steering angle, relative position, direction and speed with other road users (using WLAN or UMTS technology). This effectively extends the driver’s “field of vision” by electronic means. The system reports emergency braking, skidding or aquaplaning, helps the driver change lanes or weave through traffic, alerts the driver to emergency vehicles, and routes the vehicle around accidents and construction sites.

CAR-TO-INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNICATIONVehicles exchange data with the transport infrastructure, including traffic signalling systems and traffic management centers. This might include data on the status of the infra-structure and any building work, for example. Base stations at regular intervals along the road network (known as roadside units or RSUs) plus induction loops in the road surface measure traffic density and make the data available to navigation services providers or onboard navigation systems.

SEMI-AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMSSemi-autonomous systems are a combination of multiple advanced driver assistance systems (automatic distance control, lane change, collision avoidance etc.). Drivers can still make their own decisions, and must be able to override the assistance function at any time if required – to avoid an obstacle that suddenly appears in the road, for example.

FULLY AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMSThese are also known as “driverless” systems, because the vehicle drives on its own. Drivers do not need to supervise the vehicle, and have no option to intervene; the vehicle carries out evasive maneuvers by itself.

MESH NETWORKMesh networks connect vehicles with each other in real time, so that all vehicles function as nodes that not only dissemi-nate their own data, but also relay data from other vehicles (nodes) in the network. Mesh networks are also called ad-hoc networks, because the network structure is fluid and not centrally controlled. Nodes that fail or exit from the network can be bypassed – the network continues to distribute information to other road users without any loss of data.

DRIvE-bY-WIREDrive-by-wire refers to the substitution of mechanical func-tions by electronic systems and technologies. As a rule, drive-by-wire refers to three systems in particular: brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire and electronic throttle control.

LIFTING THE VEIL

22 232.2013

TECHNOLOGY

I A A S P E C I A L

Cars should be as economical as possible. As it happens, a matchless driver assistance system already exists for cutting consumption: the automatic transmission. State-of-the-art mod-els like ZF’s 9HP, the world’s first 9-speed auto transmission for cars, make the entire powertrain more efficient. A test report.

DIRECTOR BEHIND THE SCENES

24 252.2013

ably nimble double downshift. The engine only picks up speed slightly – it feels just like a normal downshift. For the sake of comparison, I put the pedal to the metal as we leave the little town. The engine re-sponds with a roar – without hesitation or pause for thought, we’re in third gear and the wheels are spinning with torque.

“As long as the driver allows it to, the 9HP’s shifting strategy always keeps the engine speed as low as possible, because it’s more fuel-efficient,” explains Scherer. He tells me about the comparative tests in-volving identically powered vehicles, in which the 9HP was pitted against conven-tional front-transverse automatic transmis-sions with “only” six gears. At a constant speed of 120 km/h (75 mph), the engine fitted with the 9HP consistently ran 720 rpm slower than the other engines. That difference alone equates to a potential fuel saving of up to 16 percent. While it’s not possible to quantify this precisely, because

T he driver brakes carefully as the compact SUV turns off the freeway and drives down into the little town. The needle on the rev counter suggests the barely

audible engine is turning over at just above idling speed. In the lower left corner of the test unit’s display is a modest readout indi-cating which gear the transmission is in. It shows the figure seven. Driving through downtown in seventh gear – for real?

When I ask if this could be an error, Heribert Scherer replies with a question of his own. “Shall we see what happens if you step on the gas?” The ZF engineer spear-headed the development of the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission and judging by his smile, he knows what’s coming. Keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the test unit’s white display panel, I follow his advice. Immediately a figure five ap-pears on the display, indicating a remark-

mission setup. More customers will follow – that’s already obvious. ZF’s Gray Court plant in South Carolina has been mass-producing the 9HP since early June, and is projecting a total annual output of 400,000 units in its first full year. Demand is such that ZF is already planning to expand the production facility.

Anatomy of a transmission revolutionIf you go on for too long about the number of gears and gear ratios (an indicator of the overall transmission ratio spread – an im-pressive 9.81 in the case of the 9HP), Heri-bert Scherer soon starts to look a little im-patient. For the developer, nine closely spaced gears are only one aspect of the engineering achievement involved: the transmission concept and design are just as important. The engineering prowess re-quired to fit a nine-speed unit into the very limited space available alongside a front

the engine and vehicle characteristics also play a part, the 9HP’s nine speeds and two model ranges offer carmakers a wide vari-ety of options. According to Europe’s NEDC average fuel consumption figures, the system is capable of cutting fuel con-sumption by between 10 and 16 percent.

That’s some achievement in a top-sell-ing segment. ZF’s 9HP is aimed squarely at cars with front transversely mounted en-gines, the world’s most popular powertrain layout for cars – 75 percent of all vehicles are designed like this, from subcompact and compact cars through to vans and compact SUVs like our test vehicle, the Range Rover Evoque. The next iteration of the Evoque, due to appear in showrooms in the fall of 2013, will feature the 9HP. ZF and Land Rover built the test vehicle I’m currently driving – “pretty much produc-tion-ready,” as Scherer puts it – so they could make the final tweaks to the trans-

I A A S P E C I A L

Modern transmissions like the 9HP with its smart electronic control system reduce fuel consumption significantly.High gear, low revs:

the test unit’s white display keeps close track of the 9HP’s shifting strategy.

Dynamic and comfort-able: a quick tap on the gas pedal and the 9HP instantly pushes more torque to the wheels.

9HP IN FIGURES

ZF’s 9HP48 has managed to cram four gearsets and six shift elements into a space just 363 millimeters (14 inches) wide – typical of a front transverse layout, which involves squeezing the transmission in between the engine block and the front suspension. With a net weight of 86 kilograms (including oil, excluding cooler), it can handle a maximum input torque of 480 Newton meters. In the near future, ZF will launch a second version of the 9HP, designed for less powerful engines and capable of handling 280 Newton meters. At just 361 millimeters, the “mini” 9HP is even narrower, and weighs just 78 kilograms.

TECHNOLOGY

26 272.2013

▶

0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 11 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 10 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 11 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 00 1 D 1 H 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1A D A p t A b i l i t y 1 0 1 0 10 1 t 0 0 1 N 1 0 r 1 1 0 0 0 1 01 0 A 0 0 0 0 D o 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 10 1 s 1 1 0 1 f l 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 01 1 e 0 0 1 m 1 0 i 1 0 0 0 1 0 01 0 t 0 1 o 0 1 1 1 N 0 0 1 0 1 00 0 0 1 c 1 1 0 1 0 1 G 0 0 1 0 10 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 00 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 10 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 00 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

TECHNOLOGY

transversely mounted engine – while si-multaneously enhancing its internal effi-ciency – is not inconsiderable. Just how ZF achieved this is best illustrated by Scher-er’s “9HP story for engineers”, most easily appreciated alongside a cutaway model of the 9HP transmission. The story gives you a good impression of how ZF managed to fit together a complex jigsaw while devel-oping this compact work of art, and how a whole heap of innovations finally turned a great idea into a practical product suitable for use in the real world. For example: the gearsets weren’t mounted along a single longitudinal axis, they were partially nested inside one another; two dog clutches were used instead of heavy, bulky multi-disc clutches in order to reduce over-all length and enhance internal efficiency; no more than three shift elements need to be open for any one gear step, because open shift elements rapidly erode effi-ciency; the dog clutches need less oil be-cause they’re pre-engaged; the 9HP sup-ports a start-stop function without requir-ing an additional oil pump. And so on.

Even after hearing all these stories, it would be presumptuous for a layperson to claim that he or she fully understood every aspect of the 9HP’s design and operation. But the stories do help you appreciate ex-actly why ZF is regularly ranked among the top ten patent applicants in Germany.

Rapid reaction timesAnd all this effort, just so drivers notice the transmission as little as possible. The so-phisticated electronic control unit – the first to be developed and constructed en-tirely by ZF – actively tunes the 9HP trans-mission so that gearshifts are almost im-perceptible. In fact, the unit’s reaction times, like those of ZF’s 8-speed automatic transmission (8HP), fall well below the threshold of human perception. As a rule, upshifts and even downshifts are scarcely detectable. In most vehicles, you can only see which gear the automatic transmission is in if you’ve switched over to manual mode – so in the Evoque, for example, if you’re using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel to change gear. Of course the test unit’s separate gear display is only available to test drivers like us.

Perfectly tunedThat the transmission is so unobtrusive from a driver’s perspective is intentional. This unobtrusiveness stands in direct con-trast to the growing importance of auto-matic transmissions – and of the engineers who develop them – over the past decade or so. There has been a quiet transfer of power in the powertrain! Increasingly so-phisticated transmissions have become the true nerve center connecting the driver’s foot on the gas pedal to the vehicle’s en-gine. Engines can become even more fuel-efficient if every component in the pow-ertrain is perfectly in tune with all the other components. The next few decades will see the advent of internal combustion powertrains featuring super-flexible en-gines capable of producing sufficient torque even at lower – hence more eco-nomical – engine speeds, thanks to auto-matic transmissions with broad transmis-sion spreads capable of making the most of the full range of engine speeds.

And how many gears will they need? Heribert Scherer’s amiable expression nevertheless makes it quite clear that he’s not prepared to discuss this question any further. “As we develop future generations of transmissions and attempt to make them even more energy-efficient, we will concentrate more on overall efficiency than on the number of gears they’ve got.” Even for ZF engineers, the benchmark set by the 9HP won’t be an easy nut to crack. Until they do, many more test vehi-cles will be traveling many more thou-sands of miles on roads in various parts of the world. ■

I A A S P E C I A L

Dress rehearsal: to finish fine-tuning the 9HP, test vehicles based on the Range Rover Evoque have driven thousands of miles around the world.

“When we designed the 9HP, we took

some very unconven-tional approaches. That’s what innova-

tion is about.”HERIbERt ScHERER

I A A S P E C I A L

“Over to you, electronics!” Even in an automatic transmission, bits and bytes have a key role to play. The flash memory in

transmission controllers is expanding, their processing power is steadily increasing. How does this affect the driver?

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

Modern transmissions – with all their gearsets, clutches, brakes and so on – are hugely complex, and software, memory chips and hydraulic actuators play a vital role in making them work. That’s why ZF decided to build the 9HP’s electronic systems almost en-tirely from scratch: the electronic control unit that issues energy-

efficient commands to the 9HP so they can be hydraulically trans-formed into reality was developed and is now manufactured in-house. Nowadays, ZF’s control electronics specialists are involved in the development process right from the start, while new auto-matic transmissions are still on the drawing board. ■

Single source

2928 2.2013

COMFORT to sit in a car and not know which gear you’re in? If your car has a manual gearbox, of course, that’s simply not feasible. but in cars with automatic trans­missions, it’s now become the norm. the 9HP shifts through the gears so smoothly that drivers don’t even notice most of the gear changes.

ADAPTABILITY Once upon a time, “quickshifters” were cool. Nowadays, gearshifts based on rigorous “if­then” logic are just so... old­fashioned. Modern automatic transmissions from ZF use sensors to gather huge amounts of information on current driving conditions and the driver’s style. the electronics even detect how relaxed the driver’s foot is on the gas pedal – and adjust the transmission’s shifting behavior to suit each individual’s driving behavior.

DATA SET the 9HP was developed for vehicles with front transverse engines, so it represents an attractive solution for a wide variety of auto applications. to enable manufacturers to program the transmission control unit with the specific functions that will chara cterize each of their models, the tcU’s memory can be in creased by 30 percent.

HANDLING Nowadays, many vehicles have preset driving programs, and these usually include a “Sport” mode. Quick, agile cornering only becomes really entertaining if the engine always maintains enough revs to deal with the next driving situation. that’s the job of the transmission control unit (tcU), which adapts its shifting strategy accordingly.

Dr. Sommer, many people were sur-prised when ZF suddenly presented a complete, all-electric concept car in the form of the innovation prototype.Yes, that was quite deliberate. By doing this, we sent a clear signal that as far as powertrains of the future are concerned, we are not content to – how shall I put it – confine ourselves to supplying tradi-tional gears and driveshafts. We have all the skills required to create intelligent concepts for future modes of transport.

What skills do you mean? Where do they appear in the innovation prototype?Starting with our core competency, trans-mission technology, we built a complete, all-electric powertrain for our concept car – including the power electronics and en-ergy management system. Because weight also has an impact on the driving range of electric vehicles, we drew on our exper-tise in lightweight chassis construction to develop lighter axles and chassis compo-nents. Don’t forget, we’re already directly involved in defining the vehicle-driver in-terface with our attractive control sys-tems and functions for selecting different driving modes. In short, our innovation prototype is a convincing demonstration of our all-round automotive expertise.

How does the company benefit from this all-round expertise?First, it makes it easier for us to find solu-tions to the technical challenges we must confront as we develop the transportation of the future, because we already have a unique perspective on all vehicle-related issues. Second, it serves to show a younger generation of drivers who have grown up with the smartphone that ZF technology

to apply our core skills, using our knowl-edge of complex automotive engineering to create an even better UX for drivers.

Is the innovation prototype just a con-cept; could it become a production car?Generally speaking, we build our concept cars in such a way that they could be put into production if there were sufficient de-mand. So we include manufacturability as part of the development brief – as in the case of our lightweight products made out of glass-fiber-reinforced composites. In this field, we’ve already built up a huge knowledge base of material properties, structural constraints, design optimiza-tion, computation and of course produc-tion processes. And we make this knowl-edge available to all divisions in ZF, fur-ther e nhanced by the expertise in our newly opened Composites Tech Center in Schwein furt.

Currently, sales of electric vehicles are lower than predicted. Does that make this technology less attractive for ZF?We’re not just relying on e-mobility; many of our products are aimed at conventional vehicles. If ZF keeps equipping cars pow-ered by internal combustion engines with increasingly efficient transmissions, this should help steadily reduce CO2 emis-sions at least through 2020, due to the pre-ponderance of these vehicles. Our predic-tions suggest that things will start to change after 2030. That’s why we’re al-ready keeping a very close eye on these new, all-electric technologies and devel-oping our own concepts in parallel. On the other hand, I’m expecting to see light-weight construction methods in volume production much sooner. After all, less

is actually fun to use. But we need to think even further outside the box...

What do you mean by that?Above all, I’m referring to the driver inter-face, where we could build a stronger presence by offering advanced operating concepts and controls. This is the inter-face through which drivers with no inter-est in technology are managing and inter-acting with a powertrain they perceive as simple, but is in reality very complex and highly networked – capable of using tele-metry and topographical data, for exam-ple. Basically, it’s about finding new ways

cient is concerned, we’re already well-known for our innovatory skills…

… the 9HP being a good example?Yes. With the 9HP, we set the benchmark for multi-ratio automatic transmissions designed for front transverse engines.

You’ve actually driven the innovation prototype. What did you think of it?Quite honestly? It was fun. In terms of torque and acceleration, it feels just like driving a sports car. It’s not just a car for sensible people! ■

weight is a positive advantage for conven-tional vehicles, too, improving their fuel efficiency and handling.

So wouldn’t it make sense to build a “conventional” innovation prototype?We’ve had those for a long time. In recent years, ZF has regularly developed test v ehicles in which powertrain and chassis systems are connected together to form an exceptionally efficient control net-work. Our electronics expertise is helping to further enhance such systems. As far as making powertrains even more effi-

TECHNOLOGY

Deliberately pushing the envelope”In this interview, ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer explains how the company is combining futuristic concepts like e-mobility and lightweight design, and why it is so important for ZF to think even further outside the box in the future.

LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN AND ELECTRO MOBILITY: TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COINA subcompact car packed with the very latest technology, including electric drive and lightweight body: that’s the new ZF innovation prototype. The car’s electric drive module produces 90 kilo - watts; centrally mounted on the axle, it generates high torque even at low engine speeds. The chassis is a show-case of ZF expertise in lightweight construction. The ZF technology, which includes a suspension strut module with wheel bearings made out of fiber-rein-forced plastic (FRP) plus a torsion-beam rear axle made out of steel and carbon-fiber-plastic composite, weighs between 16 and 50 percent less than conven-tional steel axles and other components.

INNOVATION PROTOTYPE

I A A S P E C I A L

“

At the trade press conference in Schlüssel feld, ZF CEO Stefan Sommer himself presented the innovation prototype‘s compact electronic control and electric drive technologies.

30 312.2013

Enorme Leistung auf engstem Raum: elektrisches Achsantriebsmodul

Hochdrehzahlkonzept macht leistungsstarken, effizienten elektrischen Antrieb möglich

Spitzenleistung 90 kW, 1 700 Nm Drehmoment

Sehr niedriges Geräuschniveau Nur 45 kg Gewicht

Elektrisches Achsantriebs-modul

Gutes wird noch besser: die zweite Generation des 8-Gang-Automatgetriebes

Weitere Reduktion der inneren Schleppmomente machen das Getriebe noch effizienter

Breites Einsatzspektrum zwischen 220 und 750 Nm Eingangsdrehmoment

Höhere Spreizung und leistungs-fähigere Torsionsdämpfer machen weitere Absenkung der Motordrehzahlen möglich (Downspeeding)

8-Gang-Automat-getriebe

Electric Twist Beam

Klug integriert: Die Studie für Kleinwagen und Microcars besteht aus zwei radnahen Elektromotoren an der Hinterachse

80 kW Spitzenleistung, gewicht-s parendes Hochdreh zahlkonzept

Einfache Fahrzeugintegration schafft für die Hersteller Freiheiten bei der Fahrzeug-gestaltung

Bessere Fahreigenschaften aufgrund weniger ungefederter Massen

Rechengenie mit Reserven: Steuerungselektronik für 9HP

Innovative Schaltablaufsteuerung enthält alle Kupplungsregel-ungen, Adaptionsfunktionen und Getriebeschutzfunktionen

Elektronische Getriebesteuerung stellt sicher, dass vom Fahrer unbemerkt der in jeder Fahrsituation optimale Gang gewählt wird

9HP-Steuerung

ZF demonstriert seine Kompe-tenzen für Elektro mobilitäts- und Leichtbau-Lösungen in einem innovativen Testträger auf Kleinwagen-Basis

Gesteigerte Reichweite und Fahr-dynamik durch komplett optimierten elektromotorischen Antriebsstrang mit elektrischem Achsantriebsmodul und Wechselrichter

Neue Materialien und Konstruktionen machen das Fahrwerk leichter und erhöhen so Fahrdynamik und Reichweite des E-Fahrzeugs: Leichtbau-Federbein-Radträger-modul, Hybrid-Pendelstütze, Ver-bundlenker-Hinterachse mit CFK-Stabilisator und Leichtbau-Dämpfer

Drehschalter zur Fahrstufenwahl sowie Info-Display als Bedien-einheiten im Cockpit

Innovations-träger

I A A S P E C I A L

The Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) is the

world’s largest automotive exhibition.

Find out what ZF will be presenting at

this international

32

Key interface: ZF inverter optimizes use of electric power in cars

Compact design Optimized for ZF systems solution Avoids loss of energy, increases range

PUM-X45 inverter

AKC

Responsive steering from the rear axle: Active Kinematics Control (AKC) improves handling and safety

Active actuator unit changes the rear axle’s track angle

Electronic control system synchro­nizes rear axle’s steering angle with driver’s steering actions, according to driving conditions

Capable of joining a control network with other active systems in the vehicle

Lightweight suspension strut with knuckle module

Innovative FRP design with

continuous surface Use of alternative materials (CRP

and GRP) Less unsprung weight improves

driving characteristics Weight savings of up to 50 percent

compared to conventional designs

Saving energy in straight-line driving: electromechanical power steering system that only uses energy when drivers turn the wheel

Fuel consumption reduced by 0.4 to 0.8 liters compared to hydraulic power steering

Different models available for all vehicle classes

Capable of networking with electronic safety and driver assistance systems

Servolectric

EFFICIENCY

NETWORKINGELEC TRIC POWER

LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN

CDC Smart suspension:

Continuous Damping Control (CDC) adaptive damping system

Makes driving more comfortable and safer while also improving handling

Damping force on each wheel adjusted in fractions of a second

CDC 1XL is an economical variant for rear axles only

Lightweight axle

Fewer parts mean fewer kilos: revolutionary rear-axle concept with wheel-guiding transverse spring made out of GRP

Glass-fiber-reinforced plastic saves 12­15 percent weight compared to steel designs

Fewer components means axle is less complex and easier to assemble

Less unsprung weight improves driving characteristics

Dual drive means lower consumption: hybrid transmissions from ZF

All hybrid components efficiently integrated into the transmission, saving space

Fuel savings of up to 25 percent All hybrid functions supported:

all­electric driving, boosting and regeneration

8-speed hybrid transmission

Huge power in a tiny package: electric axle drive module

Powerful, efficient electric drive based on high­revving concept

90 kW peak output, 1,700 Nm torque

Very low noise levels Only weighs 45 kg

Electric axle drive module

A good thing becomes even better: the second generation of the 8-speed automatic transmission (8HP)

Further reduction of internal drag torque makes the trans­mission even more efficient

Broad range of applications with input torque from 220 to 750 Nm

Higher ratio spread plus more efficient torsion dampers mean engine speeds can be reduced even further (downspeeding)

8-speed automatic transmission

Electric Twist Beam

Clever integration: this concept for subcompact and micro cars consists of two electric motors mounted near each wheel on the rear axle

80 kW peak output plus weight­saving design based on high engine speeds

Easy to install, giving manufacturers more freedom in vehicle design

Less unsprung weight improves driving characteristics

Computer genius plus: the 9HP’s electronic control unit

Innovative shift sequence controller contains all clutch controls, adaptive functions and transmission protection functions

Transmission control unit ensures the right gear is selected in all driving conditions, unnoticed by the driver

9HPcontrol unit

ECOnnect self-decoupling all-wheel-drive system

Only activates when needed, minimizing drag losses from the all­wheel­drive system

Low­weight design plus decoupling function reduce fuel consumption by up to five percent

Version with two clutches in the rear­axle drive unit allows variable torque to be distributed to either wheel (known as torque vectoring), improving traction and stability

ECOnnect

A world first, the 9HP goes into production towards the end of 2013

Suitable for vehicles with front­transverse engines – from subcompact cars through to compact SUVs

Saves up to 16 percent in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to 6­speed automatic transmissions currently available in this category

Innovative transmission control unit, also built by ZF

Modular design: two model ranges (280 and 480 Nm)

Supports start­stop function without additional oil pump

9-speed automatic transmission

AT A GLANCEFrom AKC to the 9HP: an overview of ZF

innovations at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA)

I A A S P E C I A L

ZF demonstrates the company’s expertise in electromobility and lightweight design by showing off an innovative test prototype based on a subcompact car

Improved range and handling thanks to a fully optimized, electrically driven powertrain with electric axle drive module and inverter

New materials and designs make the chassis even lighter and improve the electric car’s handling and range. They include: lightweight suspension strut with knuckle module, hybrid self­aligning supports, torsion­beam rear axle with CRP stabilizer and lightweight dampers

Controls on dashboard include rotary switch for gear selection plus detailed info display

Innovation prototype

Hybrid module

Electric power for the powertrain: hybrid modules from ZF

Electric motor, torsion damper and separating clutch in a single unit

Significant reduction of fuel consumption and emissions

Very fast and quiet engine start (smooth start­stop operation)

Recovery of electrical energy during braking

Boost function enhances vehicle dynamics

Decoupling of IC engine from powertrain supports all­electric driving

Enhancing comfort in car powertrains

Damps all engine vibrations – low­frequency and high­frequency

Ensures high levels of passenger comfort even in vehicles with downsized engines subject to intense vibration

Active engine mount

Hybridmodul Elektrische Power für den

Antriebsstrang: Hybridmodule von ZF

E-Maschine, Torsionsdämpfer und Trennkupplung in einem Bauteil

Deutliche Reduzierung des Kraftstoffverbrauchs und der Emissionen

Sehr schneller und leiser Motorstart (komfortabler Start-Stopp-Betrieb)

Rückgewinnung von elektrischer Energie beim Bremsen

Erhöhung der Fahrdynamik durch Boost-Funktion

Rein elektrisches Fahren durch Abkoppeln des Verbren nungs-motors vom Antriebsstrang

Leichtbau- Federbein-Rad-trägermodul

Innovatives FKV-Design mit geschlos­sener­Oberfläche

Einsatz alternativer Werkstoffe (CFK und GFK)

Fahrdynamische Vorteile dank Re- duzierung der ungefederten Massen

Bis zu 50 Prozent Gewichtseinsparung im Vergleich zu konventioneller Bauweise

ElEk trifiziErung

CDC Intelligentes Fahrwerk: Adaptives­Dämpfungssystem­CDC (Continuous Damping Control)

Mehr Fahrkomfort, Sicherheit und Fahrdynamik zugleich

Radindividuelle Anpassung der Dämpfkraft in Sekunden-bruchteilen

CDC 1XL als wirtschaftliche Ausführung nur für die Hinterachse

Leichtbau-achse

Weniger Bauteile, weniger Kilos:­revolutionäres­Hinterachskonzept mit radführender Querblattfeder aus GFK

Zwölf bis 15 Prozent Gewichts-einsparung durch Glasfaser-Kunststoff-Verbund gegenüber Stahlbauweise

Reduktion von Bauteilen: weniger Komplexität, einfachere Montage

Bessere Fahreigenschaften aufgrund weniger ungefederter Massen

Für mehr Komfort im Pkw-Antriebsstrang

Dämpft alle Schwingungen des Motors – niederfrequent und hochfrequent

Gewährleistet hohen Passagier-komfort auch bei schwingungs-intensiven Downsizing-Motoren

Aktive Motorlager

Doppelter Antrieb ist weniger Verbrauch: Hybridgetriebe von ZF

Alle Hybridkomponenten effizient und platzsparend in das Getriebe eingepasst

Kraftstoffeinsparung bis 25 Prozent

Alle Hybridfunktionen möglich: rein elektrisch fahren, boosten und rekuperieren

8-Gang- Hybridgetriebe

I A A S P E C I A L

showcase between September 12 and

September 22. Top highlight: the

world’s first 9-speed automatic trans-mission, the 9HP

37

and abandoned, rising oil prices, coupled with increasingly stringent legislation aimed at reducing noxious emissions, caused a resurgence of public interest in the hybrid-electric concept. Not long after-wards, the first modern hybrids started to appear in carmakers’ model catalogs.

Breakthrough expected by 2030As important as public interest and model catalogs are, hybrid vehicles can only fulfil

both Belgian. The internal combustion en-gine only started to dominate the evolving mass market for cars from 1913 onwards. But engineers have always been fascinated by the fact that electric drives are so much more efficient. Over the years, interna-tional manufacturers have continued to build concept cars to demonstrate how electricity could be used to power road ve-hicles. And then, just under a century after the first hybrid technology was developed

H istory repeats itself: over a cen-tury ago, electricity played a prominent part in powering

early automobiles. Back in 1900, there were even a few brave souls pioneering hy-brid drives, ranging from Ferdinand Porsche and the Mixte-Wagen he devel-oped in 1902 with Ludwig Lohner (a fur-ther development of the all-electric Lohner-Porsche) through to now-forgotten inventor Henri Pieper and carmaker Auto-Mixte,

Combining an electric motor with an internal combustion e ngine to create a hybrid drive is old news. But over the next few decades, hybrids could become a mainstream feature of the mass market. Not least thanks to ZF’s technology toolkit.

A TOOLKIT FOR HYBRIDS

I A A S P E C I A L

The BMW Active Hybrid 5 uses the hybrid version of ZF’s 8HP automatic transmission.

Hybrid 5 and Audi Q5 hybrid quattro. ZF’s hybrid modules are also installed in the Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid and the Mer-cedes-Benz S400 Hybrid.

“But installing modules doesn’t add up to much in itself,” says Dr. Ralf Kubalczyk. “The true potential of hybrid lies in energy management.” In response to specific driv-ing conditions, the vehicle’s software and control electronics must engage the appro-priate hybrid hardware and associated power electronics so the car switches into all-electric driving mode, for example, or uses braking energy to recharge the battery. “It’s all exceedingly complex. The number of possible driving modes a hybrid trans-mission must be able to manage is many times greater than the number of driving modes we associate with conventional a utomatic transmissions,” explains Dr. Kubalczyk. In a hybrid system, power elec-tronics play a vital role in converting en-ergy – first, by converting battery power for the electric motor from DC voltage to three-phase AC voltage, and second, by converting regenerative energy from the electric motor back into DC voltage for re-charging the battery – during braking, for example. The power electronics also act as a controller for the electric powertrain, by regulating the electric motor and ensuring

that when the driver wants to accelerate, the appropriate electrical energy is smoothly supplied to the powertrain with-out interruptions or fluctuations.

Interim solution for plug-in hybridsIn the automotive industry, “toolkit” is a word with positive connotations of organi-zation, efficiency and so on. But ZF’s mod-ular toolkit also has a strategic component. First of all, it aims to keep the cost of pro-ducing hybrid vehicles within reasonable bounds by reusing key elements from a conventional powertrain, such as the en-gine, transmission, crankshaft and axle drives. Once as many hybrid vehicles are on the road as possible, plug-in hybrids (hybrids that are capable of recharging their batteries from separate charging sta-tions) will start to proliferate. This will give additional impetus to the ongoing develop-ment of battery technology plus a suitable electrical infrastructure (such as a national network of charging stations). This in turn will eventually create the ideal conditions, in terms of lower cost and greater driving range, for all-electric vehicles. Once that happens, we will have solved both of the problems that caused electric drives to dis-appear so suddenly from automobiles back in the early twentieth century. ■

their potential for saving fuel and reducing emissions once they’re actually running on real-world roads. And that’s still the major drawback of this production-ready technology. At the present time, there are only 65,000 cars with hybrid drives in car-loving Germany, representing just 0.1 per-cent of the total vehicle population. The figure in the U.S. is not much different – only in Japan do hybrids enjoy a somewhat larger market share. Even so, forecasts by industry experts and business consultants predict rapid growth over the next few years. “Because of their ubiquity, vehicles with conventional engines will make the greatest contribution to reducing CO2 emissions prior to 2020,” confirms Dr. Ralf Kubalczyk, Director of Hybrid Transmis-sion Development at ZF. “But the picture could change by 2030. By that time, so many hybrid vehicles should be in use that they will have become the greatest con-tributors to reducing the CO2 emissions from automotive traffic.” The ZF definition of hybrids also includes plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles that use internal com-bustion engines as range extenders.

A toolkit packed with possibilitiesZF’s hybrid toolkit opens up a vast array of potential applications: the company’s h ybrid-enabled transmissions provide an ideal platform for developing customized solutions. The other hybrid components required also already exist in ZF’s product portfolio. One key component is the elec-tric motor. ZF offers motors with different levels of performance, depending on the class of hybrid. For fully hybrid solutions, ZF supplies hybrid modules with integral separating clutch – a technical prerequi-site for all-electric travel. Equally impor-tant is an efficient hybrid management sys-tem, to ensure that the hybrid hardware is perfectly integrated with the vehicle’s con-trol electronics, software and power elec-tronics. ZF customers benefit from the fact that the technology company develops all these components in-house. The integration resulting from this comprehensive systems expertise means the system as a whole is cost-efficient and versatile: mild, full and plug-in hybrid applications can be built with a high percentage of shared parts, making the most of potential synergies. ZF’s hybrid transmissions and hybrid com-ponents are already proving their worth in many existing production vehicles – as shown by the hybrid 8-speed automatic transmission found in the BMW Active

TECHNOLOGY

Key objective: to reduce CO2 emissionsIn the distant future, all-electric vehicles will d rastically reduce our CO2 emissions. At present, however, in relation to the total vehicle population, conventional engines and hybrid drives are

making the biggest contribution to reducing emissions.

38 392.2013

A LOOK AT THE ROADMAPBefore the Frankfurt Motor Show, ZF gave the international trade press an opportunity to put the company’s new products through their paces.

A quick technical briefing by the CEO – then off to play with the v ehicles while engineers readily

answered any and all questions. This was the format for a ZF trade press conference in mid-June 2013, attended by more than 80 journalists from 19 countries. In antici-pation of the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), the event featured over 40 vehicles equipped with ZF technology. Journalists were given exclusive access to vehicles like the ZF innovation prototype, a con-cept car demonstrating ZF’s expertise in e-mobility and lightweight construction (see p. 30), plus an almost production-ready development prototype fitted with the new 9-speed automatic transmission. The full ZF portfolio for production vehicles was also present, ranging from the automated man-ual transmission in the Volkswagen up!, through the Porsche 911’s dual-clutch transmission and the Mini Countryman’s front and rear axle modules to the Opel As-tra GTC’s adaptive suspension with CDC. ■

I A A S P E C I A L

“The ZF 9HP is forcing OEMs to evaluate their

future product portfolios to make sure they

remain competitive in the marketplace.”

Chris Guile, ihs Automotive (uK)

“Astonishing dynamics – this

all-electric concept car has really good

performance.”stephAn hAuri,

Automobil revue (Ch)

on ZF’s innovAtion prototYpe

TECHNOLOGY

40 412.2013

Japan’s Super GT is one of the most technically demanding race series for sports cars in the world. Starting this season, ZF became the official series sponsor. A live report from the race in Malaysia.

TAKING THE HEAT IN SEpANG

High temperatures, heavy race suits: drivers soon feel the heat in Sepang...

GLOBALIZATION

42 432.2013

on the starting grid, and the fans are al-lowed a brief grid walk (brought to a rather abrupt halt by stewards) before the start of the “caution lap” – the warm-up lap that precedes the rolling start characteristic of Super GT races. Then the lights turn green and the air is filled with the thunderous roar of V8 engines as the GT500 machines start to move off around the circuit.

A hard-fought victoryStarting in pole position, Team Impul’s Nissan – driven by Tsugio Matsuda from Japan and Joao Paulo de Oli veira from Bra-zil – dominates the race. Despite a prob-lem with brakes that briefly causes the team to lose their lead, they successfully hold their own: de Oliveira catches back up again and finishes the race in first place with a 4.09-second lead and an overall time of 1:50:11.232.

During the first few laps of the race, most of the crowd’s attention is riveted on the battle between the eventual victor and the Lexus driven by Team Zent Cerumo. In lap four, aggressive driving by Yuji Tachikawa and Kohei Hirate means the Lexus actually nudges the rear end of the Nissan. This isn’t enough to distract their opponents, however, and just two laps later the Lexus finds itself embroiled in a vicious duel with another competitor be-fore eventually spinning off the track and losing a lot of ground. Finally, a burst tire in the eighth lap destroys any hope Team Zent Cerumo may have had of finishing on the podium.

The race between the contenders in the GT300 class is just as exciting, with a num-ber of dramatic moments. Towards the end of the race, driver Tetsuya Yamano suc-cumbs to the heat: the cooling system in his race suit fails, forcing him to slow down and dashing his hopes of a win. At the finish, first and second places are taken by the Honda CR-Zs of Teams Aguri and Mugen respectively, ahead of Team Gain-er’s third-place Mercedes SLS driven by Katsuyuki Hiranaka from Japan and Bjorn Wirdheim from Sweden. There’s nearly a month to go before the next race in Sugo, Japan – it’s a welcome break for the teams, giving them time to rebuild their machines and, above all, to recover from the oppres-sive tropical heat in Malaysia. ■

Author Khairul Azlee Abdullah (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is a motorsport-loving journalist and

editor of Malaysia’s Traffic Magazine Online.

B y 8.00 a.m. on race day morning, the paddock is already a hive of activity. The teams are busy get-ting their equipment ready and preparing for

the big event. The first fans with passes for the paddock are on the prowl, hunting for autographs and photos of drivers and the unmissable “Super GT Queens”, as the grid girls are known in Japan. The media professionals – journalists, photographers and camera crews – are already locked in stony concentration as they endeavor to capture the key moments of the Super GT experience. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time – in precisely those split seconds when the racing machines really set the hot tarmac on fire.

The race itself, on Malaysia’s Sepang In-ternational Circuit, is the only Super GT event held outside Japan. But because of the heat, which is usually sweltering, it’s also one of the events that makes the great-est physical and mental demands on driv-ers. In fact, teams generally approach the Malaysian race with considerable anxiety, because there’s a real risk that drivers will dehydrate, especially towards the end of the race. They have been known to pass out. So the paddling pool behind the pad-dock offers some very welcome relief. Vet-erans like to remember how the scantily clad Super GT Queens would sometimes join team members in the pool, which cer-tainly made for a party atmosphere, even if their presence didn’t necessarily help driv-ers focus on the impending race.

Motorcycle rally as warm-up event By midday, the stands are brimming with spectators searching out seats that will not only give them a great view of events on the track, but also allow them to peer into the hustle and bustle surrounding the pad-dock and pits. The support program kicks off with a procession of classic cars, many of them rare vintage models. Then, after a celebrity race, a vast motorcycle rally takes over the track, with a thousand bikers pa-rading past on machines of every size and description. Finally, the crowds all stream into the pit lane for the pit walk.

Once the pit area has been cleared of enthusiastic onlookers, the teams make fi nal adjustments to chassis and suspen-sion before the drivers jump in and start their engines. The cars take their positions

ZF Race Reporters interview drivers and fans at the

trackside, just as they do at DTM

events. Their videos can be viewed

on ZF’s Facebook channel (see p. 47).

GLOBALIZATION

The fans’ grid walk at the Malaysian event was shorter than usual.

The Malaysian flag waves above the winners: Team Impul’s Nissan GT-R

Victory! Joao Paulo de Oliveira (in blue, L) and Tsugio Matsuda (in blue, R)

44 452.2013

S ince the race in Okayama launched the new season on April 6, ZF has been the official partner of the Super GT race series; the com­

pany’s logo now appears on all the cars’ race numbers. Super GT is the largest and most popular race series in Japan and the events are televised live by sporting channel J Sports. Japan is a country in love with motor sports, famous as the home of Honda, Nissan and Toyota – all important ZF business partners. The three manufacturers – Toyota through its premium brand, Lexus – also supply all the cars for the larger of the two Super GT classes, the GT500 class. Many

more carmakers are represented in the smaller GT300 class, including European marques such as Lambor­ghini, BMW and Mercedes.

Previously, ZF’s motorsport involvement was con­fined to Europe, but the company has been looking for openings into the Japanese market, explains Moritz Nöding, a motorsport expert working for ZF. The com­pany wants to raise ZF’s profile and brand image across Japan’s automotive industry and among engi­neers, but also among members of the general public and motorsport fans in particular. To do this, ZF is pursuing two main sponsorship activities: aside from supporting Super GT, the company is the engineering partner to Toyota Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Already a ZF customer, Toyota is not just the largest automotive manufacturer in the world; the company is also a symbol of Japan’s national pride. ZF is currently developing a special long­distance clutch for Toyota’s WEC team, and the ZF logo is fea­tured on the vehicles.

Spectacular overtakingThe Super GT series consists of eight races; seven in Japan, plus one in Malaysia at the Sepang Interna­tional Circuit, which also hosts Formula One’s Malay­sian Grand Prix. Super GT races are substantially lon­ger than, for example, Deutsche Tourenwagen Mas­ters (DTM) events. In the longest race of the season at Suzuka, drivers must cover up to 1000 kilometers (620 miles). The two Super GT classes – which have differ­ent engine ratings – both take part in the same race, so Super GT features more overtaking action than many other series. The cars are given a rolling start after a single caution lap. First to be shown the green flag are the cars in the larger GT500 class, which produce up to 500 bhp. The GT300 cars – with output limited to 300 bhp – are given the go shortly afterwards. Due to the big difference in performance between the two classes, the race leaders very soon start lapping the less powerful cars. The field quickly turns into a free­for­all, resulting in some spectacular overtaking maneuvers.

Unlike the DTM series, Super GT has not been sub­ject to technical standardization. Apart from the peak power output specified for each class, there are no other binding regulations. The cars use various forms of ZF technology. In the GT500 class, many teams are driving on ZF shocks; a number of teams in the smaller class run on ZF dampers and clutches.

As from 2014, however, GT500 regulations will be harmonized with the DTM rulebook – a major change that could well result in more exchanges between S uper GT and DTM. This would benefit ZF, because all GT500 cars would then be running on ZF clutches. But it would also benefit the race car manufacturers, because, as Moritz Nöding points out, developing a racing car is extremely expensive. So it would be very advantageous for manufacturers if these vehicles could be used in more than one race series and across

Motorsport: ZF’s Facebook page now in Japanese

Nürburgring, which is very popular with Japanese fans.Other links take visitors to ZF’s Japa-nese motorsport website and the com-pany’s YouTube channel, which regu-larly posts up videos by ZF Race Report-ers. Just as ZF does for DTM, the com-pany regularly sends motorsport fans to the racetrack so they can build their own impressions of races and find out what goes on behind the scenes. In

multiple markets without incurring additional devel­opment costs. What’s more, the decision to standard­ize technical specifications has effectively neutralized the technological arms race between manufacturers – another desirable outcome that is helping cut costs.

So much for the immediate future. In the longer term, however, an even more exciting project is gener­ating a lot of interest. Yet another alignment might be on the cards: discussions are being held with a view to hosting a version of the United SportsCar Racing

(USCR) series in the U.S. based on the same specifica­tions as the DTM and Super GT race series. This would open up even more opportunities for the auto manufacturers and their suppliers. And “it would cer­tainly give us a great head start,” admits Moritz Nöd­ing. Because after making the most of the opportunity to penetrate the Japanese market by becoming the of­ficial Super GT partner, ZF had already been planning to intensify the company’s involvement in U.S. motor­sports in the course of 2015. ■

Japan loves motorsports – and that’s also clear from the Japanese Facebook page recently set up by ZF Motorsport. The page already has more than 5,000 likes and very high levels of user interac-tion, with plentiful comments on posts and lots of reposting. Of course ZF covers Super GT on the new page, with plenty of news and photos of the races and drivers. But the page also includes coverage of other races, like the 24-hour race at the

these reports, ZF deliberately eschews glossy magazine-style coverage in favor of getting closer to fans. As ZF motor-sport expert Moritz Nöding says: “We don’t want to interview drivers who’ll just say the same thing for the thousandth time. We want to report on subjects that fans don’t usually hear much about.”

Asia goes motorsport-crazy!The harmonization of Super GT and DTM creates big opportunities for ZF

ZF is series partner, so the ZF logo appears on all the start numbers.

GLOBALIZATION

Super GT is the best-known race series in Japan. As the competition celebrates its twenti-eth birthday, ZF becomes official sponsor.

www.facebook.com/zfjapanmotorsportwww.zfmotorsports.jp/www.youtube.com/user/ZFJapanMotorsports

Manga atmosphere: big, colorful

mascots decorate the pit lane.

Our app for iPad and iPhone has

more on this topic:www.zf.com/drive-app

46 472.2013

GLOBALIZATION

RACING IN XXL STYLE

H e looks lonely as he stands there in the road on his own. But wait... it’s not a road. We’re standing at the end of the starting and finishing straight on the Nürburgring, right where the broad tarmac strip starts

to curve into the first sharp bend. It’s a Wednesday afternoon – the stands are all empty. High above the Eifel mountains, the sun gleams out of a pastel-blue sky. Jochen Hahn paces across the track, gazing down. The red-and-white striped kerb along the inner edge of the track is smeared with skid marks. Hahn bends, then straightens and holds up something black. “Here’s a fresh one,” he shouts. It’s a piece of Formula One tire: three days ago, Sebastian Vettel & Co. were racing round the track. Now it’s the turn of Jochen Hahn and his colleagues as they battle for the FIA Eu-ropean Truck Racing Championship. This weekend, some two dozen racing trucks will hurl themselves around this first bend like a jostling herd of young bulls.

Jochen Hahn is the reigning European Truck Rac-ing Champion, and his team – Castrol Team Hahn Racing – is a ZF partner. He’s hoping to start in pole position for the fifth race of the season. And while his MAN truck – equipped with ZF’s Ecosplit manual transmission – is being tuned up for the weekend by his team of mechanics in the paddock, Hahn is scop-ing out the racetrack. Not all five kilometers of the en-tire Grand Prix circuit, of course – after spending 15 years in the cockpit of his racing truck, the 39-year-old motorsport professional could drive around the track in his sleep. But this first bend… this is where the race is often decided. “You’ve really got to keep your eyes open,” explains Hahn in his pleasant Black Forest burr. He bends down and strokes the tarmac, just like a skier inspecting the texture of the snow before a

The Nürburgring race is the high point of every truck racing season. So how does the reigning European Champion

prepare for this all-important competition? Before the race weekend in mid-July, drive spent some time behind the

scenes with Jochen Hahn’s team.

48 492.2013

NOW THAT’S TRUCK RACING!

Truck races are fierce competitions between truck tractors weighing at least five tons each. The most prestigious competition is the European Truck Racing Championship. Ten weekends of racing decide who emerges as the European Champion. Each European Championship weekend consists of four races, each lasting around 30 minutes, during which drivers collect points towards their overall classification. Truck racing originated in the U.S., but that country no longer has a comparable professional truck race series. Truck racing has become a very popular race series with motor­sports fans – it’s now the best­selling motorsport event at the Nürburgring circuit, for example. The reigning European Champion is Jochen Hahn. Most racing trucks drive on ZF transmissions. For more details visit www.team-hahn-racing.de or www.truckracing.de

Jochen Hahn (top) prepares meticulously for races. Young Lukas

(R) works as a part-time racing mechanic.

Chief Mechanic Stefan Honens (top) works on the truck right up till the race. Organizer

Melanie Derflinger can always be reached

by radio.

Family business: Jochen Hahn

drives, his wife Diana organizes, his

son Lukas is a mechanic and his dad Konrad heads the team (R to L).

“The truck race series is like a big family; we all help

each other.”JoCHEN HaHN

downhill run. “Nice surface,” he approves. “Grainy, rough, plenty of grip.” Then he lights a cigarette and blinks up at the sun. “Okay,” he adds. “Now I need to be alone.”

Back in the paddock on the other side of the pit lane, Jochen Hahn grabs a black laptop. “Therein lies the whole truth,” he intones – and vanishes into a dark cubbyhole in the service truck. He wants to carry out a detailed review of last weekend’s races in Spielberg, Austria, when his closest rival, Antonio Albacete from Spain, managed to pull ahead of Hahn in the overall rankings. Okay, only by a handful of points. But it clearly rankles the 2011 and 2012 Champion. He didn’t take the best line through the Red Bull Ring’s first bend, and the Spaniard was able to shave crucial tenths of a second off his time. Because of that first bend. So now Hahn wants to analyze all the data – times, fuel consumption, acceleration, everything.

The jacked-up truck looks like the TerminatorMeanwhile, the truck is standing jacked up on four wooden blocks in the middle of the team paddock. The wheels have been removed, as have all the chassis panels – it’s reminiscent of the Terminator once the complex inner workings had been revealed behind Schwarzenegger’s face. On a table next to the truck lies a colorful patchwork of tools, lug nuts, oil cans, spray paint, cans of soda... Chief Mechanic Stefan Ho-nens is sweating away, half-kneeling, half-lying under the racing machine. “Emergency!” he blurts out be-tween gritted teeth. “Change the springs!” Then he stands up and grins. “All those panels don’t look like that for nothing.” He’s referring to the chassis panels,

m echanics from other teams and proudly show off your rebuilt engine. Nowadays, if there’s any risk that a visiting competitor might catch sight of the tweaked machinery, “people prefer to throw a tarp over it”.

Team Hahn is a family business, managed by Kon-rad Hahn and his wife Marlene, with Jochen Hahn’s wife Diana in charge of marketing and their son Lukas (15) working as a part-time racing mechanic during his school holidays. The family atmosphere rubs off on fans, too. On race days, for example, all paying spectators are welcome to visit the paddock. Anybody can watch the teams as they make their final prepara-tions – unthinkable in many other race series. “After all, we’re not driving Formula One,” smiles Jochen Hahn, who’s just finished working on his laptop. The motor racing elite attracts disproportionate media in-terest, but in terms of live attendance at races, it’s a very different story: when Sebastian Vettel won at Nürburgring, just 50,000 fans were scattered about in the stands, whereas this year’s championship truck race ends up by attracting well in excess of 160,000 visitors. In return, they enjoy a spectacular weekend. Hahn and his top challenger Antonio Albacete fight it out over a total of four races. Jochen Hahn wins the first race on Saturday by a few tenths of a second. But in the second race, the German record holder collides with Hungary’s Norbert Kiss and his truck needs emergency surgery. On Sunday, the tide turns: Al-bacete comes a narrow first in the third race, just ahead of Hahn, but the Spaniard is forced to withdraw from the fourth race with damaged tires. Jochen Hahn places third, shortening the Spaniard’s overall lead on the ranking table to just 12 points. Halfway through

the season, that’s no lead at all. But it’s still not enough to put Hahn back at the top of the table – even though the first bend didn’t give him any problems this time. On the evening after the race, Jochen Hahn sits in the team paddock, atop a stack of tires. Does his second-place ranking make him nervous? “Nope,” he says – and yet his eyes are smoldering. “But obviously we want to get back on top.” It looks as if his competitors should be prepared for some serious action. ■

author Philip Wesselhöft (Hamburg, Germany) is a journalist and co­founder of editorial agency

büro 504. In his reporting he generally focuses on stories of travel and adventure.

which Hahn’s number-two mechanic, Tim Frost, is working over with a hammer and angle grinder. The races in Austria were all business. “Truck racing is a true motorsport,” pronounced Jochen Hahn earlier in the day. “Because it’s a contact sport, too.”

All that “contact” – usually the result of collisions between the trucks as they hurtle round bends – has given the mechanics plenty to do. Plus the fact that they haven’t yet found what Honens describes as the “optimal setup”. It was a long winter, the truck didn’t put in enough test drives before the start of the sea-son. So now they’re having to “twiddle a few screws” while the truck is in racing condition – more specifi-cally, tune dampers and stabilizers so the chassis can produce its best performance on the track. With the transmission, on the other hand: “it’s all good,” says the Chief Mechanic as he wipes his face with an oil-smeared hand. He only has to fiddle with the trans-mission every couple of months, usually to replace worn parts like synchronizer rings and input shafts.For the most part, the trucks run on standard produc-tion technology. “That’s the beauty of it,” explains Konrad Hahn, team leader, father of Jochen and a for-mer racing truck driver himself. Almost all the parts in a racing truck are standard production components – they’ve just “been rearranged slightly,” explains the team boss with a laugh. Just exactly how they’ve been rearranged is not something he’ll tell us. Mechanic Stefan Honens is a little disappointed by the secrecy that now surrounds professional motorsports. The 45-year-old has been tinkering with racing trucks for the past 18 years. In the old days, once the winter sea-son was over, you’d get together with your fellow

Jochen Hahn’s MAN TGS 18 480

produces 1,100 bhp and has a 16-speed

manual trans-mission from ZF

on board.

GLOBALIZATION

50 512.2013

technologY

low-floor axle technology. The company first laid the foundations of this success three decades ago. ZF launched the com-pany’s first portal axle 30 years ago; it was christened the AV 130. That first product was followed by a long line of variants, some fitted with integral disk brakes, o thers optimized for the non-driven axles in articulated city buses.

Now ZF has announced a new, even more efficient and lightweight generation of portal axle for 2014: the AV 133. The new axles are being produced at ZF sites in Passau, Hangzhou and Gainesville.

So buses can travel far away from over-head wires, using environmentally friendly hybrid or all-electric drives, ZF also developed the AVE 130 portal axle. The axle has similar dimensions to a con-ventional portal axle, meaning that bus manufacturers don’t have to create extra space or redesign their vehicles. The other feature that distinguishes the electric por-tal axle from standard mass-produced hy-brid solutions with central motors is weight: the entire system is between 200 and 500 kilograms lighter, reducing en-ergy consumption and improving carrying capacity. Otherwise the axle offers all the usual low-floor benefits. Two integral 120 kilowatt electric motors provide motive power. Currently the new electric portal axle is undergoing rigorous road testing in city buses operated by companies in Stutt-gart and Hamburg, for example. By the end of the year, multiple projects are sched-uled for implementation worldwide. ■

cially in megacities such as Beijing, São Paulo, Santiago de Chile, Seoul, Taipei and Tehran. Without low-floor buses, it would be almost impossible to implement the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) concept that is now so popular in many large cities be-cause it saves so much time. BRT is a transport concept whereby city transit ve-hicles all travel in separate lanes, or even on separate tracks. Often the bus stops are designed in such a way that there is no difference in height between the bus and the kerb. And thanks to “pre-board ticket-ing”, passengers already have the right ticket before they reach the bus stop; they don’t need to buy one from the driver.

ZF now supplies almost all the major bus manufacturers around the world with

W hen city buses pick up passen-gers at bus stops, every milli-meter of height counts. After

all, if you’re a young mother with a twin stroller or an elderly gentleman with your leg in plaster, you don’t want to clamber up multiple steps as you get in. In fact, if the bus that collects you is a full low-floor bus, you won’t have to climb any steps in-side the bus either. Unlike low-entry buses, the entire center aisle of a low-floor bus is flat. Even at the rear, where the en-gine is, there are no platforms or steps to climb. These advantageous ergonomics are usually the result of using portal axles supplied by ZF. They lower the floor height – even at the rear – down to as little as 405 millimeters. In addition to rear por-tal axles, the ZF portfolio also includes front-axle systems, as well as independent suspension systems optimized for buses.

While passengers appreciate the conve-nience, transport companies appreciate the fact that their vehicles are more eco-nomical – thanks to ZF low-floor technol-ogy. By making it easier – hence faster – for passengers to climb in and out, low-floor buses only spend half as long as con-ventional buses at each bus stop. The cumulative effect is to save time, which in turn improves transport capacity.

Axles for everybodyIn the cities of Europe, full low-floor buses have been the preferred choice for a long time. But they are becoming increasingly popular in other countries, too – espe-

ShAnghAi china

iStAnbul tURKeY

From Shanghai to New York, you’ll find

city buses with ZF low-floor axles.

With low-level entrances and flat floors throughout the vehicle, full low-floor buses are making an important c ontribution to inner-city mobility around the world.

405 MilliMeterS AbOVe the rOAD

50

%less time waiting at bus stops, thanks to low-floor technology featuring stepless entrances

and flat floors inside the vehicle.

new YOrk USa

52 532.2013

M any experts believe that over the next few years, electric vehicles could make a major contribution to reducing the CO2

content of Earth’s atmosphere and mitigat-ing the effects of climate change. So far, what has prevented this low-impact tech-nology from succeeding is the ongoing i ssue of driving range – or rather, lack of it. In the U.S., the issue has even given rise to a syndrome known as “range anxiety”, re-

Scientists and engineers all around the world are devising and exploring new e-mobility concepts. Limited range is widely regarded as the main obstacle. Now researchers at top U.S. university Stanford have developed a solution. Dr. Sven Beiker outlines the idea – and the hurdles that remain to be cleared. ferring to drivers’ fear that their electric

cars might run out of energy and leave them stranded by the roadside. And as a matter of fact, most of the electric cars cur-rently in production are only capable of driving about 150 kilometers (95 miles) on a single charge before their batteries run out. Even drivers who successfully reach a charging station must then wait for several hours before they can continue their jour-ney. Here at Stanford’s Center for Automo-tive Research (CARS), we are working with our colleagues in the Global Climate

and Energy Project (GCEP) to find a solu-tion to this problem. Might it be possible, we asked ourselves, to recharge a vehicle while it was driving along, from the road itself? If we could find an answer to this question, not only would it solve the prob-lem of electric vehicles’ limited driving range, it would have significant advantages over all existing forms of propulsion. You would never have to visit a filling station

again – and there is, after all, something rather magical about the idea of finishing your trip with more energy in your battery than you had at the start. To a layperson, such a scenario sounds futuristic – but it does not sound so far-fetched to an electri-cal engineer. The method of choice would be magnetic resonance coupling, and the underlying principles have been under-stood for some time. Using magnetic reso-nance coupling, electricity can be trans-ferred wirelessly between two resonating magnetic coils, in much the same way as

Essay

“The idea of charging electri-

cally powered vehicles directly from the road is less utopian than

it may appear to a layperson.”

TAKING THEELECTRICHIGHwAy TOTHE FUTURE

54 552.2013

Dr. Sven BeikerSven Beiker is Director of the Center for Automotive research at Stanford University. He is one of the best-known visionaries and researchers in the field of future mobility. Beiker holds multiple patents for inventions relating to chassis and powertrain technologies.

questions involved, for which we need to find suitably integrated answers!

One million dollars per mileWe now assume we would need around one million dollars per mile per lane to lay magnetic coils beneath the road surface. The coils would be made out of copper – a relatively simple, inexpensive product compared to rare earths (fortunately not required). But this leaves one important question unanswered: where do we source the energy? To reduce CO2 emissions – the main reason for developing electric trans-port in the first place – it would make sense to rely on renewable energy, per-haps in the form of wind farms along highways or photovoltaic panels arching over roads like solar roofs. By generating energy close to its point of use, we would avoid the transmission losses associated with long-distance energy transfers. We must quantify all these considerations, so we can decide whether our magnetic reso-nance concept is more or less practical than competing ideas. After all, research-ers around the world are trying to solve the range problem. Among the solutions proposed are high-performance batteries with enough energy for 300-mile trips, su-percharging stations capable of recharg-ing batteries in a few minutes, and over-head electric wires for powering trucks, much like electric railway locomotives.

A German development known as “e-buggy” is another attractive and practical solution. For long journeys, customers simply rent a high-capacity battery on a small trailer. They take it with them on their journey and drop it off at their desti-nation. The charm of this system lies in the fact that your electric car only needs a trailer hitch and a suitable connector.

Test track for prototypesIn order to develop our system for wire-lessly charging vehicles while they are

“Energy could be supplied by wind

farms lining the highways and

photovoltaic p anels arching over roadways

like solar roofs.”

driving, we now need to build prototypes and a test track so we can run a full-scale pilot project. Obviously we do not yet know whether this would eventually result in the system’s large-scale deployment across the United States, European or German road networks. We might discover that the system is more suitable for use in specific locations – at intersections regu-larly used by customized vehicle fleets, for example.

Whatever happens, it will be exciting to see how we eventually solve the driving range issue that currently afflicts electric vehicles. A positive outcome would benefit us all, and hopefully also benefit the world’s climate. ■

hope to build a prototype within the next five years; we believe we will be able to demonstrate that this technology is both practical and safe.

It all sounds very straightforward. Un-fortunately, the real world is a little more complicated. Yes, the technology described above already works – in miniature. But before we can use it on a larger scale, we must first solve a series of problems that together add up to pose a major challenge. For example, the average car traveling at 100 km/h (60 mph) consumes about 40 kilowatt-hours of energy every hour. This means the amount of energy the car would pick up by driving over a single coil would be used up very quickly. So how many coils would we need to embed in the road-way in order to supply the necessary en-ergy? Should they be spaced two, 10 or 50 meters apart? What would happen if thou-sands of vehicles were passing over the coils every hour – and what would happen if there were only three? And what about heavy trucks that need many times more energy? What if vehicles were not pre-cisely centered above the coils as they drove over them? What kind of capacity would the electric feeder lines need? All these questions indicate just how complex an electric highway project would be – equivalent in scope, perhaps, to a combi-nation of Germany’s recently introduced electronic toll system for trucks with the new Transrapid monorail system.

To find suitable answers to these ques-tions, we have recruited an interdisciplin-ary team to join our research project, which started as an exercise in electrical engineering. Now civil engineers and busi-ness administrators are helping us investi-gate not just the coils, but the entire mobil-ity concept. We are looking at the impact of magnetic resonance on health, at the potential for using driverless cars, at ways of building a suitable business model. There are still a great many big, complex

the principle of magnetic induction is used to recharge your electric toothbrush.

Energy supply beneath the roadTechnically, the concept would be imple-mented by laying electric transmitter coils underneath the road surface and mount-ing a receiver coil – made out of wire about the thickness of a finger – beneath the electric vehicle. Electrical energy would then be transferred to the vehicle by mag-netic resonance. Here at Stanford, we have spent a number of years researching this technology in order to find out how effi-cient it is and establish the ideal distance between road and vehicle. Indeed, we have applied for a number of patents. We

Essay

Dr. Beiker

Charging while drivingThe car’s built-in energy store is recharged

wirelessly by magnetic resonance

Power line

Transmitter coil

Electric motor

Electric car

Battery

Receiver coil

Energy transferEnergy storeControl center

56 572.2013

+

’57yesterday

todayand

This particular design of hydrofoil was capable of 48 knots (about 90 km/h or 55 mph). In their day, these vessels were not only used on German waterways. They also linked major cities across Europe, for exam-ple plying the route between Venice and Trieste.

The catamaran Farasan was built and delivered to Saudi Arabia by Australia’s Austal shipyard, which

specializes in catamaran ferries. The vessel plies the 25 nautical miles (around 46 kilometers) be-tween the port of Jazan and the Farasan archi-

pelago – a popular holiday destination – at speeds of up to 32 knots (about 60 km/h or

37  mph). The Farasan is 69 meters long, and can carry up to 650 passengers, 50 cars and 15 trucks.

The 1957 hydrofoil was fitted with ZF’s BW-800, a marine reversing

transmission with an electric multi -disc clutch. Shifting gears was quick and easy, making the unit ideal for use at high speeds.

ZF’s 53000 NR2B is a reduction gearbox. Its compact design

means it fits perfectly into the catamaran’s

engine room.

Take a shallow draft...Catamarans feature twin hulls and reduced water displacement,

resulting in an impressive turn of speed. Half a century ago, they were known as hydrofoils – and even in those days,

they were equipped with ZF technology.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

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SERvicE

About this magazine

Publisher ZF Friedrichshafen AG, 88038 Friedrichshafen, Germany Publications Officer Matthias Lenz,ZF Friedrichshafen AG,88038 Friedrichshafen, GermanyPhone: +49 7541 77-2790, Fax: +49 7541 77-2764,E-mail: drive@zf.comEditors in Chief Martin Demel, Wolfgang MillerChief Coordinator Claudia WangerEditorial Team Michael Hopp, Frank Thoma (Managing Editor), Heinz-Jürgen Köhler (Senior Editor), Robert Buchmeier, Frank Discher, Corina DreherOther Contributors to this Issue Khairul Azlee Abdullah, Sven Beiker, Andreas Neemann, Achim Neuwirth, Martin Randelhoff, Anja Schnake, Philip WesselhöftServices Hoffmann und Campe Verlag GmbHDesign Advance Consultants GmbH,Kurfürstendamm 212, 10719 Berlin, GermanyPrinting Bodensee MedienzentrumGmbH & Co. KG, Lindauer Strasse 11,88069 Tettnang, Germany

Photo Credits Cover: Len Clarke; p. 3: ZF;p. 4: Getty Images, Roderick Aichinger, ZF, Mario Wagner; pp. 6–7 REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino; pp. 8–9: Iveco, Škoda, Steyr, BMW, Jaguar, Opel; pp. 10–11: ZF; pp. 12–13: Jan Siefke, Roderick Aichinger; p. 14: Peter Neusser; pp. 16–17: Roderick Aichinger; pp. 18–19: Jan Siefke; pp. 20–21: C. Taylor Crothers/Gallery Stock/laif, Getty Images; p. 23: illustration: Sascha Bierl; p. 24: ZF; pp. 26-28: Detlef Majer; pp. 30–31: Detlef Majer; p. 32: Getty Images; pp. 33-36: ZF; p. 37: Getty Images; p. 38: BMW; pp. 40–41: Detlef Majer; pp. 42–43: Shigenobu Yoshida, Len Clarke; pp. 44–45: Len Clarke, Shigenobu Yoshida, Kazuya Minakoshi, SUPER GT Official Media; pp. 46–47: Len Clarke, SUPER GT Official Media; pp. 48–51: Mareike Foecking, Hahn Racing GmbH (small photo on p. 48); p. 53: Detlef Majer, Tim Müller, ZF; pp. 54–55: illustration: Mario Wagner; pp. 56–57: CARS at Stanford; p. 58: ZF, Austal

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58 592.2013

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Porsche AG and ZF Friedrichshafen AG share a long-standing and successful partnership. For half a century, ZF has been supplying the various generations of the 911 with driveline, chassis and steering technology. We are proud to continue contributing to such a special vehicle with joint developments such as the 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the 7-speed manual transmission, and active rear axle steering. We’d also like to wish all drivers of the legendary Porsche 911 happy driving! www.zf.com/car

TRADITIONAL AND DYNAMIC: ZF CONGRATULATES PORSCHE ON 50 YEARS OF THE 911!

MOTION AND MOBILITY