ZF’s AI-Powered Software Could Make The ‘ESP Off’ Button Irrelevant

The company said its new AI Road Sense system “relieves the driver of difficult decisions.”

ZF AI Road Sense system

Photo by: ZF

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Jan 7, at 5:35am ET

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German car parts supplier ZF is bringing artificial intelligence into the vehicle dynamics game.
The company’s AI Road Sense solution takes data from multiple sensors and adapts the car’s driving behavior in real time.
It can save drivers from getting stuck in deep snow by changing the throttle response and braking feel on the fly.

Modern cars, including EVs, have tons of safety features baked in, but sometimes the driver still has to take over when the going gets tough. That’s why most new cars out there still have a button somewhere that disengages the traction control system, which can come in handy when tackling slippery roads or deep snow because it allows the wheels to spin without the electronics cutting power.

But the “ESP Off” and “DTC Off” buttons might become a thing of the past if German car parts supplier ZF has its way. And it all has to do with an acronym that’s now stuck on just about everything: AI.

ZF Chassis 2.0

Photo by: ZF

That stands for artificial intelligence, and it’s what ZF believes will make driving safer and more stress-free in the near future. The company, which has become a global powerhouse, claims its new AI Road Sense system can change the way a car behaves on the road in real time by analyzing the road surface and automatically changing the steering feel, throttle response, braking force and other parameters on the fly.

The solution was unveiled at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, and it’s designed as a tiered system, with car manufacturers left with three choices, depending on their budget and packaging constraints.

The Standard version of ZF’s AI Road Sense uses CAN bus signals from wheel speed sensors and other basic equipment to detect road conditions. Then, there’s the Advanced version, which can process camera data for predictive surface detection and analysis. The Premium configuration sits at the top, with lidar integration, which scans the road profile up to 82 feet (25 meters) ahead, with an accuracy of 0.7 inches (2 centimeters). This setup creates a detailed 3D terrain profile, which enables more precise adjustments.

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The data is analyzed by ZF’s cubiX chassis tuning software, which then decides how to change the damping, steering, braking and acceleration response.

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The company said that its expertise in chassis design and tuning enables its new system to combine camera signals with chassis signals like tire slip and torque increase. In the real world, this means that the AI-enabled chassis modifier can distinguish between deep and shallow snow and adapt the car’s behavior accordingly. In all-wheel-drive cars, the differentials are pre-locked to distribute power optimally, even in deep ruts, according to the German parts supplier.

All of this works in the background, without the driver having to rely on different driving modes or talent. ZF said that the system will immediately switch settings when the car goes from a gravel road to the highway without any user intervention.