Honda-affiliated supplier buys into SoftWheel

Tel Aviv, Israel – SoftWheel, a developer of wheelchair wheels with internal shock absorbers, is partnering with Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers to bring its designs into the motor vehicles world. Tier 1 supplier Musashi Seimitsu, a company partly owned by Honda Motor Co., is investing in SoftWheel and supporting its automotive push.

SoftWheel’s technology fuses the drivetrain, suspension, e-motor, steering, and brakes into the wheel – reducing volume, weight, and energy consumption.

Musashi, a global company with 30 manufacturing sites worldwide, specializes in drivetrain and suspension systems.

“This collaboration with Musashi, which brings strong engineering and manufacturing value to SoftWheel. Their unique corporate culture and innovation spirit are a perfect match for SoftWheel and we look forward to an exciting journey together to shape the future of transportation,” says Daniel Barel, CEO of SoftWheel.

Hiroshi Otsuka, CEO of Musashi, says, “Our technology is poised to lead the future of automotive transformation and we look forward to the opportunity to work together with SoftWheel to develop and manufacture this solution for OEMs.”

Today's Motor Vehicles' sister publication, Today's Medical Developments, recently ran an extensive feature about SoftWheel's wheelchair technology and the igus motion plastics technology that supports it.