08 E-MOBILITY
The sixth generation radar sensors
Continental driving towards future mobility in ASEAN by expanding production, R&D Peter Rankl
The Continental group of companies has been one of the biggest and most innovative leaders in automotive technology for 150 years. The company has contributed to the development and growth of the industry. In the past decade, Continental has seen a drastic change in the trend towards digitalisation and autonomous mobility, and has concentrated more and more on digital integration to optimise safety and driving experience. With production sites in ASEAN since over 40 years, Continental has a long history in the region. With more than 9,000 employees in 10 locations, both for production and R&D, ASEAN is an integral part of Continental’s Asia region growth strategy. The company is producing products ranging from tyres to cockpit modules as well as the latest automotive electronics, including radar sensor s, in the ASEAN region. With the creation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Par tnership (RCEP) free trade agreement (FTA), the largest free trade zone in the world, Continental sees ASEAN as the
UPDATE 3/2021
perfect location to participate in the growth of the most dynamic market in the world. Radar sensors are one of Continental’s widely integrated innovations and have been a success story of the company for more than 20 years. The continuous development of new Sugar cane field Thailand. technologies to burning improvein the efficiency of its radar sensors to best serve the great demand in the industr y. The sixth generation of long-range radar and surround radar sensors was recently introduced, and although production is scheduled to star t in 2023 customer orders have already been received. Both types of radar sensors share a software and hardware platform, thereby reducing complexity and costs. The sensors can also be used to cover the requirements of the General Safety Regulation (GSR). Moreover, they also support a range of vehicle architecture and types through their availability as smart radar, with data processing in the sensor and as satellite radar in a central control unit. In addition to the development of long-range radar with a range of around 250 metres,
design also focuses on 360-degree environmental detection. With a range of around 200 metres, the future surround radar sensors have significantly greater range than the previous short-range radar sensors, thereby laying the foundation for excellent results in future New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) assessments of assistance systems. Thanks to greater responsiveness, surround radars detect objects such as crossing vehicles, motorcycles and cyclists faster and more precisely, even when located in particularly difficult installation positions in the vehicle. Especially in the case of the sides of a vehicle, surround radar has features that make both advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving more powerful. “For many years, Continental has been producing radar sensors at its Calamba site in the Philippines, and it already has plans in place to further extend its activities in ASEAN with the latest technologies to support future mobility. Furthermore, radar sensors will be vital to the ASEAN market, where motorcycles
