Jan 29, 2014

  • Japanese car manufacturer to introduce innovation in 2015
  • Integration of sensors and electrical applications strengthens growth potential

Frankfurt, January 29, 2014. International automotive supplier Continental has integrated the cables for wheel speed sensors and the electric parking brake (EPB) into a single harness, making the company one of the first manufacturers to offer such a combination of components. "Combining wheel speed sensors with the EPB cable results in lower development-, product- and assembly costs compared to individual components. We are offering carmakers a high-quality, robust and cost optimized solution. This is the way the market is going", said Thomas Jauch, Head of the Speed Sensors segment in the Passive Safety & Sensorics business unit of Continental's Chassis & Safety Division. The integrated wheel speed sensor with EPB cable is one of the world's first and is suitable for any class of car. The first serial production project based on this new concept will launch with a Japanese car manufacturer in 2015.

Electric parking brake making strides worldwide

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One clear trend in the automotive industry is the electrification of the engines (hybrids and electric vehicles), as well as electrification of driver assistance, chassis and safety systems. The electric parking brake is one of those systems. The EPB is rapidly making inroads in every category of car and is becoming more and more the standard in the market. The advantage of electric parking brakes is that they perform various assistance functions in conjunction with electronic brake systems to add safety and comfort. Moreover, they operate at the press of a button. There is an emergency-brake function for the unlikely event that the service brake should fail. Manufacturers also enjoy greater flexibility in designing interiors because there is no more hand-brake lever to protrude into the passenger compartment. Numerous international car manufacturers have been pushing on this development and are now expecting their suppliers to integrate the EPB into their overall braking system. The next step will be integration of a common harness for EPB and wheel speed sensors in the rear axle.

In the Speed Sensors segment in the Passive Safety & Sensorics business unit a market-ready solution was developed proactively for which Continental received an order afterwards. Less connector and fixing interfaces translate into easier assembly in the vehicle production line. The cable, moreover, is highly durable and highly resistant to bending. Full integration of wheel speed sensor functions is also possible. This applies to such standard functions as speed measurement, as well as to such high-end functions as capturing a change in direction of travel or indirect Tire-Pressure Monitoring Systems (iTPMS). The Electronic Brake System (EBS), Traction Control System (TCS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) calculate the rotational speed of all four wheels based on the signals received from the wheel speed sensors. This enables the systems to determine when the wheels are spinning, taking appropriate control action to maintain the vehicle's stability and proper steering responses.

"The integrated wheel speed sensor with EPB cable underlines our functional integration approach. Integration of various functions into the same hardware components or corresponding partitioning from a single source helps to secure the future of our business," said Dr. Bernhard Klumpp, Executive Vice President of the Passive Safety & Sensorics Business Unit. "With our know-how in passive safety and sensorics, brake systems, and our integrated ContiGuard safety concept, we will be able to offer our customers a total package that covers every component of driving safety."

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