Continental supports new mobility with fuel efficient, safety system solutions
Higher computational power is required to meet the needs of the fast-paced evolution of mobility technologies. Drivetrains are no longer allmechanical systems. Specifically for India, with the impending BS-VI implementation, electronics content is on the rise, making higher computational power imperative. With high computing platforms, car manufacturers will be able to maintain their ability to compete on various innovative functions and enlarge flexibility on software development. The technology company Continental, which celebrated ten years of local production in India last year, develops the required need-of-the-hour technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. “In Luxury cars today, there are 100s of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to operate the vehicle. Every part requires expertise in the domain of electronics. These vehicles are more of one single computer running,” Prashant Doreswamy, Head of Continental India, said.
As India is all set to adopt BS-VI emission standards, enhancement of combustion engines and electro-mobility is the priority. Continental develops and produces efficient system solutions for vehicle powertrains to optimize fuel consumption. The product range from Continental includes gasoline and diesel injection systems, engine management and transmission control, including sensors and actuators, exhaust-gas after treatment technologies, fuel supply systems, and components and systems for hybrid and electric drives. The company is setting up a new plant in Talegaon, Pune, for its powertrain business.
Putting the spotlight on the cost limitation in the automotive electronics market, Doreswamy says, “Cost is a challenge in India. The present mark worthy technology is not an affordable solution keeping in mind the Indian market. Electrification of Hatchbacks will cost much higher, this being said, more than 50% passenger vehicles are hatchbacks in India. Some disruption needs to happen, so that the cost decreases and the footprint of electrification increases in India”
About the increasing market demand for Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Doreswamy said, “We at Continental continue to drive safety technology towards our vision of zero accidents and therefore support making safety available to everyone. The good news about the India market is the increase in consumer awareness about vehicle safety, the seriousness with which the Government is approaching this topic, and the commitment of
manufacturers. As a technology company, we will fully support this positive movement, and will continue to make investments where necessary.”
As the market prepares itself to adopt the legislation for ABS, scheduled for entry in April 2019, Continental has opened two new lines for ABS and ESC assembly at its Gurgaon plant.
With vehicles becoming ‘mobile devices’ with permanent and seamless connectivity, the rate of risks and security become higher which is an area of concern for vehicle manufacturers. Taking into account the security from the beginning of a component development, Continental and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last year. Together with IIT Madras, Continental plans to conduct joint research in high computing platform and cyber security for powertrain applications. “As a technology company, it is Continental’s priority to invest in the technologies of tomorrow. India is an important R&D hub for Continental, and we plan to increase our R&D footprint in the country. With focused R&D, innovations and ongoing improvement of our components and systems, both at the new centre in Gurgaon, dedicated to brake systems, and the R & D-intensive Technical Centre in Bengaluru, India’s contribution to Vision Zero – a future with zero accidents – will be significant,” Doreswamy said.