Continental to feature production-ready technologies at IAA

Continental will be showcasing technologies for the safe, clean and connected mobility of the future at the IAA 2019. “Mobility is the Heartbeat of Life” is the technology company’s slogan for this year’s trade fair.

Continental will be presenting its fully integrated axle drive for electric cars – a global innovation that the company will supply to customers in China and Europe and for which production is scheduled to start this year. Another production-ready highlight is the new short-range radar, which assists car drivers when turning and protects cyclists and pedestrians. For the first time, visitors will experience these and other Continental innovations at the IAA 2019.

“Environmentally efficient and socially accepted technologies are the key ingredients for a healthy mobility ecosystem,” said Continental’s Chairman of the Executive Board Dr. Elmar Degenhart ahead of this year’s IAA, adding: “Zero accidents, zero emissions and zero stress thanks to smart connectivity and convenience: this is what our pioneering technologies are helping to realise. Technology is our strength and is an area in which Continental has an outstanding level of expertise.”

Continental is thus the first supplier worldwide to produce a fully integrated axle drive module. “Our fully integrated axle drive module makes us pioneers and puts us a clear step ahead of the competition. The system allows both established large-scale manufacturers and new suppliers to quickly produce efficient, fully electric-powered vehicles,” said Andreas Wolf, head of Continental’s Powertrain business.

The compact axle drive weighs less than 80 kilograms and consists of an electric motor, transmission and inverter. As a package, the three elements make the electric vehicle around 20 kilograms lighter – not least because numerous cable connections and plugs are dispensed with.

Another highlight is the 48-volt high-power drive, which enables full hybrid vehicles based only on 48-volt electric drive train to reach speeds of 50 to 56 mph (80 to 90 km/h) on electric power only. This will make a vital contribution to reducing vehicle CO2 emissions.

Continental will showcase its new short-range radar at the IAA 2019, which is able to detect other road users and obstacles with extremely high precision. This allows cornering assistance systems to recognise danger earlier than before and warn the driver faster, request emergency braking or automatically trigger emergency braking.

In collaboration with EasyMile, a manufacturer of driverless vehicles, Continental will also be offering IAA visitors the chance to take a test drive in a robo-taxi. Equipped with Continental technology, the vehicle will be driving autonomously around the exhibition grounds during the IAA.

Robo-taxis of the future will be able to perform tyre maintenance themselves. The latest Continental tyre study for driverless taxis demonstrates how this will work. Continental sensors built into the treads of tires are already able to transmit information on tread depth, possible damage and tyre temperature as well as the correct inflation pressure.

In the future, the rims will also be fitted with air pumps that adjust the tire pressure even while driving. This new wheel and tire concept is called Conti C.A.R.E. and is connected to the fleet management system via the Internet. The benefit is that it can provide information in almost real time and warn fleet managers of irregularities or noncompliance with standard conditions, saving repair costs and reducing vehicle downtime.

Continental will also let visitors to its booth at the Frankfurt Motor Show to board a fully connected driving demonstrator and experience first-hand the world of intelligent mobility. Whether traveling with the family to an amusement park or alone to a business appointment, visitors will gain an insight from the driver’s seat into how connected systems make driving safer, more pleasant and more relaxed – regardless of whether they prefer automated or manual driving. To this end, Continental has integrated a variety of technologies from the research and innovation lab into the demonstrator. The result is a holistic, multimedia experience of driving in the future that turns science fiction into reality.

Continental will demonstrate at the IAA how automotive electronics will in the future enable vehicles to continuously learn new functions. Flexible electronics and an intelligent vehicle network new hardware, software and functions to be integrated even after thousands of miles. Specialists visiting the trade fair will get a chance to learn more about the required framework conditions.