Nexteer Automotive has shipped its 20 millionth electric power steering (EPS) system since it sold its first unit in 1999. In 2011 the company invested more than US$220m globally in expanding and updating its EPS manufacturing capacity.
In December 2012 Nexteer announced plans to invest US$70m in its headquarters in Saginaw, MI, USA creating 325 new jobs. The investment is a result of a major EPS contract with a North American automaker.
And in 2013, the company will launch single-pinion EPS in Brazil and China, and it will launch brush-column EPS for emerging markets, which have traditionally used hydraulic steering systems but are adopting the EPS technology to improve fuel economy.
Frank Lubischer, vice president of global engineering and COO European operations at Nexteer, said, “Our customers have noticed a significant reduction in warranty issues due to functions such as pull compensation, which keep the steering straight on crowned roads, and wheel imbalance rejection, which filters uncomfortable wheel vibrations,” He added, “Nexteer’s innovative electronic architecture for its EPS systems provides the processing power, functional safety, robust vehicle communication and standardized software required to introduce more complex driver assist and safety functions.”
