ZF continues to expand its production of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) technologies with the start of production at its electronics plant in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.
The facility, which employs 120 people, is ZF’s first manufacturing project in the state of Nuevo Leon. Its operation focuses on the manufacture of advanced electronics components for passenger vehicles, helping to improve occupant safety. This month, the plant began mass production of the Smart Camera 4.8, the first monocular camera with a 100-degree horizontal field of view and a 1.8-megapixel image sensor that enables functions ranging from Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA).
Additionally, production on IBC2 Brake Control Systems will begin in the upcoming months. This is a ZF solution that provides performance for automatic emergency braking, full energy recovery, and redundant feedback options with up to fully automated driving capability for the passenger-car and light-truck segments.
“ZF is leading the transformation of mobility with technology for electric and autonomous vehicles. Delivering for this transformation is a great challenge and a privilege for the Monterrey team,” said Miguel Acuña, plant manager of ZF Monterrey. “We have been preparing for almost two years to start serving our customers with modern facilities based on the best practices of not only ZF but the market. Our staff has carried out a meticulous process, taking care of every detail to achieve an efficient and safe operation.”
Monterrey is the first ZF plant in Mexico to manufacture Smart Camera 4.8 technology. This product is also manufactured in plants in the United States, Europe and Asia. ZF is the leading supplier of front cameras, with more than a dozen light-vehicle assemblers worldwide as customers.
“The start of production of this Smart camera in Monterrey is a milestone for the Electronics and Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) Division in North America; it opens up new business opportunities and enables our strategy to achieve safe, clean, comfortable and affordable mobility for everyone, everywhere,” said Jana Rosenmann, head of electronics and ADAS Division. “Through solutions like these, we make a significant contribution to the safety of passenger vehicle occupants.”
The ZF Electronic Systems Monterrey plant is part of the larger Monterrey campus, a multifunctional and multidivisional project of the company that will include Information Technology, Materials Management, Finance, Human Resources Operations, and Sustainability centers serving ZF’s entire North American region (Canada, United States and Mexico), as well as the company’s first Research and Development Center in Mexico, which will employ more than 1,000 engineers by 2025.
The establishment of this campus in Nuevo Leon, which is expected to be inaugurated in early 2024, was based on factors such as the quality of its universities and graduates; the industrial focus of the state; and its geographic location, among others.
“This is a very important project for ZF, as it hosts our first R&D center in the country, and it also serves as a hub for other regional functions. For these reasons, we required a place with the capacity to meet our priority needs: a strategic geographic location, the presence of companies that can join our supply network, and local talent capable of joining a high-performance team,” said Martin Fischer, president of ZF North America and a member of the ZF board of management. “Based on these criteria, we chose Monterrey, and two years later, we confirm that it was the best decision.”
The ZF Monterrey manufacturing plant is highly automated and features Industry 4.0 SMT technology, the company said.
A second building on the campus will house ZF’s first research and development center in Mexico, with work areas designed to promote collaborative work, creativity and employees’ innovative spirit. Included will be state-of-the-art laboratories and project rooms, as well as spaces for relaxation and socializing. The campus is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2023.
