Press Release
Continental Celebrates 30 Lifesaving Years –
250 Millionth Electronic Brake System Manufactured
 Electronic brake systems (EBS) mark three milestones this year: 30 years, 250 million
EBS units manufactured worldwide, 100 million of which were made in Frankfurt.
 ABS and ESC are among the most significant safety features on the road and have
become mandatory in several countries.
 ESC provides the basis for many driver assistance functions.
Frankfurt/Main, Germany, July 8, 2014. International automotive supplier Continental has been
producing electronic brake systems (EBS) for 30 years now. Two other milestones will occur this
year: the 100 millionth EBS unit will roll off the assembly line in Frankfurt, which will also be the
250 millionth unit manufactured worldwide. “Electronic brake systems have been enhancing safety
since 1984. They stabilize cars by assuming braking functions. ABS and Electronic Stability
Control are among the most important life-savers in road traffic“, says Felix Bietenbeck, head of
the Vehicle Dynamics Business Unit of Continental’s Chassis & Safety Division.
Generations of brakes from 1984 until today
Production of electronic brake systems began in 1984 at the Rödelheim plant in Frankfurt when
Continental’s first Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), the MKII, rolled off the assembly line. “The MKII
was the first fully integrated ABS and became standard equipment on the Lincoln Continental and
the Ford Scorpio. It was a real heavyweight, weighing in at 11.5 kilograms, but it effectively
prevented one or more wheels from locking“, says Bietenbeck. The weight of EBS units has
meanwhile steadily diminished from one generation to the next. The MK 20 that went into mass
production in 1995 weighed a mere 2.7 kilograms. The two-kilogram MK 60, a pure ABS device,
was the lightest electronic brake system in the world in 2000. The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) function added only 0.3 kilograms, making it the lightest ESC device in the world at the time.
The current MK 100 electronic brake system has been in production since 2011. Its weight and
dimensions have shrunk by approximately another third from the previous generation.
“Continental’s MK 100 product family has been designed in modular fashion so that manufacturers
can scale the systems according to their requirements, beginning with motorcycle ABS through
entry-level ABS for small cars up to high-performance, high-end solutions for heavy vehicles“, says
Bietenbeck.
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Contact:
Christina Friedrich, Tel: +49 69 7603 9510
-2Whereas 1988 saw production of just under 500,000 electronic brake systems, the number had
increased tenfold to more than five million units in 1998. Since 2002, more than ten million EBS
have been manufactured yearly and – since 2013 – that number has risen to over 20 million units.
As a result of this surge, Continental will be able to celebrate the production of its 250-millionth
EBS unit this year. In addition to Frankfurt, electronic brake systems are manufactured in five other
plants: Hamakita (Japan), Mechelen (Belgium), Morganton (USA), Shanghai (China) and Várzea
Paulista (Brazil).
ABS and ESC help prevent accidents
In addition to the anti-lock brake system, the electronic stability control helps prevent skidding at an
early stage so as to keep cars on the road. As a result, the risk of side impacts with trees can also
be reduced, which cause nearly one in five fatal traffic accidents according to insurance-industry
research. Studies by the Allianz insurance technical center have shown that if every vehicle on the
road were equipped with ESC, one in four accidents resulting in personal injury and up to 40
percent of all fatal traffic accidents could be avoided. Electronic brake systems also harbor great
potential for preventing motorcycle accidents. If every motorcycle were equipped with ABS, ten
percent of accidents involving personal injury could be prevented.
ESC is mandatory in Europe, the USA and Asia
Legislators in Europe, the USA and parts of Asia have meanwhile recognized the potential for
avoiding accidents and have mandated ESC. Any car and truck in Europe that has been designed
since November 2011 must have ESC on board. Starting in November 2014, ESC will be
mandatory for any vehicles being registered for the first time in Europe. Regulations in Japan
exhibit similar characteristics. ESC has been required on all vehicles in the USA up to 4.5 tons
since September 2011 – in South Korea, since January 2012. According to official statistics, 70
percent of vehicles on the road in Germany and 87 percent of newly purchased cars had ESC in
2013. The European Union (EU) also intends to reduce the number of serious motorcycle
accidents by making ABS mandatory. The anti-lock brake system will be required on all
motorcycles over 125 cubic centimeters. Starting in 2016, ABS will be obligatory on all newly
designed models and, starting in 2017, for any motorcycle in Europe.
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Contact:
Christina Friedrich, Tel: +49 69 7603 9510
-3Basis for driver assistance functions
In addition to contributing to active safety, electronic brake systems also provide the basis for
driver assistance functions. Emergency brake assist and adaptive cruise control features, for
example, automatically slow a car down via the electronic stability control without the intervention
of a driver.
With sales of around €33.3 billion in 2013, Continental is one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers.
As a provider of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation,
infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires, and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to
enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked
automobile communication. Continental currently employs around 182,000 people in 49 countries.
The Automotive Group with its three divisions Chassis & Safety (sales of approx. €7.3 billion in 2013,
roughly 36.500 employees), Powertrain (sales of approx. €6.3 billion in 2013, roughly 32,400 employees)
and Interior (sales of approx. €6.6 billion in 2013, roughly 34,400 employees) achieved sales of
approximately €20 billion in 2013. The Automotive Group is present in more than 170 locations worldwide.
As a partner to the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, it develops and produces innovative
products and systems for a modern automotive future in which cars provide individual mobility and driving
pleasure consistent with driving safety, environmental responsibility, and cost-efficiency.
The Chassis & Safety division develops and produces electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis control
systems, sensors, driver assistance systems, air bag electronics and sensors, washer systems, and
electronic air suspension systems. Its core competence is the integration of active and passive driving safety
into ContiGuard. The Powertrain division integrates innovative and efficient system solutions for vehicle
powertrains. The comprehensive range of products includes gasoline and diesel injection systems, engine
management and transmission control, including sensors and actuators, as well as fuel supply systems, and
components and systems for hybrid and electric drives. Information management is at the very heart of the
Interior division, which provides a range of products that includes instrument clusters and multifunctional
displays, control units, electronic car-entry systems, tire-monitoring systems, radios, multimedia and
navigation systems, climate control systems, telematics solutions and cockpits.
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Contact:
Christina Friedrich, Tel: +49 69 7603 9510
-4Contact for Journalists
Christina Friedrich
External Communications
Continental
Chassis & Safety Division
Guerickestr. 7
60488 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Phone: +49 69 7603-9510
Fax: +49 69 7603-3945
E-Mail: christina.friedrich@continentalcorporation.com
Sören Pinkow
External Communications
Continental
Chassis & Safety Division
Guerickestr. 7
60488 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Phone: +49 69 7603-8492
Fax: +49 69 7603-3945
E-Mail: soeren.pinkow@continentalcorporation.com
This press release is available in the following languages: German, English
Links
www.continental-automotive.com
www.continental-corporation.com
Online Media Database: www.continental-mediacenter.com
Contact:
Christina Friedrich, Tel: +49 69 7603 9510