ZF, NIO Sign Strategic Coop Agreement

Source: ZF announcement

MUNICH — ZF, the global technology company, recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement with NIO in Munich, Germany. The two sides will work together in the development of steer-by-wire (SBW) products and other fields.

Dr. Holger Klein, Member of the Board of Management (BOM), ZF Group, William Li, Founder, Chairman and CEO of NIO, and senior management on both sides attended the signing ceremony, while discussing a wide range of cooperation topics. Kevin Pan, Associate Vice President, Supply Chain Development, NIO, and Dr. Peter Holdmann, Executive Vice President, Head of Division Car Chassis Technology, signed the agreement.

Both companies have also agreed to establish an instant information sharing mechanism to deepen communication and conduct regular technical exchanges to jointly engage in industry-leading processes and quality standards. Meanwhile, ZF and NIO plan to extend their collaboration to brand promotion, product marketing, technology and quality enhancements, as well as customer service.

Dr. Holger Klein, Member of the Board of Management, ZF Group, said: “ZF’s new steer-by-wire system is a market-leading, cutting-edge technology. We are excited to be working closely with NIO, an outstanding representative of the Chinese automotive industry that is actively engaged in technology and business model innovation, and a pioneer in the globalization of the Chinese automotive industry. We will continue to expand our cooperation with leading automotive customers against the backdrop of the connectivity, electrification and autonomous megatrends, and give full play to ZF’s technology strengths to play an increasingly important role in the open automotive ecosystem.”

“As vehicles become increasingly electric, autonomous, and software defined, ZF has been establishing a leading position in the industry with its comprehensive by-wire technology offerings, and has been awarded significant contracts by multiple customers with steer-by-wire launches scheduled in all major regions,” said Christophe Marnat, Executive Vice President, Active Safety Systems, ZF Group.

The signing of this agreement marks the first time that ZF Group cooperates with a customer in the steer-by-wire business in the Asia Pacific region, and it also marks that the two sides will jointly promote the evolution and development of technology within many fields such as autonomous driving and electrification.