Press Release
Continental supports “Toyota Safety Sense” with
Multi Function Camera and Lidar
 Worldwide first introduction of the integrated sensor module to supply Toyota’s
integrated safety system “Toyota Safety Sense C”
 The new Multi Function Camera with Lidar (MFL) sensor module integrates a camera and
an infrared Lidar into a single compact unit and can be installed even in small cars
Frankfurt am Main, Germany / Yokohama, Japan, August 27, 2015. Tiredness, distractions or loss
of concentration are some of the main causes of traffic accidents. Consequently, any advanced
driver assistance system (ADAS) which help drivers in such situations can further reduce the
number of accidents. ADAS represents key technologies to support the realization of Vision Zero the Vision of accident-free driving – first and foremost aiming towards no fatal accidents on the
road, followed by the objective of no injuries and, ultimately, no accidents at all. The international
automotive supplier Continental has been developing and producing safety systems and supplied
innovations to car manufacturers worldwide for years. Safety should not be just for the privileged
few – in fact it should be an integral component of mobility for everyone.
Continental has developed the integrated new sensor module Multi Function Camera with Lidar
(MFL) by integrating a camera and an infrared Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging Sensor) into a
single compact unit. Series production started this year. The MFL is part of Continental’s
comprehensive portfolio of surrounding sensors like forward looking and surround view cameras as
well as radar and Lidar sensors. The developed unit is now supplied to Toyota Motor Corporation
for their brand new active safety packages “Toyota Safety Sense C” for compact cars. “We are
proud to be the key supplier of this campaign, which is a big step towards our Vision Zero. With its
three active safety technologies Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and the
Automatic High Beam (AHB) in the Toyota ‘C-Package’, the vehicles make a significant
contribution to safety driving and reducing accidents”, said Christoph Hagedorn, President of
Continental Japan.
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Contact:
Rie Honda, Phone: +81 45 444 3692 / Miriam Baum, Phone: +49 69 7603 9510
-2In the Multi Function Camera with Lidar, Continental has integrated two particularly competitive
sensor technologies. By specifically combining the strengths of a camera with those of an infrared
Lidar, the new sensor module is able to detect objects ahead of the vehicle, and when there is a
possibility of collision, it prompts the driver to brake with an audio and visual alert. If the driver fails
to brake in time, the system automatically applies the brakes. Thus, up to a speed of approximately
80 km/h a crash can be completely avoided if the relative speed to the detected object is less than
50 km/h. If the speed differences are greater, emergency braking will considerably reduce the force
of the impact.
Camera and infrared Lidar complement each other
CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) cameras are already used for categorizing
objects in front of a vehicle. However, by itself, a CMOS camera cannot always provide sufficiently
reliable information for initiating automatic emergency braking. “This is why Continental is
combining this passive sensor technology with an infrared Lidar in the Multi Function Camera with
Lidar. The Lidar sensor transmits three pulsed infrared beams with a 905nm wavelength and
measures the time-of-flight until the reflected beams reach the receiving optics”, explained Karl
Haupt, Head of Continental’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems business unit. The sensor
monitors a distance of more than ten meters in front of the vehicle, which classifies it as a shortrange Lidar system. From the speed of light and the time-of-flight, the Multi Function Camera with
Lidar is able to calculate the distance to the object to an accuracy of up to ten centimeters. In
conjunction with the CMOS camera, the sensor module now provides a robust means of object
categorization and reliability.
Scalability smoothes the way to large-scale production
With tight cost restrictions in mind, particularly as regards compact vehicles, the Multi Function
Camera with Lidar module has been made scalable. Depending on the application, the computing
capacity can be adjusted to three different comprehensive levels. In all three variants, the MFL
always provides robust and reliable data on which to base the decision to initiate automatic
emergency braking – and does so in the smallest space. In addition to Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
which is available in Toyota Safety Sense C package, other ADAS functions such as Lane Keeping
Support (LKS) and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) can be installed as additional optional vehicle
equipment with the same sensor module.
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Contact:
Rie Honda, Phone: +81 45 444 3692 / Miriam Baum, Phone: +49 69 7603 9510
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Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable partner,
the international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner provides sustainable, safe,
comfortable, individual, and affordable solutions. In 2014, the corporation generated sales of approximately
€34.5 billion with its five divisions, Chassis & Safety, Interior, Powertrain, Tire, and ContiTech. Continental
currently employs more than 205,000 people in 53 countries.
The Chassis & Safety division develops and produces integrated active and passive driving safety
technologies as well as products that support vehicle dynamics. The product portfolio ranges from electronic
and hydraulic brake and chassis control systems to sensors, advanced driver assistance systems, airbag
electronics and sensorics as well as electronic air suspension systems all the way to windscreen washer
systems and headlight cleaning nozzles. The focus lies on a high level of system competence and the
networking of individual components. Thus products and system functions are developed along the
SensePlanAct chain of effects. They form the foundation for automated driving. Chassis & Safety employs
more than 38,000 people worldwide and generated sales of approximately €7.5 billion in 2014.
Contact for Journalists
Rie Honda
Communication Manager
Continental Automotive Corporation
15th floor, Technowave 100 Bldg.
1-1-25, Shin-Urashimacho
Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama 221-0031
Phone: +81 45 444 3692
Fax:
+81 45 444 4618
E-Mail: communication.japan@continentalcorporation.com
Miriam Baum
External Communications
Chassis & Safety Division
Guerickestraße 7
60488 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: +49 69 7603-9510
Fax: +49 69 7603-3945
E-Mail: miriam.baum@continentalcorporation.com
This press release is available in the following languages: English, German, Japanese
Links
www.continental-automotive.jp
www.continental-corporation.com
Online Media Database: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
Contact:
Rie Honda, Phone: +81 45 444 3692 / Miriam Baum, Phone: +49 69 7603 9510