Continental AG, the Germany-based parent of company Continental Tire the Americas LLC, announced it is putting together an international team of innovators from the IT and automotive industries who will focus on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
The new business unit, called Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems LLC, will be headquartered in Silicon Valley in California and headed by Seval Oz, an expert in vehicle networking and automation. In her previous role she worked on Google’s self-driving car project.
“This step is an excellent example of our strategy to make the car an integral part of the ‘Internet of Everything’. Our key objectives include eliminating road accidents, minimizing energy consumption, maximizing comfort and usability of vehicles, and enabling them to exchange information with each other in real-time,” said Dr. Elmar Degenhart, CEO of Continental.
“Our new team will be combining some of the key strengths required to create this kind of pioneering innovation -- these strengths include the know-how and inventiveness of Silicon Valley’s leading experts in digital technology and the expertise of Continental in developing unique and reliable solutions for large-scale automotive production.”
ITS is the extensive, intelligent networking of modes of transport and traffic facilities, through which vehicles will become part of a new traffic guidance system. The networked vehicle (NV) -- or connected car -- and ITS are seen as essential technology for future transportation, the company notes.
"ITS opens up many new business opportunities for Continental. Our new business unit will further enhance our competitiveness in this market," said Helmut Matschi, member of Continental’s executive board and president of the Interior Division.
"That's why we have chosen Silicon Valley as our new location. In addition to our existing competence, the Bay Area has the technology and talent for developing connected cars and ITS that we need to build solutions for more than just prototypes."
“I’m incredibly excited to lead Continental’s ITS team in the direction of developing world-class engineering services. Our mission is to dramatically improve mobility and safety by forging strong partnerships in both the tech and automotive realm,” Seval Oz said.
