Press Release
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Always On – Continental’s Interior Division pushes
User-Friendliness, Networking and Cost
Optimization
In an increasingly complex world with requirements for vehicle electronics that vary
substantially by region, the Interior division provides vehicle manufacturers with
efficient services and solutions for exciting new vehicles.
Regensburg, Germany, September 15, 2009. All over the world and at different speeds, the
requirements placed on transport are changing in the direction of personalized mobility. The
Interior division at international automotive supplier Continental has a vision: “Always On.” It
develops and delivers the integrated electronics and mechatronics systems required for
operating and networking various vehicle classes accordingly. Engineers working inside of
Continental’s Interior division develop efficient solutions that provide drivers and passengers
with all the information they need while keeping them in touch with the outside world. Thanks
to technology by Interior, drivers can be in complete control of their vehicles at all times. To
keep innovation economical, Continental engineers rely on ongoing cost optimization. At the
same time, the solutions of the Interior division are an integral component of realizing
Continental’s vision of zero emissions and zero accidents. It’s obvious that the efforts of the
division dovetail with the megatrends of the automobile industry: information, affordable
vehicles, safety and the environment.
“It all began more than 100 years ago when a wheel was mechanically linked to the first
tachometer to show the speed of a car,” said Helmut Matschi, President of the Interior
division and member of the Executive Board of Continental AG at the International Motor
Show in Frankfurt. “This will remain the foundation on which various internal vehicle systems
are efficiently networked, on which even the most modern electronic options are easily
integrated, and on which vehicles are linked to the outside world. Every day, our employees
develop and produce all of the electronics systems, software and services that vehicle
makers worldwide require for producing competitive vehicles that are popular with end
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Your contact person:
Enno Pflug, +49 6196 87 2515
-2customers. The focus on processing information inside the car connects the efforts of
Continental’s Interior division with the company’s other automotive divisions and facilitates
cooperative work on the implementation of our zero emissions and zero accidents vision.”
The Interior division supplies products for cars, commercial vehicles, 2-wheeled vehicles and
special vehicles.
Interior division provides a comprehensive product portfolio for individual mobility
The magnitude of the number of systems and components for modern cars or commercial
vehicles that the Interior division has already developed and delivered becomes apparent
every day. Reaching for the key fob is the first step in using Interior electronics systems.
Interior division engineers provide reliable vehicle-to-key fob communication. Vehicles either
open with the press of a button or detect that their drivers are approaching and unlock
themselves. Once drivers are behind the wheel, the seats automatically adapt to their
contours with the help of Interior electronics and the intelligent Interior climate controls see to
it that the inside temperature is pleasant.
Instrument cluster, head-up displays or other, sometimes retractable, display systems
provide drivers with all of the relevant information on the operating condition of the car and
the best route possible during the trip. In a commercial vehicle, the vehicle and driver data
would be saved in the Digital Tachograph and transmitted to the fleet manager office from
afar. Tolls could also be calculated automatically via the On-Board-Unit. Traffic data is
received, prepared and integrated into the calculated route via the radio integrated into the
infotainment system – also by Continental. The link to the outside world – regardless of
whether it is via radio frequency or mobile network – is taken care of by the inconspicuous,
highly integrated Interior antenna module.
Components from Energy Management make sure that valuable electrical power is
distributed according to the driving situation. Whether in today’s internal combustion engines
or in the vehicles of the future with electric powertrains, that means power is always used
sensibly. To help drivers arrive safely, the experts of the Interior division have developed tire
sensors that detect whether the road contact is really meeting the need of the driver. The tire
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Your contact person:
Enno Pflug, +49 6196 87 2515
-3information system provides information on tire pressure and, networked with driver
assistance systems, can give drivers early warning of potentially critical situations.
“Always On” – From vision to realization
The pursuit of individual mobility that has earned the title of "Always On” is already anchored
in the Interior division’s organization. The division is divided into three business units that are
all oriented to the Interior strategy. The employees of the Information & Driver HMI business
unit are responsible for driver information assisted by various display systems (“we inform
you well”). The global team in the Infotainment & Connectivity business unit works to link
drivers with the outside world, providing them with access to data and services on the
Internet, for example (“we connect you”). The experts in the Body & Security unit take care of
the system optimization that, as far as drivers are concerned, runs in the background but
ensures that all of the systems coordinate with each other perfectly and keeps the cost of the
overall system as low as possible (“all at lower cost”). Parallel to this, the Commercial
Vehicles & Aftermarket business unit accommodates the specific requirements of the
commercial vehicle and aftermarket sector. It develops and manufactures products to make
commercial vehicles and special vehicles safer, cleaner, and more economical, as well as to
make their use more efficient in daily business. If a component happens to fail after working
hard on one of the streets of the world, the Aftermarket sectors takes care of wearing part
and automotive spare part delivery – even if series production has been discontinued. All
business units are already involved in developing systems for the next generation of
vehicles, so that drivers of electric vehicles will especially benefit from the variety of products
and systems for processing and displaying information developed by Interior engineers.
With its strategy of “We inform you well, we connect you – all at lower cost,” Continental’s
Interior division is the ideal partner for vehicle manufacturers worldwide. “We are applying
our strategy in all of the regions of the world in which our customers – vehicle manufacturers
– need us,” explained Matschi. “That includes information and networking, but we don’t forget
to look at costs. That makes us the right development partner for today and tomorrow in the
fast-growth compact car market, and also in the low-cost car market.”
With sales exceeding €24 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive
suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and
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Your contact person:
Enno Pflug, +49 6196 87 2515
-4chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers,
the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate.
Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. The corporation
currently employs approximately 130,000 at nearly 190 locations in 35 countries.
The Automotive Group is one of the leading global automotive suppliers. With its three Divisions –
Chassis & Safety (€5.1 billion in sales, 27,000 employees), Powertrain (€4 billion in sales, 25,000
employees) and Interior (€5.9 million in sales, over 30,000 employees) – it reported sales of
approximately €15 billion in 2008. The Automotive Group is active at over 130 locations worldwide. As
a partner to the car and commercial vehicle industries, the Automotive Group develops and produces
innovative products and systems for a modern automotive future in which a harmony will have been
established between mobility and driving pleasure, on the one hand, and driving safety, environmental
responsibility and cost-efficiency, on the other.
The Chassis & Safety division develops and produces electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis
control systems, sensors, driver assistance systems, air bag control systems, washer systems as well
as electronic air suspension systems. Its core competence is the integration of active and passive
driving safety in ContiGuard®. The Powertrain division integrates innovative and efficient drivetrain
system solutions. The product range extends from gasoline and diesel injection systems and engine
management and transmission control systems, including sensors and actuators as well as fuel-supply
systems, all the way through to components and systems for hybrid drives. Information management
is at the very heart of the Interior division. The range of products includes instrument clusters and
multifunctional displays, control units, electronic car entry systems, tire information systems, radios,
multimedia and navigation systems, climate control and actuation systems, telematics solutions and
cockpits.
Enno Pflug
External Communications, Interior Division
Continental Automotive GmbH
Sodener Strasse 9
65824 Schwalbach am Taunus / Germany
Phone: +49 6196 87-2515
Fax: +49 6196 8779-2515
enno.pflug@continental-corporation.com
www.continental-automotive.de
www.continental-corporation.com
Your contact person:
Enno Pflug, +49 6196 87 2515