Continental Develops Technologies for Accident-free Driving

Continental AG, the German manufacturer of premium tires and automotive components has stated that its long term goal is Vision Zero which is expressed as “No traffic deaths, no injuries and no accidents. According to Dr. Elmar Degenhart, the company’s CEO,, the current accident rate which is 3,300 fatalities and about 140,000 injuries on a daily basis is totally unacceptable. In pursuit of this goal, the company has developed several innovative technologies that would enhance safety both when it comes to cars and commercial vehicles.

One of these technologies is a new long-range radar system for commercial vehicles that can be used to identify even partially hidden pedestrians and can trigger the automatic braking system in an emergency. The other is a head-up display that will eliminate the need for drivers to take their eyes off the road to access vital information.

Continental will be showcasing both these technologies when it participates in the IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition, which is scheduled to be held from September 22 to 29 in Hannover.

The radar sensor that Continental has developed will permit truckers to take quick pre-emptive action in highly complex situations as the high-resolution long-range radar (Advanced Radar Sensor) has the ability to distinguish between static and moving objects. It has a wide field of view and range of up to 250 m and can be used to warn the driver in good time about potentially dangerous situations. It is closely connected to the Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Cruise Control and Emergency Braking Assistance Features for a measure of added control and protection. The most distinctive feature of this radar sensor is that it can detect not only vehicles but can “see” even pedestrians, a first in the industry. This can go a long way towards reducing the number of accidents and fatalities. It is also highly reliable, working even when visibility is very poor due to fog, or rain.

The Forward Collision Warning function warns drivers both audibly and visually when there are chances for a collision while the Intelligent Cruise Control, constantly keeps an eye on the road to regulate the speed in view of the traffic conditions, without the driver having to make manual adjustments. In the long run, Continental is planning to use the long-range radar as part of its technology for automated driving and for platooning.

Another technology Continental will be highlighting at the IAA show for commercial vehicles is a head-up display (HUD). The display will project a color image of important driving information in the driver’s field of vision and will supplement the conventional instrument clusters. The display can take the form of a Windshield or a Combiner HUD and depending on their preferences, customers can have the image projected either in their upper or lower field of view.

There are numerous display options and the color schemes for the HUDs and manufacturers are at liberty to choose them based on their preferences. Parameters to be displayed on the HUD can include distance warnings, speed notifications,, traffic sign warnings and fuel tank levels. The driver will be able to see all this at a glance in his field of view and will not have to take his eyes off the road as he does when he is in a vehicle with a conventional  instrument cluster.

According to Dr. Michael Ruf, Head of the Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket Business Unit, the head-up display can make a significant contribution to road safety as the driver can keep an eye on key parameters without straining his eyes by continually switching between long-distance and short-range focusing. He can keep tabs on information like the weather conditions, distance from the vehicle ahead and traffic jam situations. The company has already tested and used the technology in its own innovation track over 17,500 kilometers and the truck will take pride of place at Continental’s booth at the IAA.