Three Continental Innovations Selected as 2015 Automotive News PACE Award Finalists

Continental, a leading international automotive supplier, has three product innovations advancing as finalists in the 2015 Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers Contribution to Excellence) Award program. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Continental has had entries advance as finalists.

PACE Awards are recognized around the world as industry benchmarks for innovation. This year’s awards will be presented on April 20, 2015, at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. In 2014, Continental won a PACE Award for the Pressure sensor-based Pedestrian Protection System (PPS).

“Continental is proud to have three of our latest technologies selected as finalists for such a prestigious industry award,” said Samir Salman, CEO, Continental North America. “Our mission is to deliver innovative technologies that make driving safer, more comfortable and more efficient. It is, once again, an honor to be among this year’s finalists for game-changing technologies and design.”

Continental’s 2015 finalist innovations are:

    —  Turbocharger with Aluminum Turbine Housing – Continental has designed

        the world’s first turbocharger with water-cooled aluminum turbine

        housing for passenger car application. With its lightweight material,

        the turbine housing of the innovative turbocharger weighs nearly 30

        percent less than that of traditional turbochargers while providing

        system benefits at a reduced cost for OEMs.

    —  Bare Die High-Density-Interconnect (BD-HDI) Printed Circuit Board

        Substrate Technology for Transmission Electronics – The BD-HDI is a new

        substrate technology platform for transmission control units, which

        replaces previous ceramic solutions with significantly improved

        technical and cost performances. Continental’s BD-HDI is based on

        high-temperature resistant materials and a unique design solution that

        allows automotive manufacturers to achieve greater functionalities, as

        well as cost reductions, space savings, improved on-time delivery and

        greater design freedom.

    —  Multi-application Unified Sensor Element (MUSE) – Continental’s

        industry-first MUSE design integrates multiple sensor functionalities

        into one unified element. This enables one sensor to perform work

        equivalent to five different sensors using the same mechanical base. Due

        to the high level of design and manufacturing concept standardization,

        this technology greatly reduces the time and investment of development

        and validation testing. The MUSE innovation is targeted for active

        crankshaft position sensors, camshaft position sensors and transmission

        speed sensors.

For more than 20 years the Automotive News PACE Awards have honored superior innovation among automotive suppliers.

With sales of around EUR33.3 billion in 2013, Continental is one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers. As a provider 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 employs around 186,000 people in 49 countries.