Braking systems manufacturer Knorr-Bremse is taking over tedrive Steering Systems GmbH as part of a strategy intended to add state-of-the-art steering systems to its portfolio and thereby offer highly integrated systems, as well as new functionalities in autonomous driving. The acquisition is subject to approval by the anti-trust authorities.
Tedrive has 320 employees and locations in Germany, Turkey, Russia and the USA, at which steering systems are developed and manufactured, including rack-and-pinion and recirculating ball steering gear systems across all vehicle segments. The company’s intelligent hydraulic steering assist (iHSA) technology with electric steering actuation was developed with a view to meeting the demands of autonomous driving in commercial vehicles.
“For us as a manufacturer of braking systems, entering the steering market is the logical next step in expanding our systems expertise. Through the smart connection of systems and subsystems we will be able to generate added value for our customers, be they commercial vehicle manufacturers or operators, in the development, production and operation of their vehicles,” explained Dr Peter Laier, member of the executive board of Knorr-Bremse AG responsible for the commercial vehicle systems division.
“This is particularly important against the backdrop of increasingly widespread driver assistance systems and the automation of driving functions. Together with the steering expertise of tedrive, this core competency of Knorr-Bremse opens up additional opportunities to supply our customers with highly integrated and efficient system solutions,” added Laier.
Knorr-Bremse’s electronic brake control systems can control longitudinal motion and at the same time ensure the dynamic stability of the vehicle. In combination with iHSA, in the future Knorr-Bremse expects it will be able to offer extended automated driving functionalities that were previously restricted to the passenger car sector, such as active lane-keeping on motorways/freeways, as well as functionalities specific to commercial vehicles, such as platooning – automated driving in convoys with short distances between vehicles – or autonomous yard maneuvering.
