-- Continental's eHorizon control unit concept shares navigation data with
chassis, powertrain and other systems for improved drivability, fuel
economy and safety
-- Volume production planned for 2012
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial and passenger
vehicle safety, drivability and fuel economy all can be improved
simultaneously using Continental AG's new eHorizon control unit concept,
which will be featured at Convergence 2008, the automotive electronics
conference taking place in Detroit, Oct. 20-22.
In an eHorizon-equipped vehicle, data about road features such as
topography and curvature, as well as the vehicle's location, speed and
other information, are collected and continuously fed to the control units
of individual vehicle systems, such as powertrain and safety systems.
"When you know a stretch of road like the back of your hand, you drive
more intuitively and efficiently because you know every hill and curve,"
said Dr. Ruf, head of Continental's Multimedia Business Unit. "Armed with
GPS and extensive map and road data, Continental's eHorizon knows roads
equally well, and it helps coordinate and tailor the response of individual
vehicle systems for optimum performance, improved safety and better fuel
economy."
For example, automatic transmission shift strategies can be optimized
when driving on curving or hilly roads, adaptive headlamps can begin to
adjust even before the steering wheel is turned and adaptive cruise control
systems can respond to factors such as speed limits and road type.
In addition, powertrain control strategies for both conventional and
hybrid systems can be optimized based on the road ahead to improve fuel
economy.
Some of the basic functionality of eHorizon is already being used to
improve the performance of the Adaptive Cruise Control system in an OEM
product.
Modular Design, Standard Protocols
The eHorizon concept from Continental is modular in design and easily
adapted for a wide range of vehicle applications. Continental also offers a
complete eHorizon development package, which will allow customers to test
new functions early in the product development process.
In a basic version of eHorizon, a control unit is integrated in the
vehicle to precisely calculate its position with the help of GPS, a
gyroscope and wheel-speed information. Alternatively, eHorizon can use data
captured by navigation systems or the Continental Multi Media Platform
(MMP) an upgradeable system that includes a car radio, CD/DVD player and
navigation system, and the ability to wirelessly connect mobile phones and
audio players.
The map data is transmitted in a standardized data format to the other
control devices via the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, a data bus with
a data transfer rate of up to one megabit per second. The individual
control units then recreate the virtual road image with the help of an
integrated program referred to as the "Reconstructor." The underlying data
protocol is in line with the Advanced Driver Assistant Systems Interface
Specifications (ADASIS) standard and can be adapted individually to the
vehicle manufacturer.
Each time the data package is refreshed, the oldest data package is
deleted from the control unit's memory. This effective memory management
reduces the system requirements when implementing new functions. If
Continental's MMP with integrated navigation system is installed in the
vehicle, the system then prepares the data and provides it via the CAN bus.
The eHorizon concept was first shown at the IAA Commercial Vehicles
2008 show in Hanover, Germany in September.
The Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers
worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for the
powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle
electronics, tires and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes
toward enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate.
Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile
communication. Today, the corporation employs approximately 150,000 people
at nearly 200 locations in 36 countries.
Supplying OEMs and the aftermarket worldwide, the Interior Division of
Continental AG develops and produces electronic systems that allow the
information in a vehicle to be controlled and communicated according to the
requirements of the driver and the driving situation. The division achieves
annual sales of more than euro 6 billion (based on 2006 figures) with a
workforce of more than 33,000 employees currently. The range of products
includes instruments clusters and multifunctional displays, control units,
electronic car entry systems, tire information systems, climate control
systems, radios, multimedia and navigation systems, telematics solutions as
well as cockpit modules and systems. The interior division develops vehicle
electronics enabling car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communication,
Internet access and the seamless integration of mobile devices (car-to-
device). The focus on systems integration offers customers less complexity
and ensures efficient and cost-effective solutions for the management of
information in passenger cars as well as commercial and special vehicles.
Online media databases: http://www.continental-corporation.com
SOURCE Continental
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CONTACT:
Sue Frederick, Communications Manager of
Continental, +1-248-790-7277,
sue.frederick@continental-corporation.com
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