On November 21, Schaeffler and Hunan Xiangjiang New District Management Committee signed an investment cooperation agreement in Changsha, Hunan Province. Relying on the advantages of local industrial clusters, combined with Schaeffler's technical expertise and research and development capabilities, the two parties will jointly build a regional intelligent driving automobile industry ecosystem and support the development of China's intelligent connected automobile industry.
Dr. Dirk Kessel-Gruber, President of Schaeffler Group's Chassis Division, and Mr. Ling Qinjie, Member of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Hunan Xiangjiang New District, signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of both parties. Dr. Zhang Yilin, Chief Executive Officer of Schaeffler Greater China, Mr. Hu Zhongxiong, Deputy Secretary of the Changsha Municipal Party Committee, Mayor, and Secretary of the Hunan Xiangjiang New District Party Working Committee, witnessed this important moment.
According to the agreement, Schaeffler will set up a wholly-owned company in the Xiangjiang New District of Hunan and set up the Schaeffler Greater China Second R & D Center and Schaeffler China Intelligent Driving Research Institute to apply its Space Drive wire control technology for intelligent driving, Mechatronics products and technologies related to chassis systems such as the Mover platform system and intelligent wire-by-wire steering modules were introduced into the new zone. The new R & D center will rely on Schaeffler's global R & D network and technical expertise, and will work closely with the regional R & D center in Anting, Shanghai, to collaborate in the development of future intelligent driving technology. This move marks that Schaeffler's core technology and products for intelligent driving have entered the implementation phase from market promotion in China.
Schaeffler's wire-by-wire technology is the core technology to realize future intelligent driving. It can be used for L4-L5 level autonomous driving. This technology has been applied in the market for 17 years and has an accident-free driving record of more than 1 billion kilometers of public roads. Mover is an open vehicle platform that is highly flexible and environmentally friendly, fully demonstrating Schaeffler's innovative technologies for future drive and chassis applications. The platform uses an innovative chassis concept, integrating all components and systems that enable driving functions, including drive, battery, steering and braking. This platform can realize a variety of vehicle concepts to meet the needs of different application scenarios of unmanned driving in the future.
Dr. Dirk Kersgruber, President of Schaeffler Group ’s Chassis Business Unit, said: “With more than 70 years of technology accumulation in the field of automotive powertrains and chassis, combined with leading innovations in wire control technology, Schaeffler is actively developing Become an integrated chassis system integration supplier. In the future, Schaeffler will give full play to its own technical and industrial advantages to better provide customers with high-quality products and short-distance services to help the development of China's intelligent connected car industry. "