Continental Receives the Sustainability Prize Awarded by the Wirtschaftsclub Rhein-Main

At the German Business Innovation Prize award ceremony, Continental, the international automotive supplier, was presented with the sustainability prize awarded by the Wirtschaftsclub Rhein-Main in recognition of all the contributions made and prizes received by Continental over the last 30 years.

I am absolutely delighted about this award because, for years, our innovations have helped to make road traffic even safer, more environmentally friendly and more comfortable, said Dr. Ralf Cramer, president of the Chassis & Safety Division board and member of Continental AG's Executive Board. Advanced driver assistance systems are among the key technologies if our vision of accident-free driving is ever to become reality, Cramer added.

Advanced driver assistance systems reduce the risk of accidents
One of Continental's most important innovations over the last 30 years has been the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) radar sensor. The first time this sensor was made available as standard on the German market was in the Mercedes S-Class ACC system in 1999. At that time, these systems were introduced in order to improve driver comfort. In recent years, the technology has continuously undergone further development in order to pave the way for the next stage of driving safety. The characteristic feature of the latest radar generation is that, in contrast to earlier sensors, it detects not just moving but also stationary obstacles in the road, such as the tail end of a traffic jam. If linked to a specifically-tailored logic system, it is now even possible for it to independently initiate an emergency braking. This means that there is no need for an additional camera to carry out a plausibility check of the decision – a decisive cost benefit in anticipation of the system penetrating the market as a standard feature. With this innovative technology, Continental is contributing yet again to making our roads safer.

Innovation prize awarded for the 30th time
Dr. Ralf Cramer accepted the sustainability prize on February 19, 2011 awarded by Prof. Dr. Heinz Riesenhuber, former Federal Secretary of Research, at this celebration of German commercial achievements. More than 2,000 guests attended the function, including its patron Dr. Annette Schavan, the Federal German Minister for Education and Research. Every year, the German Business Innovation Prize honors outstanding technical, scientific and intellectual achievements. This year, more than 320 firms had submitted entries for this highly-regarded prize.