CHICAGO—In the post-coronavirus world, manufacturers will need to address social distancing on their assembly lines. One solution may be to deploy proximity sensors.

This past May, automotive modules and components manufacturer TRW was purchased by transmission manufacturer ZF for $12.4 billion. The deal creates ZF-TRW—the world’s third-largest auto supplier, with 130,000 employees and annual sales of more than $34.2 billion.