Nexteer Invests in Tactile Mobility to Support Software Offerings & Next Level “Steering Feel”

Nexteer Automotive has invested in Israel-based Tactile Mobility, a leading tactile virtual sensing and data company, expanding our growing software capabilities.

Tactile Mobility’s software collects data using vehicles’ built in, non-visual sensors including wheel speed, wheel angle, RPM, paddles position, gear position, and then analyzes it to yield actionable insights in real-time. These insights provide a clear-cut, highly accurate description and analysis of the continually evolving state of vehicles, roads and vehicle-road dynamics.

Nexteer’s collaboration with Tactile Mobility is a perfect complement to our existing global software business model and focus on motion control software. Through this investment, we are looking forward to building out even more of our software offerings that maximize over-the-air updates and connectivity for even safer, more reliable driving.

Software plays an important, central part in the automotive industry and especially in steering features that enhance a driver’s connection to the road. Feedback from electric power steering systems gives the driver a “feel of the road.” Beyond the performance aspect of a driver’s road connection, this road feedback also plays an important safety-critical element in giving the driver a sense of hazardous road conditions (e.g., icy, gravely, potholes etc.). Already a leader in software-tuning for steering feel, Nexteer expects to elevate its expertise via Tactile Mobility’s real-time data feeds on vehicle environments.

Arguably, steering is the most important vehicle interface to the driver – whether human or robot. Day-to-day collaboration with Tactile Mobility will enable us to make driving safer with new software applications for a situationally aware vehicle by helping the driver to proactively manage hazards and road conditions.

Supporting the importance of software for the future of safe, reliable driving, Tactile Mobility VP of Business Development Eitan Grosbard said, “We are seeing a burgeoning demand for our unique tactile sensing technology as well as our data which offers a true to life picture of the state of our road and mobility ecosystem in real-time. We will continue to harness the potential of that data with our partners – be they cities, municipalities, insurers, OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers.”

This investment is yet another example of how Nexteer is executing our strategy for growth in alignment with key industry megatrends.