At the Frankfurt IAA (Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung) International Motor Show, the international automotive supplier Continental and IBM, one of the world’s leading technology companies announced a collaboration agreement that will see the companies jointly develop fully-connected mobile vehicle solutions for car manufacturers around the world.
“We are strongly convinced: Step by step development of future mobility is highly complex and requires strong partnerships with global IT industry players. With IBM, we now have one of the world’s technology leaders at our side, and together we can deliver highly secure, robust fully connected vehicle solutions for all our customers worldwide,” stated Dr. Elmar Degenhart, Chairman of the Executive Board at Continental.
“IBM is an industry leader in Big Data and Cloud Computing. Further, it possesses the necessary deep analytics expertise to process and analyze vast quantities of data and make subsequent predictions at high frequency and velocity. IBM’s experience in cloud enabled platforms and embedded systems development capabilities, combined with our systems expertise in automotive electronics, create the foundation for a new generation of intelligent networked vehicles,” explained Degenhart.
Central to the agreement is development of a highly scalable cloud platform that will enable automotive manufacturers to deliver a range of new mobile in-car services. It will enable software updates and vehicle control device functionality to be delivered over the Internet, removing costly and inconvenient workshop visits. Giving automobile manufacturers the opportunity to offer their customers a vast array of new features, this solution may equally prove beneficial in other industries such as public transportation, insurance and retailing.
Dirk Wollschläger, General Manager Global Automotive Industry, IBM said: “Realisation of the fully connected vehicle requires technology expertise across Big Data, embedded intelligence and the ability to deliver services over a highly scalable cloud platform. As innovators in our respective fields, Continental and IBM will accelerate the convergence of automotive and IT industries, enabling car manufacturers to integrate multimedia mobile services personalised in-car experience, infotainment and traffic flow management to the realization of a truly connected car.”
“Today’s car owners are completely rethinking their mobility needs and expect their vehicles to deliver the same capabilities and conveniences as other smart devices. This means drivers are not only looking for quality, safe, reliable performance, but also see the motor car as a highly personalized extension of their daily and digitally connected lives” stated Wollschläger.
“In coming years, three strategic innovation forces will advance automotive industry megatrends apace: on the one hand vehicle automation, on the other hand reduced emission, fuel-efficient driving or, vehicle electrification and finally connectivity,” explained Degenhart. “The emerging digital world provides powerful stimulus to each of these megatrends. The vehicle will not just be connected to the Internet, it will become part of it. Networked, intelligent mobility opens up enormous potential for innovation and will enable several new functions for drivers. These include cloud-based voice recognition, real-time traffic flow data exchange and anticipatory driving based on online and navigation data. All in all, cars of the future will become even safer and more efficient.”
Anticipatory driving will be enhanced by Continental and IBM to develop a next generation ‘electronic horizon’ platform, which will ultimately make highly automated driving a reality. Vehicles with embedded sensors will not only receive data, they will also transmit information such as position, speed or deceleration to the Cloud where data will be processed, analyzed and acted upon. The result will be a real-time map that will enable a vehicle to literally ‘look around the corner’.
With sales of €32.7 billion in 2012, 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 to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently has approximately 175,000 employees in 46 countries.