Continental’s new Commercial Vehicle products make for enhanced efficiency, comfort, safety and eco-friendliness
Hanover/Germany, August 06, 2008
At the 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, from September 23 to October 2, 2008, the international automotive supplier Continental will be presenting a wide range of products and services for commercial vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators and special-purpose vehicle manufacturers. The company will be exhibiting both indoors, at booth B05 in hall 17, and outdoors (G 63). Last year’s takeover of Siemens VDO Automotive AG further expanded the product spectrum, specifically in the area of commercial and special-purpose vehicles. Additions include a broader selection of safety electronics, sequencing and control systems for drive and vehicle electronics, and products and services for tachographs, i.e. the trip recorders mandated by law in Europe and elsewhere. All in all, five of Continental’s six divisions will have new products and services on view at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2008.
New trailer tires for higher performance and lower fuel consumption
Two new trailer tires will be presented with claims to “greater fuel efficiency” and “higher performance“ – the HTR2, which was unveiled in Birmingham in April, and the HTL1, which will make its public debut at the IAA 2008. The HTR2 385/65 R22.5 is a regional tire with convincingly low rolling resistance for its class. With 20 percent more rubber in the tread, the HTR2 adds 17 millimeters to its effective tread depth. The larger, uniformly wearing contact patch provides excellent running properties. In terms of mileage performance, the HTR2 is the absolute best of its kind. The HTR2’s five-percent improvement in rolling resistance translates into savings of around a liter of fuel per 100 kilometers. The HTL1 385/55 R 19.5 is the logical developmental follow-up to the Continental HTL. Designed for longer distances on the motorway, the HTL1 has been dimensioned for supercube trailers. In contrast to its predecessor, the HTL1 exhibits much better mileage performance and a marked improvement in rolling resistance.
Adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning system (LDW) and radar-based blind spot assist: new assist systems lower the risk of accidents
To enhance the on-road safety of heavy trucks, this year, for the first time, Continental is launching series production of a driver assist system that monitors the blind spot on the right-hand side of the vehicle and warns of imminent collisions. Continental is thus actively anticipating upcoming statutory regulations – already announced for 2013 – that would make such systems mandatory for heavy commercial vehicles. At IAA Commercial Vehicles 2008, the automotive supplier will be presenting corresponding systems that allow trucks to automatically monitor the distance kept to the vehicle up ahead. Other products – the lane departure warning system (LDW) and a latest-generation radar sensor with emergency brake assist – also contribute to greatly reducing the accident risk. Appropriately equipping future trucks with this system should have the effect of lowering the number of dangerous rear-end collisions.
Ideas for more efficient powertrains and lower fuel consumption
In addition, Continental also offers more advanced powertrain systems and components that help commercial vehicles satisfy stringent exhaust gas standards like EPA 10 in the US, 09 in Japan or Euro VI by cutting away at fuel consumption. Continental engine management systems, for instance, can be used to regulate all conventional injection and emission control systems in engines with four to eight cylinders and typical four- to sixteen-liter displacement. Continental’s trend-setting piezo common rail diesel injection improves fuel efficiency by up to 15 percent in the case of small van and pick-up engines with displacement of 6.7-liters or less. Sensitive sensor systems make it possible to keep an exact record of all engine states. In this way combustion processes can be optimized and nitrogen oxide and fine particle emissions further reduced. Last but not least, by offering hybrid modules that can be scaled up from cars to commercial vehicles, Continental is focusing on the kind of enhanced power electronics and batteries that will enable commercial vehicles to operate with zero emissions in cities and urban areas in the future.
New tachograph with remote-download option ups efficiency
The next generation of VDO DTCO digital trip recorders will, for the first time, contain an option for remote transmission of data. The remote download allows the fleet manager to access a vehicle’s mass storage device and driver card data from the office, regardless of where the vehicle might be at the moment. This pays equal dividends for both the driver and the company. Not having to keep download cycles in mind, drivers can again devote their full attention to the job they were originally intended to do. And wherever the vehicles in the fleet may happen to be, fleet managers can get at all the data. This makes compliance with mandated procedures easier, less costly and more efficient.
New tire sensor systems for greater safety and reduced consumption
At IAA Commercial Vehicles 2008, Continental is debuting newly developed tire pressure monitoring systems designed specifically with commercial vehicles in mind. The Intelligent Tire System, with sensors integrated into the tire, continuously oversees the respective pressure and temperature of the tire and is thus able to catch a gradual loss of inflation pressure before it’s too late. Drivers can conveniently check the inflation pressure of the individual tires on the instrument panel or are automatically informed when a tire’s inflation pressure is too low. The system thus helps limit tire wear and fuel consumption while widening a vehicle’s margin of safety.
New air spring system with integrated sensor makes for better control
In collaboration with the axle manufacturer BPW, ContiTech Air Spring Systems is showing off an air suspension system with an integrated noncontact altitude and pressure sensor. This product provides the technical basis for use of electronically controlled air suspension systems with electrically actuated valves. In future this will make it possible for trailers to also benefit from the advantages that road vehicles have profited from for so long: low air loss, precise control of the driving level and variable target level settings.
With targeted annual sales of more than €26.4 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, powertrain and chassis systems and components, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and engineered elastomer products, the company contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. The company currently has approximately 150,000 employees at close to 200 locations in 36 countries.
The Automotive Group is one of the leading global automotive suppliers. With its three Divisions Chassis & Safety (5.1 billion €, 27,000 employees), Powertrain (4 billion €, 25,000 employees) and Interior (5.9 billion €, more than 30,000 employees) it achieved sales of approximately 15 billion € in 2008. The Automotive Group is present in more than 130 locations worldwide. As a partner of the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, it develops and produces innovative products and systems for a modern automotive future, in which a car accommodates individual mobility and driving pleasure to driving safety, environmental responsibility and cost-efficiency.
Within the Continental Interior Division the Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket Business Unit accommodates the specific requirements of the commercial vehicle, special vehicle and aftermarket sector. A global network of sales and service companies ensures proximity to local customers. Covering the product brands Continental, VDO, ATE and Barum the Business Unit offers electronic products, systems and services for commercial and special vehicles, a broad selection of products for specialized workshops and spare parts for the Independent Aftermarket and the Original Equipment Services after end of series production of the vehicle manufacturer.