In June 2019, NSK Ltd. and Volkswagen AG commenced a formal cooperation between the companies’ respective steering divisions with the ambition of further advancing innovation in steering systems. The success of this joint development initiative has led to the appointment of NSK as the production partner for a high-power, single-pinion electric power steering (EPS) system for Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicle platform. Manufacturing will start in 2023 at an NSK plant in China, with systems supplied to Volkswagen’s electric vehicle plants worldwide.
“This step represents a further milestone in the development of our steering systems,” states Thorsten Jablonski, Head of the Gearbox & Electric Drive Business Unit at Volkswagen Group Components. “Thanks to the cooperation, we now have a production option in China, where we can offer our technology together with NSK.”
Masatada Fumoto, Head of NSK’s Steering and Actuator Division Headquarters, says: “The joint development of this high-power, single-pinion EPS is the first success of our cooperation with Volkswagen. We thank Volkswagen for good collaboration in this project and look forward to further innovative development programmes together.”
