Hitachi Cable, Ltd. (TOKYO:5812) is announcing the successful development of a harness for electric parking brakes (hereinafter referred to as "EPB"). In addition to the mass production of this product in Japan, we are planning to start mass production in China in the summer of 2013 and in Europe within fiscal year 2013.
![EPB harness (Photo: Business Wire)](http://mms.businesswire.com/media/20130617006710/en/372973/4/EPB_harness.jpg)
EPB harness (Photo: Business Wire)
As represented by hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, use of electric
systems in engines and control systems has been increasing in recent
years to reduce environmental impact and energy consumption. Electric
control has also realized products such as driving assistance systems
and electric sliding doors that improve safety and convenience for
passengers and drivers.
Under such circumstances, demand for
electric systems to be applied in parking brakes is also increasing as
part of an effort to improve safety and convenience. EPB has a mechanism
which can electrically lock tires at the flick of a switch. This control
system is an alternative to the conventional parking brake which employs
mechanical levers and wires. EPB greatly improves safety and
convenience. For example, it makes more effective use of the space
around a driving seat because it does not require a mechanical lever.
Also, EPB prevents a car from moving backwards when starting it on a
hill because stepping on the gas pedal automatically releases the
parking brake.
For these reasons, the number of automobiles equipped with EPB is
expected to increase rapidly in the future. Thus, Hitachi Cable
developed this high-quality EPB harness to respond to such market demand.
This
is a high-quality EPB harness which can withstand large external
stresses. This product has been developed by integrating manufacturing
technologies to improve the flex resistance that Hitachi Cable has
accumulated through producing electrical wires and cables, in addition
to the mass production and quality management technologies of automotive
components such as brake hoses, ABS wheel-speed sensors and power supply
harnesses that it has also acquired over many years. Specifically, the
great durability of this product has been demonstrated in durability and
vibration tests. This product maintained a satisfactory level of
electrical performance without being damaged after undergoing more than
5 million vibrations (Note 1). This product is fitted in 2013
model vehicles.
In addition to mass production at bases in Japan,
Hitachi Cable is planning to start mass production in China in the
summer of 2013 and in Europe within fiscal year 2013. Hitachi Cable is
going to establish worldwide production systems which are connected with
the global supply chains of automotive manufacturers.
Hitachi Cable is committed to developing automotive components with extra value which improve the safety, energy conservation performance, and convenience of automobiles and responding to market needs.
(Note 1) When a vibration test is conducted under conditions recommended by Hitachi Cable
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Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
Masayuki Yoshihara, +81-3-6381-1050
Business
Support Group
Administration Department PR Group
Human
Resources & Administration Division
koho2.hm@hitachi-cable.com