In recent years dual clutch transmissions (DCTs) have become popular in the Chinese automobile market, because drivers benefit from improved fuel efficiency, smooth gear shifting and increased overall vehicle performance. Most manufacturers of the popular sports utility vehicles (SUVs) are concentrating on improving driving dynamics by using automated transmissions. DCTs are particularly suited for this goal as they provide an uninterrupted power flow even during shifting. The technology company Continental is supplying its innovative and advanced system solution to Great Wall Motor’s (GWM) seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (7DCT), including transmission control unit, sensor cluster unit, and application software. This new 7DCT transmission is the first in-house developed automatic transmission by Great Wall Motor in China. The GWM high-end brand “WEY” now is equipped this newly-developed 7DCT.
Continental has been advancing DCT control since the end of the 1990s. The first DCT was successfully launched worldwide in 2003. The Continental transmission control system for GWM consists of an attached-to TCU and a sensor cluster integrated into the transmission. This solution ensures high quality requirements while at the same time offering excellent cost efficiency. The all new 7DCT will provide smoother shift behavior, faster gearshift speed and better fuel economy.
“We are delighted to see the application of Continental’s products in Great Wall Motor’s SUV, HAVAL which is among the top of the SUV brands in China. We are proud that GWM entrusted us with this big responsibility and involved us early in the development phase”, said Mr. Gregoire Cuny, Head of the Continental Business Unit Transmission Asia. Both, transmission control unit and sensor cluster, went into mass production in April at the Continental Tianjin plant. This is the first time that Continental developed a complete system in close partnership with a Chinese OEM. On top of that the successful market introduction was achieved in only 3 years.
More Comfort, More Driving Fun: Continental Transmission Control Technology
The TCU software controls hydraulic valves that actuate gears and clutches. To achieve best fuel economy, an electric oil pump is also controlled and actuated according to an efficient power-on-demand principle. The new EAST TCU platform brings the global know how of Continental to a state of the art, high-tech and compact unit, also making it an economic solution. The controller is based on a powerful 32 bit microprocessor and is engineered in China with support from Europe. The EAST TCU is designed as an electronic platform, which can monitor and control continuously variable transmissions (CVT), wet double-clutch transmissions (DCT), hydraulic and electric automated manual transmissions (AMT) as well as traditional step-automatic transmissions (AT). In future, the TCU is able to cover hybrid powertrains via additional software functionality.
Another key part of the system is Continental’s sensor cluster, which provides relevant information to the TCU about gear positions, speed of shafts as well as oil temperature, all of which are necessary to control the system. The sensor cluster is a transmission-integrated module increasing the robustness of the overall sensor system. This is achieved by reducing the number of electrical connections compared to stand alone sensor solutions and integrated protection against electromagnetic interference. The cluster is designed and manufactured with an own developed injection molding technology using integrated lead frame instead of wires.
Mr. Tang Haifeng, General Manager of Transmission from Great Wall Motor, commented: “We are confident that we can fully rely on Continental, as a system supplier, to provide us with a turn-key solution. It is good to see the joint effort between Continental and Great Wall Motor, contributing to vehicle overwhelming driving performance.” Mr. Zheng Lipeng, Project Director of Transmission from GWM also has a high regard for Continental’s global resource, worldwide collaboration.
