ZF Friedrichshafen has won a contract from Lotus to supply its CubiX software to help the sports car maker tune chassis functions on the Eletre electric SUV.
CubiX is one of the German supplier’s growing range of software-related offerings to automakers as it looks to diversify away from its reliance on traditional hardware components and tap into the trend of providing digital features that bring new life to hardware.
CubiX controls the Eletre’s brakes, front- and rear-axle steering, active roll stabilizers and electric drive, allowing Lotus to tune the feel of the car and provide different settings for drivers.
For ZF, CubiX is a chance to leverage its expertise in hardware — in this case, chassis systems — to create more value both for the supplier and for its automaker customers.
A recent McKinsey study shows that automotive software will be worth $82 billion by 2030, up from $31 billion in 2019.
“The real value is in the software functions and services,” Jon Chalmers, senior manager for base software development at ZF’s center in the U.K., told journalists at a briefing.
CubiX, derived from its longer name — chassis control coordination (C cubed) — is a piece of software that directs signals to smart actuators controlling the steering, brakes, shocks and other chassis elements.
