Continental Products Used Extensively in the New Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Camera-based Adaptive Highbeam Assist, engine management with integrated stop-start function, multi-contour active seat control: Every division of this international automotive supplier is involved in the new Mercedes E-Class

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 22 -- Continental, the international automotive supplier, is contributing a variety of innovations, components and systems to the new Mercedes E-Class generation. The company's contribution includes extensive involvement in airbag, brake and chassis components, plus Adaptive Highbeam Assist (optional), controlled by a camera developed by Continental. A new engine electronics system, which also incorporates the Mercedes-Benz ECO stop-start function (fitted as standard in the manual transmission E 200 CGI Blue EFFICIENCY), plays a significant part in lowering the fuel consumption of the Mercedes E-Class engines; it also ensures that the turbocharger responds sooner, resulting in smooth power output from the engine. In the drive train, the fully integrated transmission control combined with the automatic transmission's electromechanical gearshift mechanism (fitted as standard on some models) helps to deliver comfort and consumption improvements. One of Continental's products which every E-Class driver has his eyes on is the central monitor and instrument cluster. The high standard of seating comfort in the E-Class is due to electronic control of the active multi-contour seat (optional). "Purchasers of upper medium-size category vehicles in particular demand high standards," stresses Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Chief Executive Officer of Continental AG and head of the Automotive Group. "Customers expect excellent ride comfort, powerful yet significantly more economical engines and safety and assistance systems which make driving both safer and more pleasant. The components developed by Continental provide our customers - the vehicle manufacturers - with the opportunity of satisfying these demands."

Adaptive Highbeam Assist constantly ensures the optimum illumination range

Now installed in a series production model for the first time, Adaptive Highbeam Assist uses a camera developed by Continental to detect an oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane or another vehicle in front and automatically adjusts the headlamp range to the appropriate distance - in contrast to traditional systems which only switch between dipped and main beam. This allows the range of the dipped beam to be increased from around 65 to approaching 300 meters without dazzling other drivers. Consequently, the driver always benefits from the optimum illumination range, providing earlier and better recognition of the road ahead, pedestrians and danger spots. As an additional function, the same camera can recognize speed limits. It alerts the driver to the current speed limit by interpreting both road signs and electronically variable signs and compares the data from the display with information from the navigation system (optional "Speed Limit Assist"). The camera also looks for road edge markings and issues a warning if the vehicle threatens to leave the correct lane unintentionally (optional "lane tracking package"). Continental's latest radar sensor monitors the road up to 200m ahead of the vehicle. Together with the advanced driver assistance systems' electronic control unit, specially developed for amalgamating the driver assistance sensors, the interconnected network of sensors, combined with Brake Assist PLUS, assists the driver during emergency braking and can significantly reduce the severity of an accident (optional "driving assistance package"). The Division also supplies the brake booster units and the rear axle brake calipers, the air suspension control unit, the acceleration sensors for the chassis and the pump for the windshield cleaning system. Continental also supplies a considerable proportion of the passive safety systems, with not only the airbag controls and the airbag satellites for driver and front passenger plus the sidebags being furnished by the Chassis & Safety Division, but also the sensors for rapid and precise detection of the severity of the accident and the optimum moment for airbag ignition.

New engine management for better ride comfort and lower consumption

From fuel supply, via injection and combustion, to exhaust gas treatment, Powertrain Division technology is involved in every phase of the drive system. It also supplies the vital element, the engine management system, offering a variety of new functions and now incorporating the Mercedes-Benz ECO stop-start function (fitted as standard in the manual transmission E 200 CGI Blue EFFICIENCY) which automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary, thus reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The so-called scavenging function "flushes out" the engine with air, causing the turbocharger to respond sooner and preventing turbo lag at low engine speeds, and significantly enhancing ride comfort. The package also includes the injection valve, which allows wide volume dispersion of the fuel injected into the combustion chamber, and the high-pressure pump which generates an injection pressure of up to 140 bar. This maintains pressure even during the engine's stop-start pauses. This means that fuel can be injected at high pressure when starting the engine, resulting in improved emission levels. This technology is installed in the 180 CGI, 200 CGI and 250 CGI engine variants with power outputs of between 115 and 150kW and which produce torque values of up to 310 Nm, impressive figures for gasoline engines. Continental Powertrain also supplies the complete fuel supply line with its fully abrasion-resistant fuel level sensor, the electromechanical (shift by wire) transmission actuation, including the fully integrated transmission control module (automatic transmission fitted as standard on some models), plus a whole range of sensors. The most important of these, in addition to the temperature and mass airflow sensor, is the NOx sensor which measures the concentration of nitrogen oxides and controls the regeneration of the NOx storage catalyst. Continental is the global market leader in NOx sensors.

Active multi-contour seats with perfect lateral support

The seating controls developed by the Interior Division use integral air chambers inside the seat to adjust the active multi-contour seats in the E-Class (optional) to the occupants' precise requirements. In addition, the system constantly monitors the settings during the journey and, in particular, adjusts the pressure in the side bolsters to the driving conditions. Pressure is automatically increased on fast, winding roads so that the seats can provide the best possible lateral support. The seat controls also activate the massage cushion with its seven air chambers which is an integral part of the seat. Continental's instrument cluster and infotainment display provide the driver with the most important information. The instrument cluster includes the speedometer, rev counter and clock, plus fuel tank and temperature gauge, all designed as dial-type gauges. As is typical for Mercedes sedans, the speedometer is designed as a ring pointer. This arrangement allows the driver to note both the display contents and speedometer functions simultaneously. Particular attention has been paid to the night design. The high-resolution infotainment display sets new standards for brightness and contrast, ensuring that it is extremely easy to read. Other equipment supplied by the Division includes the overhead control panel together with its control unit. Continental produces a total of 24 different variants - eight functional packages in three different colors. So as to achieve the bands of light the manufacturer wanted, the interior light glass housings have been designed using a special injection molding technique. The overhead control panel functions include control of the sliding sunroof (optional) with its obstruction sensor, the electronic anti-theft alarm system (optional), control of the interior and reading lights, LIN and CAN bus vehicle communication and, for the North American market, integration of the SOS button, an integral element of the TeleAid package, so that assistance can be quickly requested in the event of an accident or emergency. Continental also produces the door control system which is responsible for the exterior mirrors, electrically operated windows including obstruction sensor and the central locking system, the infrared receivers for the central locking system, the controls for the telematics unit, the electronic steering wheel lock and the tailgate control unit which monitors the automatic locking of the trunk and includes power closing and position detection.