Today it is inconceivable that 50 years ago drivers didn't even have to buckle up. Men feared for their freedom, women for their ironed blouses. It was not until January 1, 1976 that seat belts were compulsory for drivers and passengers in Germany, and it was not until almost 10 years later that this was also extended to the back seat. The aim was to significantly reduce the number of accidental deaths. A goal that is still vehemently pursued today by large companies such as Continental. “With more than 1,2 million people worldwide, the number of road deaths per year is still at an alarmingly high and absolutely unacceptable level. We would like to change this with our combined forces. ”Says Frank Jourdan, member of the Executive Board of Continental AG and head of the Chassis & Safety division.
Vision Zero with the credo: “No traffic fatalities, no injuries, no accidents” is the long-term goal that the Hanover-based company has set itself. A big responsibility. But with its extraordinary competence in the field of driving safety systems, the company sees itself as a major source of inspiration, because "life is not negotiable". The company wants to advance its vision with a new generation of various technical driver assistants.
ABS3 is the name of the third generation of ABS, with which braking on different lanes is optimized and thus significantly increases traffic safety. at When braking, the car behaves more stable, since the braking behavior is regulated differently on the left and right, so that the vehicle is brought to a more even stop on the different surfaces. Whether leaves or snow doesn't matter. The new ABS3 reacts faster to changing road conditions and adjusts itself to new tires.
Automated parking should also become very convenient. Another step towards modern mobility and autonomous driving. With "valet parking", Continental wants to automate what is considered normal in front of hotels, airports, restaurants and events. "With Valet Parking we are showing a driverless driving function that frees the driver from an annoying process," explained Alfred Eckert, Head of Future Development in the Chassis & Safety Division at Continental. "Valet parking is a real gain in convenience and time for the driver." It is about an integrated and compact braking system that meets current and future requirements such as: vacuum-free braking, energy recovery and high performance for emergency brake assistants. Another important step in terms of “Vision Zero” and modern mobility based on fully automated driving.
With the CAirS system, Continental has developed a solution to ensure that the driving dynamics are not neglected, which integrates the compressor, valve block, control unit, motor control / relay, internal piping and wiring, temperature sensor and multiple connectors in a single unit. This not only saves weight, but also allows a sportier driving style and even a reduction in CO2 Emissions of up to 5 percent (for example with an SUV).
The stated goal - to clarify the effects and benefits of existing technologies, to raise awareness of the prominent role of tires in the driving safety system and to provide information about relevant influencing factors such as air pressure and tread depth - is an iron goal on our behalf, which we should all write down on our heads : no more accidents, no more fatalities. Into the future!
