Despite a certain degree of market saturation in North America, Western Europe and Japan, the worldwide car production will continue to increase – from 63 million in 2005 to a forecasted 74 million in 2013. The four major emerging countries Brazil, China, India and Russia will increase their share of the global car production from 14% at present to 20% in 2013.
In these and other emerging markets, low-cost cars with few extra features and simple (electric and electronic) functions will experience high growth rates. The scope of their electronics corresponds roughly to that of a European mid-range vehicle some 15 years ago. Typical body electronic functions today are for instance power windows with anti-pinch protection, ultrasonic parking assist systems, light management, remote control for central locking system, immobilizer or windscreen wipers.
Control devices for these body electronics functions need to be highly flexible and scalable. On the one hand, the car makers and their suppliers must react very quickly to the changing needs. On the other hand, the equipment features of low-cost cars depend on the respective market demands and differ considerably, depending on the export country. What is more, there is the increasing pressure on costs.
In response to these needs, Continental's Interior division engineers at the Shanghai location have developed a new control unit especially for the markets in the emerging countries: the Basic Function Controller. It replaces the individual relays required previously for functions such as blinker or wiper interval. The Basic Function Controller will be used for the first time in standard production at the end of 2008 by the Chinese car maker Geely. Other production start-ups at further Asian manufacturers are already in the pipeline.
For cost reasons, only functions that are found in at least 80 percent of low-cost cars are integrated as software modules in the Basic Function Controller. Functions that are low in demand are integrated into the electronics architecture as independent components. Integration possibilities are also provided in the software structure of the control unit so that it can take on further functions at a later point in time. The hardware is designed based on similar principles. For instance, the system no longer has any seldom used components. The control unit is geared closely to market needs and is cost optimized.
The design of the Basic Function Controller always depends on the equipment features of the vehicle and automaker's specifications. Continental and each car manufacturer work together to generate a customized control unit with precisely the standardized functions and hardware components required. To change a standard function later, the entire component is replaced. The new component can contain a new version of the standard function or also the standard function expanded with further functions. Minor deviations in the function requirements are realized in the function components by modifying parameters.
In this way, the vehicle is adapted quickly for other export markets with different requirements. To deal with especially challenging price demands in a local market, the range of functions is reduced accordingly or functions are simplified compared to their European versions. In connection with other control devices (such as for the instrument cluster or the engine), the Basic Function Controller allows for low-priced total solutions.
Of course, Continental makes no compromises on the new Basic Function Controller. All software functions and hardware components comply with the corporation's global quality guidelines. Continental guarantees a targeted development process by employing its own engineers locally at all key customers and involving them early on in the process. Specialized teams with extensive expertise are responsible for the entire product development directly in the new key markets. The engineers thus profit from the expert knowledge that is available and networked within the company at the global level. This guarantees shorter channels, speed and as a rule, production readiness in less than 12 months.
In general, Continental does not provide car manufacturers with products that are fully defined, especially in the interior electronics sector, but instead with extensive solutions including the integration. On the Basic Function Controller, the uncompromisingly cost-optimized total architecture was of top priority, whereby flexibility, scalability, functionality, reliability and safety were not disregarded. With this strategy, Continental can offer the best electronic concepts at the best price and of the best quality in the emerging countries.
