Technology company Continental was recognized with two German Innovation Awards for its pioneering technologies. The vehicle access solution CoSmA and the Curved 3D Display from Continental received the ‘Gold' and ‘Winner' award for pioneering excellence. The annual prize honors meaningful product innovations that are forward-looking, but also increasingly characterized by user-centered development and thus make daily lives more convenient. Therefore, the ideal components for superior comfort, as well as intuitive and joyful user experience for future mobility.

"User Experience is increasingly becoming a key value driver for vehicles and the automotive industry. It is therefore especially important for us to be recognized with the German Innovation Award for our Digital Access Solution CoSmA and the Curved 3D Display. This reflects our seamless combination of design, technology, interaction and integration and is a great appreciation for the dedication of our teams," says Helmut Matschi, Member of the Executive Board and Head of the Vehicle Networking and Information business area at Continental.

Maximum access convenience and improved theft protection thanks to CoSmA solution

Vehicles are increasingly offering connected solutions that enable seamless integration of the digital lifestyle that drivers and passengers are used to from their smartphones. With the CoSmA access system, Continental has digitalized the car key and is integrating the access function directly into the driver's smartphone. In the latest version with ultra-wideband (UWB), CoSmA even enables hands-free vehicle access via the smartphone with improved anti-theft protection. The solution allows users to unlock and start their car without even having to pick up their smartphone. For this purpose, the radio technology detects an authorized virtual key inch perfectly in the pocket of the holder, in the vicinity or in the vehicle. Thanks to this precise location detection, CoSmA can also prevent so-called relay attacks (man-in-the-middle). Vehicle thieves are no longer able to intercept and extend the key signal in order to gain access. Further to this, vehicle owners can now create and manage multiple digital keys at the same time and do not have to pass on a physical key. The generated vehicle key can be conveniently shared with family members and friends via the digital access authorization in an app. In addition, parcel delivery services can deliver online orders directly to the vehicle. Last but not least, precise localization via UWB provides new functions such as remote-controlled parking via smartphone. CoSmA is a pioneering solution for sustainably improving the user experience in vehicles of the digital age. The Digital Access Solution is currently being integrated by six major vehicle manufacturers into their next-generation vehicles.

Continental enhances its 3D display portfolio with the world premiere of a curved display

Since, in addition to connectivity, the size and number of displays as well as the range of functions in the vehicle is constantly increasing, it is important that displays are intuitive and seamlessly integrated into the vehicle. Continental meets this market demand with its Curved 3D Display. Thanks to the curved display surface, which is specially adapted to the human field of view, the user experience is increasingly improved. With this, the solution reduces the distortion of the 3D features towards the left and right borders where the display curves are, thus creating a more natural, immersive driving experience. In addition, the curved shape of the display offers new possibilities for vehicle design. The 3D effect itself can be experienced from different angles without special glasses or head-tacking camera thanks to the integrated Lightfield technology developed in conjunction with Leia Inc. Therefore, complex lighting effects are possible which are following the users head movement while adapting to the correct perspective.