Home Home | Picsquare | Your Account | Help | Contact Us
   

Continental’s affordable start-stop systems for ultra-compact cars

Bookmark and Share
With affordable components for start-stop systems Continental makes savings possible even in ultra-compact cars. Cars in the lower price segment are in particularly great demand in booming developing countries such as India or China. Here, the particular challenge is to achieve quick and efficient reductions in consumption and therefore also pollution emissions. It is Continental's strategy to play an important role in shaping these global megatrends of environmental and low-cost vehicles. Consequently, the Interior division of Continental has developed a new control unit for this purpose. The control unit makes it possible for vehicle manufacturers to offer even models in the ultra-compact category with an automatic start-stop system within very short development time. When the vehicle is at a standstill, for example in a traffic jam or at traffic lights, the engine is automatically switched off and then restarted within a few fractions of a second when the driver wants to move off again. As a result, Continental expects everyday fuel consumption in major cities to be reduced by as much as 15 percent.

The components for start-stop systems for vehicles in the lower price segment represents Continental's response to the efforts being made in many developing countries to combine mass mobility with the most frugal possible use of natural resources. It is not for nothing that new pollution emissions limits are being discussed in many of these countries. For example, India is currently considering whether to launch a special vehicle registration as a means of promoting sales of particularly low-consumption cars from 2011 onwards.

The heart of the components from Continental is the new engine start-stop (ESS) control unit which groups together all the relevant functions. It is based on the Basic Function Controller presented in May 2008, and makes it possible to switch off the engine automatically even in cars that do not have elaborate engine control units or data networks. To do this, all that is needed is the start-stop control unit itself, an intelligent battery sensor (IBS) as well as a signal from the clutch and gearbox to ensure that the engine is only switched off when idling and is restarted in just a few fractions of a second when the clutch pedal is pressed. For vehicles with convenience electronics that draw power, Continental also offers a DC/DC converter in order to balancing voltage dips from occurring when the engine is started: infotainment systems such as the radio, satellite navigation or instrumentation can therefore continue to operate without disruptions.

One particular advantage of the Continental solution is its short development time. All relevant functions are combined in a single control unit, so there is no need to modify the engine ECU or gearbox ECU. This reduces complexity and makes it possible to start series production sooner. The new control unit is going to enter series production in 2010 at its first Asian vehicle manufacturer. As well as the speed and flexibility of adaptation, Continental can provide the expertise for corresponding display systems, because of its position as a leading company in automotive instrumentation. Practical experience has shown that start-stop systems can achieve their full savings potential especially when the driver is informed quickly and clearly about the operating phases that are involved.

Despite the fact that the new ESS control unit can be adapted to different vehicle models at short notice, and has been designed above all for use in cars in the lower price segments, the driver will not notice any difference between it and comparable systems in higher category models: the levels of comfort, functional reliability and the potential for fuel savings are identical. Therefore, the engine start-stop control unit from Continental is not just for developing countries. After all, the new system from Continental can also be quickly and cost-effectively integrated into compact cars or low-cost, large volume models from vehicle manufacturers in Europe and the USA.

An automatic start-stop system offers vast savings potential. Using it, average consumption reductions of up to 10 percent have been measured in the various standard and test cycles used in Europe, the USA, China or India. Significantly greater consumption benefits can be achieved in everyday driving. After all, traffic jams and delays are part and parcel of urban life in continuously growing megacities such as Delhi, Shanghai or São Paulo.

With sales of approximately €20 billion in 2009 Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 138,000 in 46 countries.

The Automotive Group with its three divisions Chassis & Safety (sales of approximately €4.4 billion in 2009, 27,000 employees), Powertrain (sales of approximately €3.4 billion in 2009, 24,000 employees) and Interior (sales of approximately €4.4 billion in 2009, 27,000 employees) achieved sales of approximately €12 billion in 2009. The Automotive Group is present in more than 130 locations worldwide. As a partner of the automotive and commercial vehicle industry, it develops and produces innovative products and systems for a modern automotive future, in which cars provide individual mobility and driving pleasure consistent with driving safety, environmental responsibility and cost-efficiency.

The Chassis & Safety Division develops and produces electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis control systems, sensors, driver assistance systems, airbag electronics and -sensorics, washer systems and electronic air suspension systems. Its core competence is the integration of active and passive driving safety into ContiGuard®. The Powertrain Division integrates innovative and efficient system solutions for vehicle powertrains. The comprehensive range of products includes gasoline and diesel injection systems, engine management, transmission control, including sensors and actuators, as well as fuel-supply systems and components and systems for hybrid and electric drives. Information management is at the very heart of the Interior Division, which provides a range of products that includes instrument clusters and multifunctional displays, control units, electronic car-entry systems, tire-monitoring systems, radios, multimedia and navigation systems, climate control systems, telematics solutions and cockpit modules and systems.

Courtesy: Continental India


Related Books:
Mercedes-Benz India June sales up 94%
Ibibo.com inks deal with Maruti Suzuki
Audi India registers 71% sales growth in Q2
Toyota to Produce 'Etios' Engines, Transmissions in India

Related Books:
The Continental System; An Economic Interpretation
The New Forestry
The Continental Congress. .
Tags :
Add a comment RSS feed for responses to this blog entry
Posted by Naresh Koshti on 9 July, 2010 4:43:59 PM IST #