Continental Automotive to expand its safety and motion product portfolio in India

Continental announces the organization’s business plans and future roadmap for safety technologies. The senior leadership detailed the organization’s growth plans and key focus areas for the Indian market at a media round table held on January 17, 2023, at one of its manufacturing plants in Manesar, Gurugram (Haryana).

Addressing media persons, Prashanth Doreswamy, President and CEO – Continental India gave them an overview of how the organisation is structured. He highlighted the organisation’s restructuring drive initiated last year in response to fast-paced transformation in the automotive sector.

With the changing sectoral landscape, Continental India is further building on its offerings of functional safety products by focusing on three key segments. “The first segment Vehicle Dynamics relates to electornic braking solutions for example ABS and electronic stability control (ESC). The second area of focus for us is PSS (passive safety and sensorics) which is all about passive safety. It includes products like airbags and various sensors for safety. Finally, Hydraulic Brakes Systems (HBS) which deals with calipers and hydraulic brakes,” said Doreswamy.

Welcoming Continental’s senior leadership, Doreswamy invited Matthias Matic, Head of Safety and Motion  (SAM) business area to talk about the group’s growing automotive business and future growth plans. Matic spoke enthusiastically about Continental’s rich history and strong business heritage, particularly the group’s supremacy in braking business.

“We are in breaking business for over 100 years. Our products and solutions consist of active and passive safety systems. We evolved a lot over the years and are committed to our vision of promoting zero fatality, zero crashes, and zero injuries,” said Matic.

He reiterated Continental’s commitment to helping people on the move avoid injuries and save precious lives lost in road crashes every day by working closely with OEMs, government, and industry bodies. Continental has been running business operations in India since 2008. India’s importance in the automotive market for Continental has only been growing over the years.

Talking about India’s growing significance in Continental’s global business plans, Matic, pointed out, “We are globally present in different locations, and our team in India is taking more responsibility not only at the local level but globally too.” He further emphasized that is committed to promoting the highest standard of consumer safety through its products and solutions both globally and in India.

For example, Continental Safety and Motion business in India is committed to strengthening and providing enhanced safety to the mobility world with its strong manufacturing base in Bengaluru and Gurugram, supported by strong R&D from Technical Center India (TCI). The plant in Bengaluru is an electronic plant that manufactures electronic control units (ECU) for airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), ABS, and steering. While the plant in Manesar, Gurugram is an assembly plant for ABS, ESC and also manufactures speed sensors such as wheel speed.

As regards future growth areas and product innovations, Matic, said, “With the growing world of connected cars it’s an opportunity as well as a challenge to see how best we can use gathered information and connect it to make mobility a lot safer.”

Technical Center India (TCI)

• Research & Development has always been one of Continental’s key focus areas. TCI makes significant contributions to the development of advanced technology for India and the world. TCI is involved in several India-level and global-level projects, ranging from a for-the-market solution like one-channel ABS solutions for 2-wheelers to highly sophisticated technologies for domains such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Artificial Intelligence.
• For instance, TCI’s new innovative affordable ADAS solutions – radar sensor and Rear-View Systems (RVS231), that focuses on emerging markets. Adding value with its understanding of the local market and customers, TCI is also fast emerging as a “Center of Competence” for 2-wheeler markets and customized products for the BRIC countries.
• Some of the topics TCI is working on:
  • Developing functions & solutions that enable autonomous/assisted driving (object detection, classification, tracking, semantic segmentation, pose/depth estimation)
  • Developing functions & solutions that enable vehicle-human interaction such as identification/detection & authentication using biometrics, understanding, detect driver activities to create suitable in-house vehicle experience, detecting driver behaviors and reacting as necessary
• We are decisively tackling the digitalization, electrification, and automation of mobility and are focusing our research and development activities more strongly on our customer’s increased requirements in these areas. We will continue our R&D efforts in areas pertaining to these megatrends. 
• In 2022, Continental’s TCI won multiple Zinnov awards in the organization-wide category – Aatmanirbhar and in the individual categories – Next Generation Women Leaders and Technical Role Model (subcategory: Established). Continental also won Zinnov awards in 2020 for excellence in R&D at TCI.
• Adding value with its understanding of the local market and customers, TCI is fast emerging as a “Center of Competence” for 2-wheeler markets and for customized products for the BRIC countries.

TCI is also the Global Software Center for Excellence and the headquarters of the Software Academy and emerging as the Regional R&D Center and Asia Application Hub for specific markets for some businesses.  

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic, and transportation. In 2021, Continental generated sales of €33.8 billion and currently employs more than 190,000 people in 58 countries and markets. On October 8, 2021, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Continental has been present in India for close to 50 years through technology partnerships (Continental Tires since 1974) and joint ventures for its various businesses. Today, the tier 1 automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner operate across India – with about 8000 employees across 13 locations, including seven plants that cater to the Indian market and a Technical Centre that supports Continental’s global R&D activities.