Shanghai (ZXZC)- Earlier this month, the first mass-produced suspension control unit (SCU) developed by United Automotive Electronic Systems Co., Ltd. (“UAES”), the joint venture between Zhong-Lian Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd and Robert Bosch GmbH, rolled off the production line at its plant in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to the company’s press release.

As a product in-house developed by UAES, the SCU will be widely used in passenger vehicle suspension systems, enhancing customers' driving experience.

The electronically controlled suspension is a force transmission connection device between the chassis or body and the axle or wheels, consisting mainly of the SCU, shock absorbers, springs, and other mechanisms. As the control core of the electronic suspension system, the SCU regulates the shock absorbers and air springs to maintain vehicle stability and cushion the impact from the road.

UAES' first mass-produced SCU; photo credit: UAES

Specifically designed for electronic suspension systems, the SCU is a high-performance electromagnetic valve driver controller developed by UAES. It integrates a 32-bit high-performance processor, high-precision proportional electromagnetic valve driver channels, and a six-axis inertial sensor. The SCU supports features like PSI5 communication, CAN-FD communication, FOTA remote refresh, and fulfills application requirements such as Cyber Security and AUTOSAR architecture. Furthermore, it supports the functional safety requirements of ISO26262 ASIL-D level.

With China's industrial and consumer upgrading, end consumers have increasingly higher demands for car control experience and ride comfort. UAES' highly integrated and compatible suspension controller contributes to the intelligence of electronic suspension systems, continuously improving users' driving experience, said the company.

According to the company’s introduction, the SCU it newly launched includes but not limits to those features:

(1) Integrated continuous damping control function dynamically adjusts the shock absorber's damping force based on the vehicle's motion attitude and road conditions, enhancing passenger comfort by reducing vertical vibrations and mitigating pitching and rolling.

(2) Integrated air spring control function adjusts the vehicle height and spring stiffness according to driving speed, road conditions, or driver requests, reducing energy consumption and enhancing driving stability.

(3) Integrated road preview control function, through combined vehicle-mounted cameras and radar information, proactively controls the shock absorbers and air springs based on recognized road characteristics, further improving ride comfort.

(4) FOTA remote refresh function enables fast iteration of SCU software to continually meet evolving customer demands.

UAES added it can currently provide a platform-based suspension controller solution, meeting customized application needs, and continuing product iteration and upgrades based on market and customer demands.