First Sensor Awarded another Contract for Steer-by-Wire Pressure Sensor

• Follow-up supply agreement for high-pressure sensors for electro-hydraulic steering systems
• Term of contract with the tier-1 US supplier: 2019–2024
• Anticipated sales volume of €2.5 million per year

First Sensor AG, a developer and manufacturer of customer-specific solutions on the growth market of sensor technology, has been awarded another contract to produce high-pressure sensors to support electro-hydraulic steering systems for a tier-1 US supplier. The agreement covers the period of 2019–2024 and has an anticipated sales volume of €2.5 million per year. The sensors will be installed in the pick-up vehicles made by an automotive group with global operations.

First Sensor has already been supplying this customer with pressure sensors since 2011. The call for tenders was issued as part of the transition to a new series of vehicles. This additional contract follows seamlessly from the existing supply agreement. According to Dr. Dirk Rothweiler, CEO of First Sensor AG, the deciding factor was not just the attractive price structure, but also the quality of the products delivered so far: “The stable and reliable performance of our sensors is the foundation for our longstanding, successful collaboration with our key customers. Based on this, we are working together to make the mobility of tomorrow a reality. Anyone who wants to take their hands off the steering wheel in the future will have to consider our solutions,” says Dr. Rothweiler.

Electro-hydraulic steering systems are an initial step towards autonomous driving. In steer-by-wire systems, the steering command is transmitted from the steering wheel to vehicle’s wheels entirely through electronic means without any mechanical connection. This allows the vehicle to stay within a lane, to countersteer, or to park automatically, for instance. These systems stand out in part for having lower fuel consumption than purely hydraulic steering systems. The pressure sensors are based on T-Bridge technology, which can be used to generate a pinpoint reading of the mechanical stress through small piezoresitive sensor elements manufactured separately from the main body section. The sensor chips are unique for their high measuring sensitivity. At the same time, they are not sensitive to heat and can be used for pressure changes up to 3,000 bar. Among other uses, these force and high-pressure sensors built on T-Bridge technology are suitable for controlling pressure in hydraulic applications or cooling agents and for monitoring overpressure in medical applications.

“Our pressure sensors are an important component of steer-by-wire because they measure oil pressure, which is needed to build up the required steering force,” explains Wilhelm Prinz von Hessen, Managing Director of First Sensor Mobility GmbH, which specializes in developing and manufacturing customer-specific sensor solutions in the target market of mobility for the First Sensor Group. The company develops and produces various OEM sensor solutions in accordance with the ISO/TS 16949 quality management system for the automobile industry. Aside from high-performance pressure sensors for measuring oil, tank, and gas pressures, its range of services notably includes optical sensors and camera systems for the market segments of passenger vehicles, special-purpose vehicles, commercial vehicles, and transport. 

About First Sensor AG
In the growth market of sensor systems, First Sensor develops and produces standard products and customer-specific solutions for the ever-increasing number of applications in the industrial, medical, and mobility target markets. Based on innovative technology platforms, we develop products such as chips, components, sensors, and entire sensor systems. Trends such as Industry 4.0, autonomous driving, and the miniaturization of medical technology will drive our growth extremely rapidly in the future. First Sensor was founded in Berlin 25 years ago and has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (SIS) since 1999 [Prime Standard Ι WKN: 720190 Ι ISIN: DE0007201907 Ι SIS]. For more details on First Sensor, please visit www.first-sensor.com.

Disclaimer
Statements in this Corporate News relating to future developments are based on a prudent estimate of future events. Actual events may deviate from planned events, as they depend on a large number of market and economic factors, some of which are outside of the company's control.