Legal Terms

This Data Processing Information explains how personal data about you is collected, processed and used by ZF Friedrichshafen AG (hereinafter “ZF,” “we,” or “us”) as data controller when you use the switches-sensors.zf.com website.

At ZF, we take our responsibility to protect your personal data serious. As used in this Data Processing Information, “personal data” means any information – either alone or in combination with other information we can access – that relates to you as an identified or identifiable individual. We respect your right to privacy and will only process your personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws. This Data Processing Information applies to information we collect when you use the switches-sensors.zf.com website and its functionalities.

We collect certain information every time you visit our switches-sensors.zf.com website. This information is used for the purposes which we list below. The specific types of personal data we collect depend upon your activities on the switches-sensors.zf.com website, as also further explained below.

1.1 Information that is automatically collected
When you use the switches-sensors.zf.com website without registration, you are not required to actively provide certain personal data; however, we automatically collect and process the following information:
technical session and connection information including IP address of your device; browser type; information about your device, hardware and software; preferences; web pages you visited just before the switches-sensors.zf.com website; pages you viewed on the switches-sensors.zf.com website and dates and times of your visit.
We process and use the data specified above for the purposes of (1) providing the switches-sensors.zf.com website and its functionalities; (2) improving switches-sensors.zf.com website features and functionalities; and (3) preventing and detecting misuse and malfunction of the switches-sensors.zf.com website including troubleshooting.
Collection of this type of information occurs inter alia by means of cookies. For more detailed information on the types of cookies and their specific purposes, please see Sec. 2 below.
The processing and use of the data is based on statutory provisions which justify those operations on the grounds that (1) the processing is necessary for the performance of the contract about the use of the switches-sensors.zf.com website; or (2) ZF has a legitimate interest in ensuring the functionality and error-free operation of the switches-sensors.zf.com website and that it is tailored to the user’s needs.

1.2 Contact form
You can contact us via a contact form. In this context, we process and use your name and e-mail address. This processing and use of the data is based on statutory provisions which justify those operations on the ground that ZF has a legitimate interest in communicating with you by responding to your enquiries.

1.3 Personal data in Social media plugins
When using our switches-sensors.zf.com website we allow you to share information with YouTube using a so-called social plugin. Social networks are able to retrieve personal data, independently of whether you interact with the plugin or not.
For this reason, when we use social plugins on our websites from social networks we integrate them in the following way: When you visit our websites, the social plugins are deactivated, i.e. no data is transmitted to the operators of these networks. If you want to use one of the networks, click on the respective social plugin to establish a direct connection to the server of the respective network. If you are logged in to YouTube while visiting the switches-sensors.zf.com with social media plugins embedded in them, the network can collect and store information about such visit and link it to your social media user account. If you want to avoid this, please log out of the network before activating the social plugin. Once you log out, the data retrieved from your visit to the switches-sensors.zf.com website cannot be combined with the data of your social network user account.
ZF has no control over the data collected by YouTube through its plugin. We encourage you to read their privacy policy to learn more about the use and function of social media plugins, the categories of data collected, the purposes it is collected for as well as YouTube´s overall data protection practices.
Social-Plug-ins of YouTube
YouTube is provided by Google Ireland Limited; Gordon House; Barrow Street; Dublin 4; Irland You will find information on data privycy at YouTube here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de&gl=de.

We use cookies, a standard Internet technology that allows us to store and retrieve login and other usage information for every user of the switches-sensors.zf.com website. “Cookies” are small text files that are stored by your web browser on your computer’s hard drive. They allow ZF to store such things as user preferences. The switches-sensors.zf.com website uses both session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies are temporary cookies that expire (and are automatically erased) when you close your browser. Persistent cookies stay in your browser until they expire, or until you delete them.

Cookies allow us to recognise your device (e.g. your laptop or mobile device) so that your experience of our switches-sensors.zf.com website can be tailored to your device. Cookies do not typically identify you as an individual, just the device you are using. We use cookies to save information such as preferences so you don’t have to do it each time you visit our switches-sensors.zf.com website, to deliver content tailored to your interests and to optimise the performance of the switches-sensors.zf.com website. The information connected with the cookie can also be visitors’ preferences and record session information, such as pages visited, interactions with the switches-sensors.zf.com website features, time spent on our website and language preference.
Most internet browsers allow you to block cookies from your browser. If you do not agree to the use of these cookies please disable them by following the instructions for your browser set out here: https://www.allaboutcookies.org/ or use the automated disabling tool where available. However, some of the services in relation to the switches-sensors.zf.com website will not function well if cookies are disabled.
Below, we have provided a list of the categories of cookies used on our switches-sensors.zf.com website, and a description of what these cookies do. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the website. Others are not essential, but help us to improve our website by collecting anonymous user information, or try and improve your experience of our website by remembering your choices.
We use the following types of cookies:

Strictly necessary cookies: – which enable services and applications you have specifically asked for
We use certain cookies which are essential to the operation of our switches-sensors.zf.com website. For example, these types of cookies provide the necessary security your visit to our website requires and help ensure the content of the pages you request loads quickly. Without these cookies, the website services that you have asked for cannot be provided as required.
The use of these cookies implicates processing the following type of data: [anonymous browser session ID, permission groups, user ID]. As far as this data must be considered personal data, the processing is based on statutory provisions which justify this on the ground that the processing is necessary to provide the requested website services.

Functionality cookies: – which remember your choices to improve your experience
These cookies allow our switches-sensors.zf.com website to remember choices you make, such as remembering your preferred language, the type of device you are using, the region you are in. The aim of these cookies is to provide you with a more personal experience so that you don’t have to reset your preferences each time you visit the website. As described above, you may disable any of these functional cookies; but if you do so, then various functions of our website may be unavailable to you or may not work the way you want them to.
The use of these cookies implicates processing the following type of data: [device ID, preferred language]. As far as this data must be considered personal data, the processing is based on statutory provisions which justify this on the ground that (1) the processing is necessary to provide the requested website services; or (2) ZF has a legitimate interest in ensuring the functionality of the website and that it is tailored to the user’s needs.

Performance/analytics cookies: – which collect pseudonymous information about the web pages you visit
These cookies collect information about how visitors use our switches-sensors.zf.com website, for example, which pages our visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages on those pages. These performance cookies don’t collect information that identifies you as an individual – all information they collect is aggregated and pseudonymous (inter alia we remove the last two octets of your IP address). We do not associate usage data collected through these cookies with personal data.
On the website, we use technologies of Piwik PRO GmbH to collect and store data about your use of the website for the purposes of optimization of the website services and marketing. Usage profiles may be created from this data under a pseudonym using cookies.
As far as this data must be considered personal data, the processing is based on statutory provisions which justify this on the ground that (1) ZF has a legitimate interest that the website is tailored to the user’s needs; or (2) the data is used in pseudonymous form for the purpose of marketing and optimization purposes and the user has not objected to this use. You may object to the collection and processing by Piwik PRO’s tracking technology at any time with effect for the future by clicking this link
You are currently opted in. Click here to opt out.

Third party cookies: – which collect information for third parties
For the purpose of embedding video clips into our website, we use services provided by Brightcove, Inc [www.brightcove.com]. By default, the Brightcove video player does not use any cookies. However, Brightcove sup-plied plugins and other third-party player plugins may use cookies. The cookies used by third party plugins are con-trolled by the third parties. Please check with Brightcove for a description of the cookies used in their plugins and respective third parties cookies: Information about Brightcove cookies.

Cookie List
A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms.    You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Functional Cookies

These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages.    If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.

Performance Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site.    All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

Targeting Cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites.    They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

ZF is a company located in Germany which operates globally and is part of the ZF group of companies, the current members of which are specified here (“ZF Group”). The data you provide to us in the course of registration for a ZF Account (see no. 1.2 above), will be stored in our centralised customer data base in Germany and shared within the ZF Group for the purpose of managing your relationship with ZF and the ZF Group.
The sharing and use of the data is based on statutory provisions which justify those operations on the grounds that (1) the processing is necessary for the performance of the Agreement including the Terms of Use regarding the ZF Websites; or (2) ZF has a legitimate interest in sharing this data within the ZF Group for internal administrative purposes.
The ZF Account information relating to you might be processed outside of your local jurisdiction and the European Economic Area including, in the following countries/regions e.g. US, Mexico, Canada, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Greater China, Switzerland, Serbia, Japan, UAE, India, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritius, Argentina, Brazil and Columbia. Where we are required not to transfer your personal data out of your local jurisdiction as per the applicable laws on data protection in your local jurisdiction, we will take appropriate measures to ensure the compliance with such requirements.
Any transfer of your personal data to a third country (i. e. which is not a member of EU/EEA) will continue to be in compliance with all applicable data protection laws.
As far as a third country is not recognized by the European Commission or in your local jurisdiction to provide an adequate level of protection, ZF will take appropriate safeguards to ensure adequate protection of your data; e.g. by concluding data transfer agreements with third country recipients comprising standard contractual clauses which in accordance with the decisions of the European Commission provide adequate safeguards and can be requested under privacy@zf.com.

Sharing data outside of the ZF Group
In order to provide certain Applications and Services we share your data with particular external parties which perform services on our behalf. We may use third party service providers to offer or facilitate services on our behalf, such as a newsletter service provider, IT-provider, web hosting provider as well as any other service provider which act as data processors and therefore process the data on our behalf and under our instructions. These third parties are prohibited from using your personal data for their own commercial, promotional or any other purposes than those explicitly instructed for and they have to follow our express instructions and comply with appropriate security measures to protect your personal data.
We might disclose personal information when required by law to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on us, or as otherwise required by any applicable law, rule or regulation.

We retain usage data including IP-addresses for the purpose of detecting and – as the case maybe – prosecuting misuse of the ZF Websites. Unless required for prosecution purposes, the data will be deleted after 7 days. The retention and use of the data is based on statutory provisions which justify those operations on the grounds that (1) the processing is necessary for the performance of the Agreement including the Terms of Use regarding the ZF Websites; or (2) ZF has a legitimate interest in ensuring the functionality and security of the website.

Generally, we delete personal data as soon as it is no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which the data was initially collected or processed. In case the processing is based on consent and you withdraw your consent we will delete your personal data without undue delay after the withdrawal unless we are legally required to retain the data.

Via the ZF Websites you may access other services and applications the use of personal data by which is explained in separate data protection information documents. Also, our website contains links to other websites. ZF is not responsible for the use and protection of personal data on these other sites. We encourage you to be aware when you leave our website and to read the data protection information of the other websites.

You are generally entitled to request from ZF access to and rectification or erasure of personal data that we store about you or – as the case maybe – restriction of processing as far as it concerns you or to object to processing as well as the assert your right to data portability; all as granted by applicable data protection laws. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

In case of any request concerning our use, integrity and/or accuracy of your personal data or in case you want to assert any of your rights mentioned under Sec. 9, you may contact us by email at privacy@zf.com.
The contact details of our data protection officer are as follows:
ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Data Protection Officer
Löwentaler Straße 20
88046 Friedrichshafen
Germany

As our collection and processing of your data may change over time, we might also modify this Data Protection Information in order for it to always correctly reflect our data processing practices. We encourage you to review it from time to time.