Automation allows for improved processes and more conclusive results
Continental, the premium German tyre and technology company, has commissioned the first driverless tyre test vehicle, using pioneering technology based on the company’s automated Cruising Chauffeur.
Launched at the Continental test site in Texas, USA, the innovative system will see newly developed tyres being tested under real life conditions across a wide range of road surface, making test results for Continental’s passenger and light truck tyres more conclusive to ensure premium quality.
Controlled through a satellite-based navigation system, the new test vehicle is equipped with camera and radar sensors allowing the vehicle to react immediately to people, animals, or other unexpected objects on the road without a driver. This contributes to making Continental’s Vision Zero strategy for accident-free driving a reality.
Nicolai Setzer, Continental Executive Board member and Head of Tyre Division said, “In critical situations, the tyres’ level of technology is the deciding factor in whether a vehicle brakes in time. With tyre tests which use an automated vehicle, we achieve highly conclusive test results and thereby ensure the premium quality of our tyres.”
In addition to the significantly improved comparability of the results, the tyre test using automated vehicles will also reduce the maintenance work required for the test tracks as there will be less route variations.
“We want to automate and standardise tyre tests to such an extent that we can identify even the smallest differences in the tyres. This way, we can ensure that differences in the test are actually caused by the tyres and not by the test procedure,” explained Thomas Sych, Head of Tyre Testing at Continental.
