AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – February 28, 2019 – Nexteer Automotive, a global leader in intuitive motion control, announced today its production milestone of 60 million electric power steering (EPS) systems globally – which adds up to significant fuel savings around the world.
Featured in global vehicles from small cars to full-size trucks, Nexteer’s EPS systems increase fuel efficiency by up to 6 percent and CO2 emissions by up to 8 grams per kilometer. To put this in perspective, the amount of fuel saved from 60 million EPS systems would fill more than 6 billion gallons. If all 60 million EPS units were lined up end to end, they would circle the earth twice.
“Nexteer’s EPS systems provide reliable steering control in all driving conditions, while reducing fuel consumption and emissions,” said Tao Liu, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Operating Officer, Nexteer Automotive. “Our 60 millionth EPS production milestone comes just 14 months after our 50 millionth milestone. This is a testament to our continued global expansion with new customers and new markets.”
The company’s EPS systems are featured in nine out of 10 full-size trucks in the US and one out of four small cars in Europe. Today, Nexteer’s EPS systems can be found on vehicles around the world such as the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Charger, the Dodge Challenger, the Ford F-150, the Ram 1500, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Chevrolet Traverse, the GMC Sierra, the Buick Enclave, the Cadillac XT6 and more.
“Nexteer is currently the number one EPS supplier in North America and number three globally. We serve more than 60 customers around the world,” said Liu. “Nexteer’s EPS market growth can be attributed to the depth and breadth of our EPS product portfolio, our global manufacturing footprint, as well as our in-house ownership of design, testing, manufacturing and quality program execution.”
EPS uses an electric motor to assist driver steering. Nexteer’s EPS hardware and software are developed concurrently and work together to connect the driver with the road – taking into account driving dynamics and the operating environment. This “connection to the road” provides the driver with an experience consistent with the vehicle’s brand (such as luxury, sport, etc.), while also giving important safety cues regarding road surface (such as icy, gravel, etc.).
EPS as Key ADAS Enabler
In addition to enhancing driver comfort, control and feel-of-the-road, Nexteer’s EPS systems enable ADAS features. Many of these Nexteer EPS-enabled ADAS features are already on the road today, such as lane keeping, park assist, traffic jam assist and lane departure warning.
“It’s an exciting time in our industry, and we’re proud to be part of the evolving role steering plays for today’s vehicles and for an automated future,” said Steve Spicer, Vice President of Global EPS, Nexteer Automotive. “Nexteer’s High Availability EPS system is part of our comprehensive technology suite that delivers advanced safety and performance. By integrating back-up hardware and software designs, our High Availability EPS ensures the safety net is always on.”
Nexteer’s High Availability EPS is designed for resilient operational availability, using top-rated components that are intelligently optimized and packaged with redundancies in torque and position sensors, ECUs, motor windings as well as dual sets of vehicle power and communication connectors. In addition to hardware redundancies, Nexteer’s software is built for simultaneous, multi-path processing to further enhance the safety net as the industry moves toward varying levels of automation.
