TRW lands brake technology contracts with 3 major N.A. automakers
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Supplier TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. says it has received orders for its electric park brake technology from three major North American automakers.
A TRW spokesman declined to identify the automakers, but said TRW's technology is expected to be used in a 2013 vehicle to be launched this year.
TRW's electric park brake functions as a conventional hydraulic brake for standard braking and as an electric brake for parking and emergency braking.
TRW spokesman John Wilkerson said the business has been awarded over the past two years and TRW predicts that about 10 percent of vehicles sold in North America will have electric park brakes by 2015.
TRW said the electric park brake system uses electrical cables and a control switch instead of a typical foot pedal or hand lever, which simplifies routing and allows for more freedom of design for vehicle interiors. Electric park brakes can be integrated with other vehicle systems such as electronic stability control and can enhance safety in an emergency braking situation, according to TRW.
It also can simplify assembly and reduce weight compared with conventional park brake systems, saving as much as 16 pounds in a larger SUV/pickup popular in North America, TRW said in a release.
The technology can prevent unintentional rollaways by activating automatically when the driver opens the door or releases a seat belt. A drive-away assist function can hold the vehicle in a stopped position without the need to constantly use the brake pedal, such as in a traffic jam.
TRW Automotive, of suburban Detroit, ranks No. 11 on the Automotive News list of the top 100 global suppliers with worldwide sales to automakers of $14.4 billion in fiscal 2010.
You can reach Ellen Mitchell at emitchell@crain.com.
