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Ground-breaking ceremony for High Performance Technology Center
In the year under review, we began construction of a High Performance Technology Center at the Korbach plant in Ger- many. A hall for a new production system is currently under construction on an area of approximately 12,000 m2. With a
planned start date of July 2016, the new system will not only manufacture high-performance tires for particularly sporty and technically sophisticated high-powered cars, but also drive forward the development and optimization of production pro- cesses from Korbach, Germany, which will subsequently be introduced in other Continental tire plants. This sees us not only launching a new production line but also integrating our re- search and development department directly into the factory.
Opening of the Tire Technology Center in Puchov
In November 2014, the new Tire Technology Center in Puchov, Slovakia, was opened. The further expansion of the R&D center forms part of the investment program announced by the Tire division in 2011. As part of this, the number of employees at the Tire Technology Center is set to be increased by around 15% by 2016 in order to satisfy the growing demand for new technologies to manufacture the range of tires.
High-tech laboratory for efficient fuel consumption Modern combustion engines are becoming increasingly envi- ronmentally friendly as their efficiency continues to grow. In addition to downsizing engines and turbocharging, the ever more efficient utilization of fuel is playing a significant role. This is ensured primarily by high-precision injection systems, which are controlled electronically and work with the finest nozzles and extremely high-speed multiple injection. Optimal adjust- ment to suit the particular fuel is a central requirement to en-
sure the efficiency of these systems. In order to study how the properties of a wide range of fuels affect engine components and functions, we put a new fuel laboratory into operation at the location in Regensburg in the year under review.
Intelligent transportation systems: a field for the future In the year under review, we established a new business unit: Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Systems for the intelli- gent interconnection of means of transportation and traffic facilities as well as the connected car are considered key tech- nologies for future mobility. This constitutes the key step in making vehicles part of the Internet. This way, vehicles are con- nected to the Internet to enable them to independently com- municate via the Internet and exchange online information in real time as well as trigger actions and provide mutual guidance.
Continental is already one of the main suppliers on the market for core components for intelligent transportation systems. In our ITS business unit, we create solutions to global transporta- tion problems such as excessively long traffic jams, traffic- induced pollution, and accidents caused by human error. Con- nected cars, which can communicate with each other and the infrastructure, open up a whole range of possibilities for new functions. Intelligent applications make driving safer, more con- venient, more comfortable, and more environmentally friendly. Examples include applications that can use data from other vehicles, the infrastructure, or a backend (cloud) to inform the driver about dangers or obstacles along the route, as well as applications forming part of comprehensive travel, fleet, and traffic management. Data protection has utmost priority here. To develop high-performance systems, we have already signed partnership contracts with the leading technology suppliers in big data (IBM) and maps (Nokia HERE) back in 2013.
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Automated driving for commercial vehicles too
Advanced driver assistance systems in commercial vehicles are also making the transportation of goods and people safer, more efficient, more convenient, and more comfortable. In the com- mercial vehicle segment, these systems assume another im- portant role. Since they are connected to the cloud and other road users, they increasingly serve as the key to increased transport efficiency by minimizing fuel consumption and down- times. High-precision maps and access to comprehensive, con- nected mobility data constitute an essential element for intelli- gent transport systems. Continental is working in close cooper- ation with partners from various industries to develop ad- vanced vehicle services. The announced development schedule for introducing automated driving in cars applies to the com- mercial vehicle segment as well to Continental. We want to implement partially automated driving before the end of the decade, and fully automated driving is set to be possible on some sections of a journey by 2025.
World premiere: water-cooled turbocharger
Continental celebrated a world premiere when it unveiled the water-cooled turbocharger with an aluminum housing to the public. The turbocharger is characterized by its optimized re- sponse behavior. Furthermore, its lightweight design supports the automotive industry in its efforts to meet highly ambitious consumption and emission targets. A total of 1.2 kg is saved per aluminum turbocharger. This constitutes a weight reduction of 30% compared with conventional turbochargers. In addition, the water cooling of the aluminum housing reduces the effort required to protect adjacent components from the heat, and the cooling of the exhaust flow reduces the thermal load on the catalytic converter, meaning it hardly ages at all. It is not just the aluminum that makes the turbocharger special – it has evolved from being a typical add-on component to an integral part of the engine.
48-Volt Eco Drive significantly reduces fuel consumption Alongside optimizing combustion engines, the electrification of the powertrain – from fuel-saving start-stop functionality to the all-electric drive – is one of the keys to reducing fuel consump- tion and emissions. Within this spectrum of electrification pos- sibilities, there has been a gap up to now between the reasona- bly priced 12-volt start-stop systems and the much more ex- pensive hybrid solutions with voltages from 110 volts. We have now closed this gap with our 48-Volt Eco Drive system.
The new hybrid technology combines the best of two worlds. It can be easily integrated into the architecture of conventional- drive vehicles, yet at the same time it provides features that up to now have only been found in high-voltage hybrid systems – such as switching off of the combustion engine while driving (sailing or coasting), extremely quick and convenient premium engine start-up, and efficient braking energy recovery (recuper- ation). The new Continental technology will go into production with European car manufacturers for the first time in 2016.
eHorizon becomes the basis for a wide range of vehicle functions
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas at the begin- ning of January 2015, we demonstrated a new stage in the evolution of eHorizon, together with our partners IBM and Nokia HERE. Known as the “dynamic eHorizon,” it is connected to the Nokia HERE location cloud with real time digital maps and the IBM connected car cloud. Using IBM Big Data and Ana- lytics it takes into account dynamic events such as weather, accidents, or traffic jams. The dynamic eHorizon turns the digi- tal map into a high-precision and constantly up-to-date infor- mation carrier that can be used for so much more than just navigation. With this, we are increasing safety, efficiency, com- fort and convenience in trucks and passenger cars.
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We use our technologies, systems, and services to make mobili- ty and transportation more efficient, safer, more affordable, and therefore more sustainable. Continental’s solutions for people and society are geared toward protecting life and health, im- proving the quality of life, accelerating progress, enhancing environmental protection, and providing more opportunities to shape one’s own future.
Our long-term success is based on our understanding of these needs people have as well as on mutual trust. Trust is placed in our employees, our business partners, and other stakeholders. The focus on sustainability and responsible conduct that is firmly embedded in the corporation leaves us open to change and sees us strengthening the future viability of our company.
It is therefore an element of our corporate strategy to combine financial and non-financial performance indicators and to take a holistic approach resulting in a contribution that impacts posi- tively on our employees, the environment, and society. Please see page 72 for information about the non-financial perfor- mance indicators related primarily to the sustainable use of resources.
Commitment to the principles of the United Nations Global Compact
As a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, we sup- port its ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor, envi- ronment, and anti-corruption. Sustainable management and a sense of responsibility for the environment, employees, and society constitute our fundamental values. It strengthens the culture of working with and for one another, it creates trust, and it forms the basis of forward-looking and values-based corpo- rate management at Continental.