ZF’s Smart Chassis Sensors Debut in Cadillac Celestiq

In development for a decade, ZF’s new sensors can provide a better ride, but that’s just the beginning.

September 1, 2025

Sebastian Blanco

Start of series production: The Cadillac Celestiq relies on the Smart Chassis Sensor from ZF. (ZF)

The Cadillac Celestiq is full of new technologies, from the 130+ parts made using additive manufacturing to the 655hp (488 kW) dual-motor AWD powertrain. ZF announced in early July that the $340,000, built-to-order EV is also the first vehicle with ZF’s smart chassis sensors in series production

Robust sensor technology, high signal quality and a wide range of applications: the Smart Chassis Sensor from ZF. (ZF)

ZF’s smart chassis sensors are mounted on a control arm and use a magnetic measurement system that is integrated into the ball or cross axis joint of the control arm. A digital sensor detects the change in magnetic field with more than 2,000 increments over the full range of motion of the ball joint’s articulation. “This means that even very small changes in the angle of the ball joint can be detected and translated into a change in height for the vehicle,” Matt Charboneau, communications manager for ZF North America, Inc, told SAE Media.

ZF has been talking about its intelligent chassis components for at least a decade, saying they can replace height sensors and add intelligent functions with additional components. ZF said its smart chassis sensors are lighter, cheaper, and less susceptible to the environment than previous height sensors, while also providing a “significantly more reliable signal quality.” ZF debuted the Chassis 2.0 SDV solution in 2015 and said in 2021 that it was busy developing software for the advanced data analysis that the smart chassis sensors would require and allow.

ZF claims one benefit of using its smart chassis sensors is a weight savings of over 400 g (0.88 lbs) per vehicle through function integration. For example, ZF’s integrated sensors can replace common height sensors that need to be mounted separately to the chassis system. In the Celestiq, a standard sensor was mounted between the vehicle body and the chassis. The ZF smart chassis sensor measures the suspension travel or suspension position of the wheel to the vehicle body on the control arm without any additional connection elements. The system can then electronically control suspension damping and headlamp leveling, for example, using information from the smart algorithms in the sensors.

Integrating smart sensors into a production vehicle, though, presented its own challenges. The eventual solution involved ZF integrating the Celestiq sensors into all four suspension ball joints itself. “[The sensors are] integrated at the point in time that the ball joint is assembled on our assembly equipment,” Charboneau said. “This technology involves components that are internal to the joint, magnets, and external to the joint, the sensor that clips onto the end cap. Once the ball joint assembly is completed and the sensor attached, it is calibrated and shipped to GM for assembly to the vehicle. Once at the GM facility, the arm is installed to the chassis and the cable is plugged in, linking the sensor to the vehicle computer.”

A better ride isn’t the only thing ZF is promising its smart chassis sensors can deliver for OEMs. The smart sensors also enable road condition monitoring, ERC (Electronic Roll Control) roll stabilization and active or semi-active damping systems.