Frank Petznick (49) will take over the management of the
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems business unit at Continental and become a member of the
Management Board of the Autonomous Mobility and Safety business area on August 1, 2020. The
electrical engineering graduate will follow Karl Haupt (63), who is leaving the company on July 31,
2020 after almost seven years at the helm of the business unit and over 36 years company
service. Petznick, who already joined the technology company on July 1, has many years of
experience in both the automotive and automotive supplier industries. Most recently as a member
of the Electronics Executive Board at Hella, he was responsible for the global Automated Driving
Product Center. He started his career in 1998 at Volkswagen as a project manager and later as a
project leader for electronic systems. In 2003, he moved to development service provider
Bertrandt, where he worked for five years in various management positions in the field of
electronics and infotainment. From 2008 onwards, Petznick held managerial roles at Hella on a
regional and global basis, located in Shanghai (China) and Berlin. The new head of the business
unit will bring many years of experience with innovative, new technologies in the fields of
electronics and sensor technology to Continental. In his role, Frank Petznick reports to Frank
Jourdan, Member of the Executive Board of Continental AG and Head of the Autonomous Mobility
and Safety business area.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: growth business and sales driver at Continental
“I am delighted that, with Frank Petznick, we have been able to gain an experienced manager in
the field of advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving, who along with his team
will continue his predecessor’s successful work and continue to drive forward our ambitious growth
plans,” says Frank Jourdan. “At the same time, we would like to sincerely thank Karl Haupt for his
outstanding contributions and achievements and wish him all the best for the future.”
During his time at Continental, Karl Haupt held various management positions in several business
units and corporate functions. Under his leadership, sales in the field of advanced driver assistance
systems increased five-fold in the period from 2013 to 2019. With sales of 2 billion euros in the
year 2019, Continental has assumed a leading position in the field of assisted driving.
Sensors, software and intelligent connectivity form the basis of advanced driver assistance
systems. Technology company Continental began research on these systems more than 20 years
ago. Continental operates its own development centers and production sites in the major regions
of Europe, America and Asia, allowing it to offer customized solutions to its customers.
Continental’s customers include many national and international manufacturers as well as all mass
manufacturers worldwide.
Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people
and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable
solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2019, Continental generated sales of €44.5
billion and currently employs about 240,000 people in 59 countries and markets.
The Autonomous Mobility and Safety business area develops, produces and integrates active and passive
safety technologies and controls 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 systems expertise and the
networking of individual components. In this way, products and system functions are created along the
SensePlanAct
