TRW Automotive Awarded Electrically Assisted Steering Contracts

Autoparts Report, Nov 5, 2002

TRW Automotive said it was awarded two contracts to supply electrically powered steering (EPS). The awards bring the company's global electrically powered steering contract gains for the next five years to a total of $4.5 billion, the company said.

One of the most recent contract awards is a follow-on order valued around $150 million from a "leading European vehicle manufacturer" for TRW's breakthrough column EPS starting production this year, TRW said. This technology is already fitted on three new European models including the Fiat Stilo.

The other contract is for electrically powered hydraulic steering (EPHS) systems for a" global vehicle manufacturer". The contract is valued at more than $180 million annually in North America and Europe starting production in 2004, TRW said.

TRW's previous EPHS contract wins include the Volkswagen Polo and Opel Vectra, Zafir and Astra models. John Plant, president and chief executive officer, TRW Automotive, said: "These contracts further demonstrate TRW's technology leadership in steering systems. We are strong across the range of steering technologies and continue to work with our customers to develop systems that are changing the marketplace."

Demand is expected to continue to boom for electric steering technology, eventually increasing to an estimated one out of every two cars built by the year 2010, TRW said.

The EPS technologies accommodate the needs of manufacturers as they migrate vehicles from hydraulics, through semi- hydraulics to fully electric systems. EPHS eliminates belts, pulleys and all direct connection with the engine, combining an advanced brushless motor, hydraulic power steering pump, electronic unit and reservoir into an easy to install unit, the company said. In addition, all electric steering systems offer enhanced fuel efficiency because they consume power only when steering assist is required.