The development of products and systems for automated driving is one of the central themes of international automotive supplier Continental’s long-term technology strategy. Continental expects vehicle automation to deliver improved safety, greater freedom for the driver, and improved vehicle efficiency. More than 1250 specialists are already working on this at the automotive supplier.
It’s clear to us that automated driving will be a key element in the mobility of the future. As a system supplier, we are perfectly positioned to develop and launch series production of solutions for partially automated systems for our customers by 2016. We will be able to develop the first applications for highly and ultimately fully automated driving, even at higher speeds and in more complex driving situations, ready for production by 2020 or 2025.– Dr. Elmar Degenhart, Chairman of the Executive Board of Continental.
From a technological point of view, automated driving represents the evolution of driver assistance systems, which have already begun to emerge. Their systematic networking with driver information and drive systems is gradually advancing the concept toward its goal.
[image_frame style=”framed_shadow” alt=”Continental vehicle with automated driving” title=”Continental vehicle with automated driving” height=”300″ width=”600″]https://www.car-engineer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Continental_vehicle_automated_driving.jpg[/image_frame]
Automated driving to be implemented step-by-step
2016: PARTIALLY AUTOMATED
- Monitoring of the system required
- Driver needs to be able to take over the driving task at any moment
- Example : Stop-and-go up to 30km/h
2020: HIGHLY AUTOMATED
- Monitoring of the system not required
- Driver needs to be able to take over the driving task with the lead time
- Example: Stop-and-go (highway)
2025: FULLY AUTOMATED
- Monitoring of the system not required
- Driver does not need to be able to take over the driving task
- Example: Highway driving up to 130km/h
On the freeway, a fully automated vehicle will have full and independent control of driving up to 130 km/h. But when the vehicle reaches the desired exit, for example, the driver will have to take control, even with this high level of automation. When fully automated systems become available in 2025, they will still be limited to driving on the freeway. However, if the driver fails to respond to a demand to take control here, the vehicle will return to a safe state by itself, i.e. by braking and stopping on the hard shoulder.
The development of automated driving requires systems expertise
Continentals specialists are working specifically on driver assistance systems, such as adaptive cruise control and emergency brake assistance, which employ sophisticated technology to record the vehicle environment using a camera, infrared, and radar in various driving situations and therefore to warn, support, and relieve the driver.
In early 2012 the company undertook a two-week endurance test with close-to-production technology in the US state of Nevada. Over 15000 miles (24000 kms) of highly automated driving have been completed on public roads primarily in Nevada.
Source: Continental
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Automated driving is the next automotive innovation developed for road safety. The biggest problem for this kind of technology is of course the eternal question of the reliability. The other question is the legislative part : how and when automated vehicle will be introduced onto the automotive market? Would you feel safe in a vehicle driving for you?
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