Accelerating with electronics
10 million accelerator pedals produced by Hella
since 1996
 |
 |
 |
|
| Stepping on the gas. 3 different accelerator pedals (photos: Hella) |
|||
 |
|||
| The electronic accelerator pedal module developed by Hella
replaces the previously accelerator pedal |
As early as the beginning of the 1990s Hella recognised that electronics were destined to replace the traditional mechanical acceleration pedal. The company, located in Lippstadt/Germany, was one of the first manufacturers to bring this product onto the market and today is the European market leader in this product sector.
With nearly every model of car requiring a customised approach, Hella development and production engineers are concentrating on using identical components and standardised processes. However, an important aim is to allow car manufacturers adequate opportunity to differentiate their products in line with their market profile.
Hella was awarded the “Corporate Supplier Award - The Leading Edge 1998” from the Volkswagen Group, and in 2000 received the “Formula Q” prize as one of the 20 top companies supplying the Volkwagen marque. Since 1996, 10 million accelerator pedal modules have been produced, for customers such as Audi, Fiat, Ford, Jaguar, Ned Car, Nissan, Opel, PSA, Renault, Seat, Skoda, Suzuki, Volkswagen and Volvo, amongst others. Contacts are being established with car manufacturers in North and South America, as well as in Japan and Korea.
“With our accelerator pedal module, we have provided car manufacturers with the right product at the right time”, says Dr. Hans-Theo Dorißen, manager of the Hella product line ‘Sensory Drive-By-Wire Systems’. “The challenge for the future lies in building up our position as leaders in technology throughout the rest of the world, and ensuring the product continues to undergo constant development.”
The product itself
The electronic accelerator pedal module developed by Hella for spark-ignition and diesel engines replaces the previous mechanical accelerator pedal. Hitherto, acceleration was achieved mechanically, by opening and closing the throttle valve with a rod or cable. In the future, this function will be performed by an electrical connection between the accelerator pedal and the motor management system. Hella has developed an accelerator pedal sensor for this purpose. The advantages of this system lie in its compact modular construction and standardised technology, which means that it can be adapted for seamless incorporation into various models of car with very different technical designs. In addition, assembly is simple and it is light. Hella claims to be the European market leader in this product segment, producing six million accelerator pedal modules every year.
www.hella.com