Continental is working to deliver next-generation smart mobility solutions for the automotive industry and this is set to become a key pillar of its business.
The company largely known for producing tyres both for cars and bicycles, has developed a 3D display surface to enable drivers in the future to enjoy digital content in a new manner – not limited to the flat media display which is common today.
According to Continental, customers are looking for greater personalisation of their vehicles and digital functions will include decorative elements, such as customised colour effects. Customised lighting is already available in a number of vehicles, like the Audi Q2 and Mini Countryman, however the German brand has taken this idea a step further with the use of Acella Hylite.
Acella Hylite is a translucent cover material that produces special lighting effects that can be used, for example, for backlighting a vehicle door. Varying light sources can be used to create customised colour effects or to light up warning signals and if the vehicle senses driver fatigue, it could brighten the cabin.
The brand has also developed user-friendly touch gestures for the cockpit and believes that a vehicle will be safer, more efficient and more user-friendly on the road when it is connected to other vehicles and road users.
With eHorizon, Continental demonstrates how a vehicle provides important traffic information for the cloud and other road users using a so-called crowd-sourcing function in the driver assistance camera.
Another application is eHorizon weather, which turns a vehicle into a mobile weather station. The service, which was devised in collaboration with Météo-France, “not only increases driving safety and comfort, but also acts as a data supplier for weather forecasts.”
“For Continental, holistic connectivity creates entirely new business models. In addition to our product business, mobility services will become the next key pillar of Continental,” says Helmut Matschi, member of the Executive Board at Continental and head of the Interior Division.