ZF Strengthens its Presence in the Field of Autonomous Driving by Purchasing Stake in ASAP
ZF Friedrichshafen, an internationally-renowned
manufacturer of transmissions and driveline components, has recently announced
a 35% stake acquisition in ASAP, a Germany-based manufacturer of software and
testing solutions in the fields of e-mobility, autonomous driving and electric
cars. Thanks to this step, ZF plans to implement its strategic policy of
bolstering resources for autonomous driving and e-mobility aiming to satisfy a
strong demand from customers in these aspects.
ASAP Group has solid experience and profound
knowledge in regard to driverless technologies, e-mobility, connected cars and
vehicle software. As a result of this deal, ZF will have an excellent
opportunity for cooperation with real experts known for their workmanship in
future automobile technologies. ZF will closely cooperate with the ASAP company
in order to design innovative mobility solutions for large-scale manufacturing.
According to the ASAP official, his company
mainly focuses on providing solutions for autonomous driving and e-mobility,
because these business sectors have shown great potential for the auto industry
in recent years. Thanks to the partnership with ZF, a major manufacturer and
supplier of car parts, ASAP hopes to break new ground in advancement of these
future technologies.
Smart concepts from
the ZF Group show how logistics can be made more efficient and safer.
This purchase complies with ZF’s policy of enhancing the company’s e-mobility and autonomous driving capacities in the areas of software and validation. Moreover, ZF plans to put up approximately 12 billion euro in these two areas within the next 5 years. ZF made the deal via Zukunft Partners, the company's development fund for acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Both companies agreed that they would not make public the sum of transaction.
ASAP, which is privately-owned, had the profit on sales equal to 84 million euros last year. ZF ranks 5-th on the Automotive News Europe Top 100 list of global suppliers, with car parts sales around the world reaching $34.5 billion in 2017.
