HANOVER, Germany – ZF Friedrichshafen said it will invest more than 12 billion euros ($14.1 billion) in electrification and autonomous technologies over the next five years.
“Autonomous driving will prevail more quickly in the commercial vehicle sector due to reduced vehicle operating costs while also helping to improve safety and efficiency,” ZF said.
The company made the announcement at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles show.
CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider said much of the focus is on “revolutionizing the 'last mile' so that packages can be delivered more cleanly, safely, and on time.”
At the show, ZF displayed its Innovation Van that demonstrates how connectivity, autonomous driving, and electrification can be used jointly to meet customer and regulatory demands of the future.
The van can autonomously navigate around obstacles, and drivers are able to use a tablet-based remote control. Additionally, if parking is hard to find, the driver is able to direct the van to autonomously travel to the next stop to find a spot.
Earlier this year, ZF demoed upcoming steering products for trucks that it said can improve fleet profitability and vehicle performance.
