TRW's Electric Park Brake for Front Axles Brings Advanced Safety to Smaller Vehicles

LIVONIA, Mich., March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE: TRW) today unveiled its Electric Park Brake (EPB) system for front axles – a development which makes the technology more affordable for a wider range of vehicle segments. TRW's EPB offers a number of safety benefits in addition to space optimization in the vehicle's passenger compartment thanks to the elimination of the handbrake lever or pedal.

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Josef Pickenhahn, vice president, braking engineering at TRW commented: "Until recently, vehicle manufacturers have been reluctant to routinely fit disc brakes to the rear axles of small cars - normally a pre-requisite for EPB – because they are relatively expensive and lower cost drum brakes can comfortably meet performance specifications.

"TRW's front axle EPB offers an affordable solution, requiring only small modifications to the front axle calipers and integrating the necessary electronic components and software into an existing ESC control unit."  

Similar to conventional rear EPB applications, the front axle system offers simple vehicle assembly within the wheel environment and enhances emergency braking performance through integration with ABS/ESC in the event of hydraulic failure.  In addition, a wide range of comfort and safety features can be included, for example: hill and drive away assist; ECD (electronically controlled deceleration); rollaway detection; and premium stand still management to support 'stop and go' and 'auto hold' functionality.

Pickenhahn continued: "Our front axle EPB has the potential to further reduce the cost and weight of the rear drum brake systems which no longer require shoe actuators, linkages, fixing devices, cables, or the handbrake lever itself. It's a further example of how we're taking existing products and improving their affordability and fuel savings potential in line with market requirements to deliver the safety and efficiency that all drivers deserve."

TRW's front EPB is planned for launch in 2013.

About TRW

With 2010 sales of $14.4 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world's leading automotive suppliers. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, the Company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 26 countries and employs over 60,000 people worldwide.  TRW Automotive products include integrated vehicle control and driver assist systems, braking systems, steering systems, suspension systems, occupant safety systems (seat belts and airbags), electronics, engine components, fastening systems and aftermarket replacement parts and services.  All references to "TRW Automotive", "TRW" or the "Company" in this press release refer to TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.  TRW Automotive news is available on the internet at www.trw.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements that are not statements of historical fact, but instead are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.  All forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements, including those set forth in our Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 (our "Form 10-K"), such as: tighter financial markets adversely impacting the availability and cost of credit negatively affecting our business; a material contraction in automotive sales and production adversely affecting our results or the viability of our supply base; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting our results; pricing pressures from our customers adversely affecting our profitability; any shortage of supplies causing a production disruption; increasing costs negatively impacting our profitability; the loss of any of our largest customers materially adversely affecting us; costs of product liability, warranty and recall claims and efforts by customers to adversely alter contract terms and conditions concerning warranty and recall participation; costs or liabilities relating to environmental, health and safety regulations adversely affecting our results; risks associated with non-U.S. operations adversely affecting our business, results or financial condition; any inability to protect our intellectual property rights adversely affecting our business or our competitive position; any increase in the expense of our pension and other postretirement benefits or the funding requirements of our pension plans reducing our profitability; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our customers or suppliers adversely affecting our operations; volatility in our annual effective tax rate resulting from a change in our valuation allowances position or other factors;   and other risks and uncertainties set forth in our Form 10-K and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any update or revision to any of the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.