International
automotive component supplier Continental 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 will be called
‘Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems, LLC’, and will be
headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, USA. It will be headed by Seval
Oz, an expert in vehicle networking and automation. Oz, in her previous role
she worked on Google’s self-driving car project.
Dr.
Elmar Degenhart, CEO of Continental said
this step is an excellent example of the company’s strategy to make the car an
integral part of the ‘Internet of Everything’. “Our key objectives include
eliminating road accidents, minimising energy consumption, maximising comfort
and usability of vehicles, and enabling them to exchange information with each
other in real-time,” Degenhart said.
Three
out of every four cars around the world today contain Continental’s solutions,
products, and systems that make driving safer, more environmentally compatible
and more comfortable, according to a press release issued by Continental. 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.
Seval
Oz said that she was incredibly excited to lead Continental’s ITS team in the
direction of developing world-class engineering services. She said the
company’s mission is to dramatically improve mobility and safety by forging
strong partnerships in both the tech and automotive realm.