CONTINENTAL WINS BMW GROUP SUPPLIER INNOVATION AWARD FOR COSMA UWB DIGITAL VEHICLE ACCESS SOLUTION
>> CoSmA UWB is the first smartphone-based system to enable hands-free vehicle access with ultra-wideband (UWB) technology
>> Functions such as digital key sharing and theft protection through highly accurate localization make car use more convenient and secure
>> Continental's CoSmA transceiver is used for access system in BMW iX
Regensburg, Germany. Continental has reason to celebrate at this year's BMW Supplier Innovation Awards: The technology company won in the digitalization category with its CoSmA UWB vehicle access solution. Following the award at the PACE Awards, this is the second honor bestowed on the innovative digital access solution. CoSmA UWB is the first system to use ultra-wideband radio to offer drivers completely new functions related to vehicle access via smartphone. Continental's CoSmA transceiver is already in use in the BMW iX and provides drivers with a digital user experience even before they get into the vehicle.
"We are delighted that our access solution has won the BMW Group Supplier Innovation Award. Our CoSmA transceiver makes digital vehicle access possible, combining the latest technology with convenience and security. With CoSmA UWB, our entire team has proven that we are the best partner when it comes to developing such solutions," says Jean-Francois Tarabbia, head of the Architecture & Networking business area at Continental.
With CoSmA UWB, the smartphone takes on a central role in the use of the vehicle. While the connection between smartphone and vehicle is established via Bluetooth Low Energy, ultra-wideband radio technology ensures precisely locate the smartphone. This opens up completely new possibilities: For example, the car unlocks itself when approached without the driver having to pick up the smartphone. Security against theft by intercepting the radio signal is also significantly increased based on the precise localization. In addition, digital keys can be shared with other people. This solution was brought into series production for the first time with the BMW iX.
Cross-industry development in the Car Connectivity Consortium
The collaboration between Continental as a supplier and BMW as a manufacturer on CoSmA UWB has already won the prestigious Automotive News PACE Innovation Partnership Award. Vehicle access via ultra-wideband wireless technology was developed as part of the cross-industry Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which brings together automakers such as BMW, smartphone manufacturers and technology companies such as Continental to improve communication and integration between smartphones and vehicles.
ADDED VALUE USER EXPERIENCE: CONTINENTAL RECEIVES MAJOR ORDERS FOR MORE THAN €2 BILLION
Babenhausen, Germany. The success of Continental’s User Experience products continues: The technology company has won additional major orders worth more than €2 billion from global vehicle manufacturers for its pillar-to-pillar display and for OLED displays. This brings the awarded lifetime sales for Continental display solutions with SOP after 2022 to over €7 billion.
First introduced last year, this further development of the pillar-to-pillar display blends seamlessly into the cockpit across the entire width of the vehicle and uses a continuous display surface instead of individual screens. Drivers and passengers can operate the display intuitively, immersing themselves in an impressive user experience. This is supported by the so-called matrix backlight with local dimming – a technology that can control each LED individually, making it brighter or darker as needed. This results in high contrast as well as excellent optical image quality. As the central visual interface, the pillar-to-pillar display brings the digital driving experience to the driver and passenger, underscoring the importance of display size as a unique selling point for car brands and models, which was also identified as an important factor by drivers in the Continental mobility study issued earlier this year. With the OLED display, Continental is also bringing a multi-display solution to a global production vehicle which, thanks to its self-illuminating capabilities, does not require backlighting like conventional LC displays (Liquid Crystal), resulting in extremely lightweight and slim units and significantly greater design freedom due to compact dimensions.
"The user experience adds value. We are providing impressive proof of this with the new orders for our display solutions. They are among the new driving forces for the mobility of the future. Customers are looking for experiences that are user-friendly and offer them positive entertainment," said Philipp von Hirschheydt, Head of User Experience Business Area at Continental. "We are therefore consistently pushing the envelope with the further development of relevant solutions. We already supply some 30 million user experience products, such as displays, each year and are responsible for equipping more than one in three cars worldwide."
High-tech mega factories take production of modern display solutions to a new level
Demand for integrated display solutions is growing enormously. At the same time, large screen technologies such as the pillar-to-pillar display require significantly larger and highly innovative high-tech production facilities. For example, the pillar-to-pillar display is around five times larger than a conventional digital instrument cluster. For this reason, Continental is pushing ahead with a paradigm shift in its production activities, bundling its production capacities for display solutions in selected mega factories. The bundling of production capacities and a focus on standardization, automation and digitization will create economic and technological synergies that will enable Continental to generate higher sales and further increase economies of scale.
"We are taking our comprehensive manufacturing expertise in the production of complex products to a new level thanks to our mega factory strategy. We are prepared for further growth and new orders, because the complex production of large display solutions in particular is gaining in speed thanks to our new approach to production," von Hirschheydt said.
"SMART TIRES" WHITE PAPER PROVIDES VALUABLE REFERENCE ON DIGITAL SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS
Hanover. Energy costs are currently soaring to dizzying heights and supply chains have ground to a halt, creating a challenging market environment in which haulage and logistics companies must go about their daily business. However, digitalization and automation are helping to ensure their fleets are efficient, safe and sustainable. The "Smart Tires" White Paper explores the topic of digital solutions from various perspectives and provides an overview of trends and developments in the logistics sector. It invites users, experts and academics to have their say under the keywords "cost effectiveness", "predictive maintenance", "operational safety and sustainability" and "new forms of mobility". They report on the potential of digital solutions and the benefits of networked fleets and vehicles, and look ahead to new forms of mobility and autonomous driving. Thoroughly researched articles and accessible contributions – including interviews, statements, videos, podcasts and infographics – provide a concise overview and an informed introduction to the topic.
Potential of digitalization and networking of fleets
The "Smart Tires" White Paper gives customers in Germany and other countries with many years of experience using digital solutions a platform to bring their thoughts to the table. Sensor experts Niklas Vauth and Sven Wilhelmsen offer an insight into their work and explain where sensor technology is heading; the VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) addresses how vehicles are becoming communication hubs; the Würzburg-based Institute for Applied Logistics identifies concrete solutions for sustainable logistics; and car-sharing provider SHARE NOW Denmark outlines the potential of smart tires for new forms of mobility through the interplay of telematics data and algorithms.
Digital solutions is one of the most important topics in the logistics and transport industry. And the new White Paper (full title: "Smart Tires – Digital solutions for efficient and sustainable logistics", length: 27 pages) brings together valuable background information, photos, topic ideas and contact details with this in mind.
