Continental at the MWC 2019: Putting People at the Heart of Intelligent Mobility

• Intelligent antenna module 2.0: maximum data rates and ranges for all wireless services
• In-vehicle server: high-performance computer as the cornerstone of modern E/E architectures
• Elektrobit: platform combines useful driving information with infotainment applications
• Smart cities: innovations for smarter and safer cities​​​​​​​

Barcelona, 18. February 2019. Mobility and connectivity bring people closer together and help make the world that little bit smaller. Continental is aiming to make our living space safe, intelligent and comfortable. At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona, the technology company will unveil the solutions it intends to deploy to achieve this goal.

“Intelligent connectivity is not only the motto for this year’s MWC, but also our solution for making the mobility of tomorrow safe, comfortable and intelligent,” said Helmut Matschi, Continental AG Executive Board member and head of the Interior division. “We are putting people at the heart of intelligent mobility. In Barcelona, our solutions from the fields of vehicle connectivity, software, high-performance computing and smart cities will all focus on the user benefits.”

With the new generation of intelligent antenna modules, Continental is using a special connectivity solution to replace the array of individual antennas currently scattered around vehicles, combining them with the required electronics in a single hardware module. At the MWC 2019, the company will present the latest generation of the module. This features an ultra-flat design thanks to the new space-saving concept, with the antenna structure integrated in the module’s printed circuit board. This optimizes usage of the installation space because the kind of antennas that were previously essential such as fin-shaped antennas on the vehicle roof are no longer necessary. The development also offers impressive performance: It is 5G-ready and features 4x4 multiple-input multiple-output technology, enabling data to be transferred simultaneously over multiple transmitter and receiver channels. This means that the intelligent antenna module can already deliver maximum data rates and ranges for all wireless services. With its recent successful acquisition of antenna specialist Kathrein Automotive, Continental is also expanding its expertise in the field of vehicle connectivity.

The global trends in the automotive industry require new approaches to the vehicle architecture. This is why Continental developed the in-vehicle server to act as the cornerstone of modern E/E architectures. This high-performance computer contains application software for a range of predefined functions and serves as a platform for third-party software and services. As a communication interface, and in combination with the intelligent antenna module, the in-vehicle server also acts as a network manager, is a central architectural element for wireless software updates and remote maintenance and a key element for vehicle cyber security. Elektrobit’s software management expertise and PlaxidityX (formerly Argus Cyber Security Ltd.) cyber security solutions form the key pillars of this technology.

With its vehicle software solutions, Elektrobit is shaping the Internet of Everything and creating a new user experience in the process. At the MWC, the Continental subsidiary will present a cockpit software platform – a controller solution that combines useful driving information with infotainment applications. This ensures that the various elements of the human-machine interface and the multimedia content are coordinated. This solution is perfect above all for car-sharing and multi-user management, in which users can customize interfaces and personalize their driving experience as they wish.

Over-the-air software updates ensure that applications are always up to date and have the highest level of system security. With EB cadian Sync, Elektrobit will demonstrate how to carry out a firmware update for multiple integrated, conventional and high-performance control units.

In the future, digitalization will transform our cities into intelligent mobile ecosystems. To actively shape this transformation, Continental is integrating its automotive expertise in the infrastructure of tomorrow – for example with its intelligent street lamp concept comprising secure connectivity and sensor technology. As a valuable source of data, the intelligent street lamp also supports the development of smart cities.