ZF Forms Self-Driving-Car JV

ZF Friedrichshafen AG is partnering with e.Go Mobile AG, an Aachen, Germany-based electric car startup company, to develop an electric autonomous vehicle and connected car technologies.

Dubbed e.GO Moove, the Aachen-based joint venture aims to develop, produce and sell self-driving vehicles for people and cargo deliveries. The companies didn't announce a timetable for the programs.

The partners recently showed a prototype model at RWTH Aachen University. They also are working with chipmaker Nvidia to develop and test autonomous vehicle systems.

E.Go Mobile, which was founded two years ago by RWTH professor Gunther Schuh, plans to introduce its own neighborhood electric vehicle next year. In 2009, Schuh co-founded StreetScooter GmbH, which makes electric delivery vans under new owner Deutsche Post DHL Group.

ZF will supply electric drivelines, advanced driver assist systems and sensor fusion technology to the new venture. The ZF ProAI supercomputer processor, introduced earlier this year by ZF and Nvidia, will be used for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications.

The new venture is part of the Zukunft Ventures GmbH subsidiary that ZF founded last year to invest in advanced technology companies.