In response to what Continental cites as ‘rapidly growing’ demand for complex vehicle systems, the German Tier One supplier is set to expand its chassis and safety division.
Continental’s chassis and safety division currently develops both individual components, and complete systems for OEMs. By strengthening the systems concept (requirements management, architecture, safety and security), design (function development, simulation, system layout) and the test and integration (test, Hardware in the Loop (HiL), verification and validation) functions within chassis and safety systems, Continental states that the division has adjusted its organization to a market that is tending more and more to systems business.
The main objectives of the reorganization include a continual buildup of expertise and new resources. “On the one hand, we would like to improve the way that systems projects are managed by applying project management and augmenting the system concept, design, and the test & integration functions,” explained Jürgen Diebold, head of the chassis and safety systems within the chassis and safety Division. “On the other hand, we wish to identify additional systems business opportunities beyond the confines of our business units. This enables the division to successfully market more complex Chassis & Safety solutions, all the while strengthening our components business.
“Strengthening our systems business will help us to identify promising innovation potential at an early stage, will secure our components business and will also enable us, right from the start, to perform systems projects to our customers’ fullest satisfaction,” he concluded. “The only way you’ll know what the components of tomorrow will look like is if you have a thorough understanding of systems.”
