‘We are one of the biggest R&D spenders to drive new innovation’: Prashanth Doreswamy

Continental India is a key player in the global Continental family and its role and responsibilities are well defined. The India operations form the backbone for many of the German Tier-1 giant’s global products or technologies that are in vogue or in various stages of development. In view of the transformation in the
automotive industry and growing demand for sustainable, emission-free mobility, Continental, globally is realigning its profitable growth course with the help of its network.

What role does Continental India play in the company’s global operations?
Continental India is a key part of the Continental family and the India operations form the backbone for many of the global products and technologies. In India,
we have a very well-balanced portfolio of products and services, besides a strong R&D set-up that works in conjunction with our global teams. As a result, co-development is high on the agenda between the organisational network. Vision Zero, connected technologies, advanced software development are among
some of the key areas of development for Continental India. As a key player in the automotive sector, we have been actively contributing to the sector’s transformation by offering a range of innovative products and end- to-end solutions.

The capability of the R&D team in India lies in the fact that it keeps looking at multiple ways to tailor the technology to the needs of the market. While a lot of connected technologies are coming to India, the challenge lies in catering to what is a highly value-conscious market. That is where co-development comes
into play. For instance, when we talk about autonomous driving solutions, India along with Romania are the two key sites in the global Continental network with the maximum number of R&D engineers working on these technologies related to autonomous mobility. R&D is a key focus for Continental India, and we are one of the biggest spenders in R&D to drive new innovations from country. Our team of over 5,000 engineers has made significant contributions to the development of some of the most-advanced technologies in the automotive industry.

What are the key ingredients of the change in the mobility ecosystem, and how are vehicle architectures set to transform in the future? 

The automotive landscape is undergoing a mega transformation, which started beginning around 2017-18, when there was an emergence of the CASE - Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electrified – megatrend. While this was the trend that we started off with and built a pool of solutions around it, I think we have gone past that and today it is about software defined vehicles (SDVs).

A car is no more a product to take someone from point A to B, rather, it is becoming an extended IoT device, which is being treated as the third living room by consumers. While the technology influences into automotive
are coming from software or even telecom industries, the challenge is when one brings this technology inside a car, which also needs to ensure physical safety of its occupants.

As vehicle functionalities become more complex, the importance of High-Performance computing (HPC) devices, and software in managing the intricate architecture of modern vehicles becomes obvious. The hierarchical structure of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) managed by Zone Control Units (ZCUs) and
ultimately governed by HPCs, demonstrates the evolving nature of automotive electronics and the growing role of software in enabling advanced vehicle functionalities.

The content of software is increasing exponentially, and India is playing a key role. This is where our contribution with our Tech Centre located in Bengaluru, comes into play. It is one of the largest development centres globally for Continental, and our engineers have been working on several of the latest technology
applications.

The vision of vehicles as moving data centres highlights the anticipated transformation of cars into multifunctional platforms capable of performing tasks beyond traditional transportation. This evolution aligns with the broader concept of the ‘Connected’ car, where vehicles serve as hubs for data exchange,
entertainment, communication, and more.

What are the key challenges when it comes to serving the needs of the Indian market?

One of the major market-specific challenges pertaining to India is how to offer OEMs of budget/entry-level cars premium car features at affordable prices, as the car market continuously evolves in the country. There are technologies, which are evolutionary in nature and then there are technologies which are disruptive in
nature, which is also a big challenge for us.

The Indian consumers are also getting more educated about the products and industry, and at the same time, they have come to demand more for their money. There are a lot of expectations from customers who are evolving. While earlier, vehicles were considered as modes of transportation, now, consumers look at
vehicles as their third extended living group. So, OEMs have started incorporating advanced safety technologies, which, owing to the regulatory push, have seen a good uptake in the last four to five years.

We are localising our products and our R&D team is looking at multiple ways to make our solutions tailored to the market. Sometimes it is challenging, as the Indian conditions are unique and quite difficult.

What roadmap does Continental have when it comes to offering automotive safety solutions?

Continental has been promoting the Vision Zero as a mission statement, as automotive safety has become one of the major focus areas for OEMs around the world. Zero fatalities, zero injuries, zero accidents and offering products aligned towards meeting these objectives come under our global Vision Zero roadmap.
The integration of advanced technologies like AI, facial recognition, and over-the-air (OTA) updates in Continental's products underscores the industry's shift towards enhancing vehicle safety, convenience, and connectivity. The development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) like Autonomous Valet Parking
(AVP), blind spot detection, and adaptive cruise control further reinforces the drive towards safer and more autonomous driving experiences.

Regarding ADAS, while various stages of autonomous driving technologies are available and L4 represents the top-end for now. Globally, Continental has successfully reached this stage of autonomous driving technology application for trucks, using an array of cameras, LIDAR, and radar sensors for activating systems like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and blind spot detection. The market for automated driving is growing substantially and long-distance commercial vehicles offer a tremendous opportunity for the technology’s application to enhance safety in these vehicles.

Six Unique Tech Applications 

The various business or technology entities under Continental Group offer an array of products and services that are future ready.

Automated Valet Parking (AVP)
Imagine someone taking out the hassle of parking a car for you, especially in car parks. Many countries are opting for future tech ready solutions for car parking infrastructure and Continental has developed the technologies that can enable the purpose.

Facial recognition systems
The car of the future will recognise its owner through facial recognition technologies. Over a thousand sensors map the facial data of the authorised individual accurately and can also detect the level of alertness and promptly
send out a visual alert or alarm. The technology is smart enough not to be fooled by an image of the driver or a dummy/replica head of the user. Facial data collected is not stored anywhere as per legislation, says the company.

L4 Autonomous driving systems
Various stages of autonomous driving technologies are available and L4 represents the top-end for now. Continental says it has successfully reached this stage of application for trucks using an array of cameras, LIDAR and Radar systems for adaptive cruise control, emergency braking and blind spot assist.

Tyre retread services for trucks
Spotting a profitable business opportunity for Continental Tires, this service is mainly aimed at fleet operators to help operating efficiencies and profit margins by ensuring end to end solutions.

Actuator-based dry brake systems
Simplifying braking systems for ICE and EVs with a standalone actuator-based dry brake system is the latest in product development. The new system is a combination of mechatronics and can also be used with brake-by-wire
systems or in conjunction with the conventional hydraulic servo-assisted braking set-ups. The new unit is compact and is suitable for EVs where space management is a tough proposition for engineers.

Pillar to pillar HUD displays
Drivers in the future need not get distracted, as they will be able to get all the information on the HUD systems. HUD is not a new concept as the idea was borrowed from aviation in the 70s. With the latest technologies on-board,
Continental has been able to widen the scope of the displays.