ZF is equipping the all-electric CELESTIQ luxury sedan from Cadillac with the Smart Chassis Sensor. The ZF solution is permanently integrated into the ball joints of all four-wheel suspensions and determines the vehicle’s ride height. Information generated from smart algorithms in the sensors is important, for example, for the electronic control of damping and headlamp leveling and enables further functions and business models.

Smart Chassis Sensor from ZF

On the road to the software-defined vehicle, powerful and intelligent sensors are becoming increasingly important and collect a wide range of data in the process. The Smart Chassis Sensor is an in-house development for which ZF has used its many years of expertise in chassis and sensor technology. On the ball joints, the angle of the ball pivot integrated in the wheel joint changes during driving due to the compression and rebound movement of the wheel. ZF has found a way to make these specific changes in the angle reliably measurable.

The series premiere of our Smart Chassis Sensor illustrates the importance of intelligent and robust sensors for new electronic vehicle features. With the help of evaluation algorithms, our sensor not only replaces conventional height sensors, it also significantly outperforms them in terms of the quantity and reliability of the data collected.

—Steffen Reichelt, Head of the Chassis Components Product Line at ZF

In the Cadillac CELESTIQ, the ZF solution is permanently integrated into the ball joints on all four-wheel suspensions: two in the front wishbones and two in the rear wishbones. Due to this integration, there is no need for separate installation, which saves time and weight. The Smart Chassis Sensor is therefore easier to install, lighter, cheaper, less susceptible to weather conditions and has a significantly more reliable signal quality than previous height sensors on the market.

The main advantage, however, is the quality and quantity of data that is available for many electronic functions directly from the chassis with the Smart Chassis Sensor, regardless of whether corresponding ZF systems or products from competitors are used, according to ZF.

Regardless of the specific application, the ZF sensor solution offers considerable potential. For example, Cadillac can use the data from the Smart Chassis Sensor in the CELESTIQ to control the damping and air suspension as well as the headlight range adjustment. Depending on the degree to which the system is deployed and the vehicles are networked, "road condition monitoring" can also be implemented. Here, the sensor detects irregularities in the road surface—such as potholes and road bumps—and can better adjust the chassis to the conditions, adapting the vehicle damping to the road conditions and protecting important and safety-relevant chassis components from damage.

The data can also be used to feed driving dynamics applications such as ERC (Electronic Roll Control) roll stabilization and active or semi-active damping systems, in which ZF is the market leader. Other systems can also be operated in combination to ensure increased safety and comfort.