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On display at the 2-Wheeler TechDrive were Continental’s ABS, TCS, ARAS and other safety systems

 
We don’t get to appreciate the safety net of our vehicles too often, which is actually a great thing,&nbsp;but once in a while&nbsp;it is reassuring to know that the technology that is meant to clean up after you&nbsp;actually works. To get a first-hand experience of just such safety tech, we attended Continental’s 2-Wheeler TechDrive event.

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Traction Control System&nbsp;

The first tech we tried out was the TCS. This was on-display on a powerful maxi scooter which we got to ride on a wet ceramic tiled patch which is an incredibly slippery surface. First we tried the patch with the TC switched on and then with it switched off and the difference was remarkable.

<img alt="Continental 2 Wheeler TechDrive TCS" height="720" src="/uploads/2022/04/Continental-2-Wheeler-TechDrive-TCS.jpg" width="1280" />

Not only was the scooter almost unrideable without traction control, it was even hard to get going from a standstill because the rear wheel would just spin away on the spot! With traction control on, even aggressive throttle inputs didn’t unsettle it, and the system wasn’t choppy with its intrusions, resulting in smooth progress.

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Anti-lock Braking System

On the same wet patch, we tried out Continental’s two-channel ABS system and how it works with different riding modes. In standard road mode, on the scrambler-style motorcycle we were riding, the brake application was smooth. During panic braking, while the lever gave strong feedback, the bike remained fairly stable and was brought to a halt without much fuss.

In rain mode, the bike actually took longer to stop but was much more stable and would be ideal in very slippery conditions, like the one we were riding on.

<img alt="Continental 2 Wheeler TechDrive Cornering ABS" height="720" src="/uploads/2022/04/Continental-2-Wheeler-TechDrive-cornering-ABS.jpg" width="1280" />

At a different test track, we got to try the IMU-based cornering ABS as well. This system uses a six-axis IMU to allow the rider to safely use the brakes while leaning into the corner, without unsettling the bike. In fact, the harder you brake, the quicker the system lifts the bike back up from the lean to ensure a quicker, safer stop.

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ARAS (Advanced Rider Assistance Systems)&nbsp;

The ARAS tech on demo utilised a long range radar on the front of the motorcycle and a short range radar with a wide field of view mounted at the rear. These radars enabled a blind-spot monitor which lit up a strip of LEDs on the side-view mirror when a vehicle was in the blind spot.

<img alt="Continental 2 Wheeler TechDrive ARAS" height="720" src="/uploads/2022/04/Continental-2-Wheeler-TechDrive-ARAS.jpg" width="1280" />

There is also a lane-change assist which works in a similar fashion, warning the rider of traffic from behind in highway situations. There is also a forward collision warning, which flashes LEDs at the rider when a frontal impact is imminent.

The most interesting of these was the rear-collision warning. The rear-mounted radar can sense if a vehicle is about to rear-end the motorcycle and will flash a warning for the vehicle behind to alert them. In the demo, this was done using a strip of red LEDs above the number plate holder.

<img alt="Continental 2 Wheeler TechDrive Radar" height="720" src="/uploads/2022/04/Continental-2-Wheeler-TechDrive-radar.jpg" width="1280" />

Continental also showcased a TPMS which uses purely software to use the pre-existing hardware on motorcycles to warn the rider of low pressure. The system is fairly basic and can’t show exact pressures or which tyre is running low, but it is still a useful feature to have.

All the technologies on display are either currently in production on a two-wheeler somewhere in the world, or are being constantly developed for production use. While none of these are particularly new, it is cool to see safety tech in action in controlled, but extreme scenarios.

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Experiencing safety technologies at Continental’s 2-Wheeler TechDrive

Continental is developing cutting-edge safety systems for two-wheeler OEMs right here in India! We got to experience the company's ABS, TCS, OCB and ARAS technologies in a controlled environment to find out just how well they work.

Continental's 3D instrument cluster will make its debut on the higher-spec variants of the Genesis GV80.

Continental has developed the world's first production-ready 3D digital instrument cluster&nbsp;which is set to make its commercial debut on the Genesis GV80, the brand's first-ever SUV model. What makes the instrument cluster all the more unique is that it uses autostereoscopic 3D technology - more commonly referred to as 'glass-less 3D technology'. Thanks to this method, no additional headgear/glasses are required, on part of the viewer, to see the 3D images.&nbsp;Continental has achieved this by using parallax barriers – slanted slats that divide the image for the viewer – as if looking at real objects. Thus, two different, slightly offset views reach the right and left eye of the driver, resulting in a 3D image.

<img alt="Genesis GV80" src="/uploads/2020/03/Genesis-GV80-2021-1024-02.jpg" style="width: 642px; height: 336px;" />

<div class="img-caption">Genesis GV80</div>

Further, the display works in tandem with an interior camera - it constantly monitors the driver's precise head position and adjusts the 3D&nbsp;image projection on his/her&nbsp;ideal line of sight. The camera also houses an 'attention detection' feature to make sure that the driver does not spend too much time focussing on the display.

Another highlight of Continental's achievement&nbsp;is the 'Cross-Domain Hub' concept, which essentially integrates all the screens present on the vehicle's centre console or dashboard into a single unit controlled by a supercomputer. Therefore, a driver will be able to distribute content across multiple displays (by means like gesture control),&nbsp;drag&nbsp;navigation maps from the front passenger’s display onto their own screen, etc.

Read more:

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/industry-news/continental-showcases-48v-full-hybrid-technology-106217/">Continental showcases 48V full-hybrid technology</a>

<a href="https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/2021-genesis-g8-revealed-107416/">2021 Genesis G80 revealed</a>

Continental develops world's first 3D digital instrument cluster

Continental has developed the world's first production-ready 3D digital instrument cluster which is set to make its commercial debut on the Genesis GV80, the brand's first-ever SUV model. What makes the instrument cluster all the more unique is that it uses autostereoscopic 3D technology.

Continental's low voltage, high-performance '48V High-Power Technology' paves the way for 48V full-hybrid vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Continental claims it has achieved something which was 'impossible' until&nbsp;now, with its latest innovation of&nbsp;the 48-volt electrification&nbsp;technology. While 48V systems are referred to as 'mild' hybrids, due to the fact that they can't support an electric-only drive, they are mainly used to support the ICE in order to reduce fuel consumption&nbsp;by providing a boost during acceleration and&nbsp;recovery of excess kinetic energy during deceleration.

Termed as the '48-Volt High-Power Technology', Continental has developed a full-hybrid powertrain using this tech which offers more power &amp; efficiency at a lower voltage supply. For a hybrid vehicle to drive using just electricity, the electric motor requires&nbsp;high-voltage technology, which can produce up to 800 volts. However, the new High-Power solution from Continental is able to offer similar features of a high-voltage electric drive, but without the actual &amp; complex high-voltage system.

The gains? Well, Continental claims that the new technology can reduce fuel consumption &amp; CO2 emissions by up to 20 per cent (when compared to the ICE counterparts) and is also cheaper to produce than the conventional high-voltage systems currently in use. This will also help in bringing down&nbsp;the overall production costs of hybrid vehicles. Also, the electric motor is&nbsp;no longer placed in front of the combustion engine on the crankshaft. Instead, it is placed behind it, between the combustion engine and transmission. This has also led to a significant reduction in losses incurred by&nbsp;the electric drive system during kinetic energy recovery.

<img alt="Continental 48 Volt High Power Electric Motor" height="336" src="/uploads/2019/07/pp-continental-48-volt-high-power-product-1-data.jpg" width="642" />

The 48-volt high-power system consists of a new, water-cooled electric motor which features a peak power output of 30 kW (40bhp). Due to the doubling of the output, the system can offer speeds of up to 90km/h in electric-only mode. Further, as the new motor carries over the dimensions of the previous design, there is no need to redesign surrounding components.

Continental will be showcasing this new 48V High-Power Technology at the upcoming IAA 2019 in Germany, fitted to a Ford Focus test vehicle.

Read more:

<a href="https://www.autox.com/interviews/interview-with-krishan-kohli-head-of-business-unit-vehicle-dynamics-continental-automotive-india-104668/">Interview with Krishan Kohli, Head of Business Unit Vehicle Dynamics, Continental Automotive India</a>

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Continental showcases 48V full-hybrid technology

Continental claims it has achieved something which was 'impossible' until now, with its latest innovation of the 48-volt electrification technology. Termed as the '48-Volt High-Power Technology', Continental has developed a full-hybrid powertrain which offers more power & efficiency at lower voltage

Continental

Experiencing safety technologies at Continental’s 2-Wheeler TechDrive

Continental develops world's first 3D digital instrument cluster

Continental showcases 48V full-hybrid technology

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