Pi Shurlok, subsidiary of JSE-listed Control Instruments Group, has designed and developed the software control system for Jaguar Land Rover’s electric Defender game viewer concept vehicle. Pi Shurlok has offices in Cambridge in the UK, Detroit in the USA and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa.
The electric Defender game viewer concept vehicle has zero emissions, is silent and can be recharged using solar energy. Jaguar Land Rover presented the concept vehicle at South Africa’s Indaba 2011 in Durban and said the response was excellent from all the major game park representatives.
The software development was completed by Pi Shurlok’s engineers in Cambridge with support from Pi Shurlok in Pietermaritzburg. “The flexibility of Pi Shurlok’s proprietary OpenECU™ technology together with the experience of Pi Shurlok systems engineers was crucial in meeting the technical requirements and tight deadlines to develop the drive control electronics. The engineers worked closely with the customer and other system suppliers to find a solution,” said Andrew Kirk, Pi Shurlok’s International operations director.
OpenECU™ is a unique offering in the automotive electronics industry. It provides flexibility and fast turnaround times that are compelling and competitive. This is well illustrated by the fact that three months from project commencement Jaguar Land Rover’s Defender was ready to be adapted for game viewing. This is an unusually short time-span for this type of project.
“The electric vehicle is the perfect synergy of the Defender’s reputation as the definitive game viewing vehicle, as well as our strategy to reduce emissions,” said Jaguar Land Rover SA and sub-Sahara Africa managing director Kevin Flynn.
“Pi Shurlok’s proprietary OpenECU™ technology is gaining traction in selected market niches. The products are particularly well suited for managing emissions control, vehicle suspension systems and vehicle body electronics. These are fast growing segments in the already fast growing automotive electronics arena. Increasingly onerous environmental and safety legislative requirements are fuelling this growth,” said Kirk.
He said, “An increasing number of traditional Tier 1 suppliers are making use of Pi Shurlok’s electronic products and associated services to complement their mechanical expertise. Together with them we create a formidable product offering.”
About Control Instruments:
Control Instruments Group Limited is a holding company, based in South Africa. The Group has been listed on the JSE Limited (JSE) since 1987, trading under the share code “CNL”, in the Electronic and Electrical Equipment sector.
Control Instruments is an international group that provides products, services and components to the global automotive industry through its two businesses, Pi Shurlok and CI Automotive.
Pi Shurlok – Original Equipment Manufacture
Pi Shurlok develops and manufactures electronics for the automotive, transportation and defence markets. The company delivers rugged, cost effective solutions for single prototypes up to volumes of more than 100 000 using its unique blend of OpenECU™ products, engineering services and manufacturing capabilities.
Pi Shurlok’s headquarters are in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. It has sales, design and engineering facilities in Cambridge, Detroit (United States of America) and Pietermaritzburg (South Africa). Manufacturing is carried out at the company’s world-class facilities in South Africa.
CI Automotive – Automotive aftermarket
CI Automotive is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and sells premium branded products to the automotive aftermarket in sub-Saharan Africa.
The company has a significant basket of products. Brand names owned and/or exclusively distributed by CI Automotive include Gabriel, VDO, Echlin, Warn, Autocom, Acsa-Mag, Shurlok and Mag Brakes.