ZF Lenksysteme is now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering

It’s official now. The former ZF Steering Systems GmbH is now called Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH. 

Following the completion of the acquisition of the 50 percent share of ZF Friedrichshafen AG in its earlier joint venture ZF Steering Systems GmbH on January 30, 2015, the corresponding name change has taken place on March 11 The subsidiaries of Robert Bosch GmbH Automotive Steering at home and abroad will be renamed in the coming weeks. The company is managed as a separate division called Automotive Steering in the Bosch Group. 

"With the guidance, we add an important competence to our portfolio," said Dr Dirk Hoheisel, managing director of Robert Bosch GmbH. As a leading manufacturer of advanced, fuel-saving electric power steering systems, the Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH expands the system competence the Bosch Group in Business Mobility Solutions. 

Electric power steering systems offer a savings of up to 0.8 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres and are a basic technology for driver assistance systems, automated driving and electric cars. 

Bosch says its customers will now benefit from the expanded product offering to steering systems. "In the past, the success was in business with components – today the offer to the customer is in intelligent systems and solutions," said Christian Sobottka, CEO, Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH. 

One main focus of Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH’s R&D activities is using specific software to connect components and create complete systems. The company has developed a solution that makes it possible to manoeuvre a car-trailer combination by smartphone. This solution is now ready for series production.

Thanks to Servotwin, an electro-hydraulic commercial-steering system developed especially by Automotive Steering, this principle now also works with trucks with a payload of over 40 metric tonnes. The innovative Servotwin commercial-steering system therefore marks the entry into the electrification of commercial-vehicle steering, which is a key prerequisite for the introduction of driver assistance systems in the commercial-vehicle segment. “Innovations such as these are based on our strong engineering expertise with more than 1,400 highly qualified associates in research and development,” said Sobottka.