投资者故事

发布于 2024 八月 27

里程碑时刻：AAM 推出 EcoTrac®

想象一下，在阳光明媚的日子里，您的车辆直观地知道何时从全轮驱动切换到前轮驱动，在不牺牲性能的情况下优化燃油效率。这就是 EcoTrac® 背后的奥妙所在 — 这项技术体现了 AAM 对质量、技术领先和卓越运营的承诺。在过去的 30 年里，我们一直在将简单的想法转化为最先进的汽车技术。继续阅读，了解 AAM 最具独创性的创新之一 EcoTrac 的故事。

EcoTrac 是 AAM 最先进的可断开式全轮驱动 (AWD) 技术。该系统让全轮驱动汽车能够在不需要全轮驱动时断开驱动后轮的机械部件，从而有效地将车辆转换为前轮驱动 (FWD)。主要优势是什么？显著提升燃油经济性。试想一下，既能享有全时四轮驱动系统的优势，又不会持续消耗燃油 — EcoTrac 让这一切成为可能！

EcoTrac 的旅程始于 2000 年代初。AAM 的 PE 创新执行总监 Jim Downs 对销售汽车离合器所面临的挑战感到沮丧，有一天他带着一个大胆的新想法来到办公室。他在白板上勾勒出这一概念，从那时起，想法就逐渐从图纸变为了现实。目标简单但具有革命性：打造一个突破传统模式、能够无缝断开汽车动力传动系统的全新系统。这项创新是同类创新中的首创，在 2000 年代后期获得了专利。

EcoTrac 的开发是协作努力的结果，它将 AAM 高级工程团队的专业知识与其他电子和软件团队相结合。该团队最初从 2005 年的雪佛兰 Equinox 开始开发，最终将工作范围扩大到包括其他车辆，例如 Dodge Journey。这个过程是动手实践和动态的；他们甚至驾驶原型车参加商务会议，亲自演示该技术的功能。这种直接的方式不仅展示了 EcoTrac 的有效性，还在实际演示中以令人印象深刻的优异表现赢得了竞争对手的青睐，从而在确保业务方面发挥了至关重要的作用。

EcoTrac 背后的概念既简单又出色。在最佳路况下，比如在晴朗的天气里行驶，系统会将动力传动系统与后轮分离，从而提供与前轮驱动车辆类似的燃油经济性。它通过组合后部的湿式摩擦片离合器（位于后驱动模块（RDM）内部）和动力传输单元（PTU）中的机械齿式离合器来实现这一点。先进的软件可无缝同步啮合和脱离，确保驾驶员不会有任何感觉。

EcoTrac 凭借一些行业首创的功能和优势脱颖而出。它使用 AAM 开发的车辆控制和智能执行器，提供更好的车辆操控和越野能力。可选的 2 速断开 PTU 和带有电子锁功能的 2 速 RDM 使其用途更加广泛。通过在 PTU 处断开连接，EcoTrac 可在系统关闭时阻止传动轴旋转，从而降低油耗和排放。

但 EcoTrac 不仅关乎燃油效率；它还与智能性能有关。冻结温度、挡风玻璃雨刷活动和车速减慢等数十种触发因素都会向系统发出信号，使其在需要时提前重新启动全轮驱动系统，以确保安全性和稳定性。这种双重功能意味着驾驶员可以在不牺牲 AWD 的安全和性能优势的情况下享受最佳的燃油节省。

如今，燃油经济性比以往任何时候都更加重要，而 AWD 因其安全性和性能优势而仍然非常受欢迎。EcoTrac 弥合了这些需求，提供了两全其美的解决方案。随着汽车行业的不断变化，EcoTrac 成为 AAM 致力于创新的典范。

了解有关 EcoTrac 的更多信息 此处。

《AAM 里程碑时刻》是一个月刊系列，旨在纪念和回顾 AAM 在 30 年间所取得的重要成就。从具有转折意义的创新和技术进步到作为 AAM DNA 一部分的基础计划和社区倡议，这些《AAM 里程碑时刻》将分别讲述 AAM 每一个重要故事。

更多信息：

媒体

Christopher Son

市场与企业传播副总裁

+1 (313) 758-4814

联系
AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING

One Dauch Drive
Detroit, MI 48211-1198

X
前瞻性报表

On this website and elsewhere in attached materials, we make statements concerning our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and future events or performance.  Such statements are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to trends and events that may affect our future financial position and operating results.  The terms such as “will,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “project,” "target," and similar words or expressions, as well as statements in future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and may differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to:

  • reduced purchases of our products by General Motors Company (GM), FCA US LLC (FCA), or other customers;
  • reduced demand for our customers' products (particularly light trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) produced by GM and FCA);
  • our ability to develop and produce new products that reflect market demand;
  • lower-than-anticipated market acceptance of new or existing products;
  • our ability to respond to changes in technology, increased competition or pricing pressures;
  • our ability to attract new customers and programs for new products;
  • our ability to consummate and integrate acquisitions and joint ventures;
  • risks inherent in our international operations (including adverse changes in trade agreements, tariffs, immigration policies, political stability, taxes and other law changes, potential disruptions of production and supply, and currency rate fluctuations, including those resulting from the recent United States presidential election and the United Kingdom's vote to exit the European Union);
  • negative or unexpected tax consequences;
  • liabilities arising from warranty claims, product recall or field actions, product liability and legal proceedings to which we are or may become a party, or the impact of product recall or field actions on our customers;
  • our ability to achieve the level of cost reductions required to sustain global cost competitiveness;
  • supply shortages or price increases in raw materials, utilities or other operating supplies for us or our customers as a result of natural disasters or otherwise;
  • our ability or our customers' and suppliers' ability to successfully launch new product programs on a timely basis;
  • our ability to realize the expected revenues from our new and incremental business backlog;
  • risks related to a failure of our information technology systems and networks, and risks associated with current and emerging technology threats and damage from computer viruses, unauthorized access, cyber attack and other similar disruptions;
  • global economic conditions;
  • our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations and avoid work stoppages;
  • our suppliers', our customers' and their suppliers' ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations and avoid work stoppages;
  • price volatility in, or reduced availability of, fuel;
  • our ability to protect our intellectual property and successfully defend against assertions made against us;
  • our ability to attract and retain key associates;
  • availability of financing for working capital, capital expenditures, research and development (R&D) or other general corporate purposes including acquisitions, as well as our ability to comply with financial covenants;
  • our customers' and suppliers' availability of financing for working capital, capital expenditures, R&D or other general corporate purposes;
  • changes in liabilities arising from pension and other postretirement benefit obligations;
  • risks of noncompliance with environmental laws and regulations or risks of environmental issues that could result in unforeseen costs at our facilities;
  • adverse changes in laws, government regulations or market conditions affecting our products or our customers' products (such as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations);
  • our ability or our customers' and suppliers' ability to comply with the Dodd-Frank Act and other regulatory requirements and the potential costs of such compliance;  and
  • other unanticipated events and conditions that may hinder our ability to compete.
It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors and we make no commitment to update any forward-looking statement or to disclose any facts, events or circumstances after the date hereof that may affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement.