- ZF is combining hardware expertise with advanced software and AI to deliver adaptive, future-ready mobility solutions
- ZF introduces AI Road Sense, an advanced AI-driven software solution that predicts road conditions and driver behavior to enhance safety and comfort
- ZF also sets new standards in chassis acoustics and significantly reduces tire noise inside the vehicle with Active Noise Reduction
Las Vegas, USA. The Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) has moved from concept to reality. Building on a foundation of innovative by-wire technologies like steer- and brake-by-wire that enable software-based functionality, ZF is now setting the standard in chassis innovation with new software products that enhance safety and comfort while enabling brand-specific driving experiences. As part of its Chassis 2.0 strategy, which combines smart hardware, artificial intelligence and software to enable new functionalities and personalized features, ZF introduced two new software products at CES: AI Road Sense and Active Noise Reduction.
Dr. Peter Holdmann, Member of the Board of Management and Head of Division Chassis Solutions, said:With our Chassis 2.0 strategy, we are driving the transformation of the chassis into the digital age. By combining hardware expertise, advanced software, and artificial intelligence, we are creating solutions that not only take safety and comfort to a new level but also pave the way for the software-defined vehicle. In this way, we are shaping the mobility of tomorrow – intelligent, connected, and individually adaptable,
AI Road Sense: Navigating the road ahead
With AI Road Sense, ZF presents an innovative, AI-based solution that enhances safety and comfort in software-defined vehicles. The system uses state-of-the-art sensors to adapt the chassis in real time to changing road and surface conditions—whether on wintry roads, off-road terrain, or when switching between different types of pavement. This raw data is then processed and utilized by ZF’s chassis software cubiX to coordinate the control of smart actuators such as our semi-active damping system Continuous Damping Control (CDC) or our active damping system sMOTION. The latter reacts within 1 millisecond to adjust the dampers. Future smart actuator integration will include steer- and brake-by wire for even more advanced control and capability.
Holdmann, said:AI Road Sense can help reduce drivers’ uncertainty when facing challenging road conditions. The system detects specific situations in fractions of a second and reacts faster than human reflexes allow. This means the vehicle’s behavior always meets expectations, strengthening both confidence and the sense of safety at the wheel,
The scalable system is available in three versions: Standard, Advanced, and Premium. Even in the standard configuration, AI Road Sense uses CAN bus signals to identify the current road type. The Advanced version adds camera data, enabling predictive surface detection and analysis. The Premium configuration expands the system with LiDAR technology, which scans the road profile up to 25 meters ahead with an accuracy of two centimeters, creating a detailed 3D terrain profile for precise chassis adjustments.
ZF System expertise pays off
A particular highlight is the intelligent linking of sensor and chassis data. Here, ZF benefits from its system expertise. While a camera alone would recognize snow only as a uniform surface, ZF combines camera signals with chassis signals such as tire slip and torque increase. This allows AI Road Sense to distinguish between deep and shallow snow and optimally adjust the vehicle to the situation.
In this example, if the system detects slippery roads, the “Snow Start” is automatically activated: the vehicle starts with reduced torque to prevent wheel spin and tire slippage. This ensures more comfort, fewer worries, and a relaxed driving experience—even under challenging conditions. In off-road situations, AI Road Sense also relieves the driver of difficult decisions. The AI detects the depth and firmness of the ground—whether mud, sand, rocks, or snow—and automatically selects the optimal drive strategy. All-wheel drive and differentials are intelligently pre-locked to optimally distribute power, even in deep ruts.
Another advantage: AI Road Sense works in the background—without the user needing to know or select driving modes. For example, when switching from a gravel road to the highway, the system immediately switches to a quiet, energy-saving mode. The result: maximum comfort and highest efficiency, without any driver intervention.
Advanced Personalized Comfort Now Possible
For a premium and customized driving experience, the software can also enable Driver Behavior Recognition, analyzing throttle, brake and steering inputs along with in-vehicle and external conditions to predict driving style and preferences for enhanced comfort. This capability enables a highly personalized and adaptive driving experience across chassis and powertrain systems, reinforcing ZF’s commitment to innovation and delivering OEM-specific brand experiences.
Holdmann, said:AI Road Sense represents a major step toward intelligent, software-defined mobility, By combining advanced sensing with predictive control, we are delivering a driving experience that is safer, more comfortable, and highly personalized for enhanced performance.
Active Noise Reduction: The Sound of Tomorrow’s Chassis
ZF also unveiled its Active Noise Reduction software, a technology that minimizes in-vehicle “tire-cavity” noise without additional noise-dampening hardware. The system uses ZF’s Next Generation Smart Chassis Sensors as well as semi-active dampers (CDC) that are controlled by ZF’s cubiX software to counteract vibration noise, achieving noise reductions of up to 3 dB now and up to 10 dB in the future. This innovation, part of ZF’s Chassis 2.0 strategy, will enter series production in 2028 and can be adapted across vehicle types.
Holdmann, explains:Thanks to our system expertise, we are able to offer our mechatronic actuators as true innovation drivers with the help of smart algorithms, and we will extend our software-based control approach to other ZF actuators in the future. The goal for us is clear: mechatronic actuators that are capable of efficiently reducing both their own and external noise with the help of software,
The Digital DNA of mobility: ZF driving the transformation of the SDV
Software like cubiX, along with functions such as AI Road Sense and Active Noise Reduction, fit perfectly into ZF’s Chassis 2.0 strategy, which is in use and successful today.
Holdmann, said:The mobility of the future will be shaped by the intelligent networking of vehicles, the rapid development of automated driving, and the increasing importance of software as an innovation driver, ZF, is not only supplying hardware, but helping our customers to shape the digital DNA of their vehicles with our expertise.
This article was originally published by ZF.
