The $340K Cadillac Celestiq Has Sensors in Its Ball Joints

The Drive

12 hours ago

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The $340,000 Cadillac Celestiq isn't any ordinary car. General Motors is touting it as the new standard of the world with a 10+ foot wheelbase, giving it certified land yacht status, and a roof made from the largest piece of automotive glass in the world. We already knew about those details, but ZF just put out a press release cluing us in on another one of the Celestiq's party tricks: It has newfangled sensors integrated into its ball joints.
ZF calls them Smart Chassis Sensors. They measure the relative movement of the ultra-luxury car, replacing traditional height sensors while gathering tons more data. In turn, that data can be sent to multiple vehicle systems—like the air suspension and adaptive headlights—for lightning-fast adjustments.
For the Celestiq, there are four of these sensors: two in the front wishbones and two in the back. Ball pivot measurements are then sent to the Cadillac's computers. ZF says that, depending on the level of integration and vehicle networking, they can relay road conditions for multiple purposes. Of course, this is useful for adjusting the chassis and suspension to mitigate pothole impacts, but the data can be used in other applications, too.
Steffen Reichelt, head of the Chassis Components Product Line at ZF, explains, 'The data collected by the sensor allows additional conclusions to be drawn about the vehicle, its surroundings, and the road surface. These findings are particularly attractive for commercial vehicle users and fleet owners, but also for the maintenance of road infrastructure.'
Clearly, these Smart Chassis Sensors are intended to go beyond the Celestiq. ZF
On top of all this, the integration of these sensors into the Celestiq's ball joints means they don't require separate installation. This simplifies the assembly process and also saves weight. ZF brags that in addition to being easier to install, lighter, and cheaper, they're also less exposed to inclement weather and able to transmit data more reliably thanks to improved signal quality.
It's unlikely that most Celestiq owners will ever think about their ball joints, let alone the sensors that are inside them. But this seems like a genuinely useful piece of tech that not only benefits Cadillac owners but could help make our roads better, too. Lord knows we need that.
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