ZF reaches milestone of 50 million automotive cameras produced, sets industry record for annual production

ZF is a world leader in the supply of cameras to more than a dozen vehicle manufacturers – having produced more than 50 million cameras since launching camera technology in 2008. Image: ZF

(PRESS RELEASE) FARMINGTON HILLS, MI, United States, 3-Jan-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — ZF, a German car parts supplier and the world’s leading supplier of automotive cameras, has announced that it has produced over 50 million automotive cameras, the most of any supplier, and has surpassed the 10 million mark annually for automotive smart camera production, an industry first. This achievement builds on ZF’s expertise in developing innovative camera technologies for advanced driver assistance systems. The announcement was made in the run-up to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

ZF manufactures cameras around the globe at its plants in Marshall, Illinois in the United States, Anting, China, Peterlee in the United Kingdom and Czestochowa, Poland in Eastern Europe, where the plant was recently expanded, and most recently has launched production at its new plant in Monterrey, Mexico.

“We utilize the most advanced manufacturing and testing techniques at all ZF locations to help ensure the quality and reliability of our cameras and salute our dedicated teams around the globe for their dedication to excellence,” said Jana Rosenmann, Head of the Electronics and ADAS Division for the ZF Group. “We have been producing automotive cameras since 2008 and have become a global leader though continuous innovation and attention to detail in the design and manufacturing processes.”

The wider field of view of the Smart Camera 4.8 has advantages especially in sharp curves or at crossroads: As the picture shows, significantly more vehicles are identified, and importantly vulnerable
road users such as pedestrians and cyclists are detected. Image: ZF

ZF and its long-time partner Mobileye design, develop and deliver camera systems based on Mobileye’s EyeQ™ processors for advanced object recognition technology. ZF incorporates this technology in its innovative Smart camera family, which also includes an industry-first premium three lens Tri-Camera 4 version to support advanced semi-automated driving functions, adding a telephoto lens for improved long-distance sensing capabilities and a fish-eye lens for improved short-range sensing with a wider field of view.

“This milestone reflects the work we’ve undertaken together to enhance safety for drivers worldwide through ADAS technology,” said Nimrod Nehushtan, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at Mobileye. “As our systems evolve to take on more driving responsibility and become even more intelligent through cloud-based services and additional sensors, we know this collaboration will continue to provide technology that vehicle owners will appreciate in the years ahead.”

For single-lens cameras ZF is in its fourth generation and today offers the Smart Camera 4.8 family, among the first ever cameras to offer the capability of a 100-degree horizontal field of view. This represents another important step forward in meeting future Euro NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings and IIHS Top Safety Pick+ requirements as well as General Safety Regulations that require increasingly stringent test protocols for safety critical systems.

ZF supplies more than a dozen vehicle manufacturers globally with advanced ADAS sensor technologies including front-facing cameras, advanced imaging and satellite radar systems. The ZF sensor portfolio is enabling vehicle manufacturers to help enhance vehicle safety and to make semi-automated driving convenience functions like Highway Driving and Traffic Jam Assist, across the full spectrum of light vehicles and ZF is a leader in automated driving technologies from Level2/2+ systems to fully automated vehicles.

Press contact:
John Wilkerson, Product and Technology Communications,
phone: +1 734-582-1312, email: john.wilkerson@zf.com

Martin Ehrenfeuchter, Product and Technology Communications
phone: +49 7541 77 963 248, email: martin.ehrenfeuchter@zf.com

About ZF
ZF is a global technology company supplying systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility. ZF allows vehicles to see, think and act. In the four technology domains of Vehicle Motion Control, Integrated Safety, Automated Driving, and Electric Mobility, ZF offers comprehensive product and software solutions for established vehicle manufacturers and newly emerging transport and mobility service providers. ZF electrifies a wide range of vehicle types. With its products, the company contributes to reducing emissions, protecting the climate and enhancing safe mobility.

With some 157,500 employees worldwide, ZF reported sales of €38.3 billion in fiscal 2021. The company operates 188 production locations in 31 countries.

For further press information and photos, please visit: www.zf.com

SOURCE: ZF Group