Continental Earns FCA Supplier of the Year Award for Leading Innovation

• Continental’s Short Range Radar with Trailer Merge Assist and Trailer Length Detection secured winning spot in the innovation category
• Award recipients were determined based on supplier scorecard performance, extraordinary partnership, collaboration, transparency and integrity

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan, July 25, 2019— Technology company Continental has been recognized as FCA Supplier of the Year in the Innovation category for its Short Range Radar with Trailer Merge Assist and Trailer Length Detection. Through the extensive selection process to determine Supplier of the Year winners, FCA works to recognize companies that create innovative products that provide superior quality and services to customers. 

“FCA is in the midst of transformational changes and these suppliers are helping enable a stronger future for all of us,” said Scott Thiele, Head of Purchasing and Supply Chain at FCA - North America. “It is an honor to recognize their contributions and dedication, as they represent the best in the industry.”

Continental’s Short Range Radar with Trailer Merge Assist and Trailer Length Detection technology is a sensor mounted in the rear/side area of the vehicle. The state-of-the-art radar uses Continental’s exclusive environmental model allowing for enhanced and extended blind spot detection through sophisticated object tracking, measurement and length detection algorithms. This enables many high-performance functions like Trailer Merge Assist and Trailer Length Detection. This advanced safety technology was first introduced to the market on the 2018 Ram 1500.

“Helping our customers to make driving safer by developing new, innovative and scalable sensors and systems is a top priority at Continental,” said Amit Kapoor, Head of Continental’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems business unit in North America. “Continental is honored to be recognized for our commitment to innovation and the development of technologies to increase safety and help us meet our vision of zero crashes.” 

Award recipients were determined based on an evaluation of each company’s supplier scorecard performance in 2018 – a rating system that evaluates supplier performance in quality, delivery, cost and warranty – and input from FCA senior leadership. Foundational Principles winners represent those companies who have demonstrated extraordinary partnership, collaboration, transparency and integrity. Winners for innovation, sustainability and diversity categories were submitted by the suppliers and vetted by FCA senior leadership.

The Trailer Merge Assist technology was also recently awarded and recognized as a CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Vehicle Intelligence category and was named a 2019 Automotive News PACE Awards finalist. 

About Continental

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2018, Continental generated sales of €44.4 billion and currently employs around 245,000 people in 60 countries and markets.