Conti talks grip at the IAA

Frankfurt, Germany -- Continental AG has a large presence at the IAA, the bi-annual motor show in Frankfurt. The company is showing new developments in its three main business activities: tyres, ContiTech systems and automotive systems.

Heading the list at Conti automotive is a range of technologies based on sensors that detect available grip from the tyres. The company's offer starts with online friction estimation (OFE).

In a statement, Conti says, "OFE analyses the signals from the wheel speed sensors to determine the coefficient of friction directly and can thus warn the driver of hazardous situations. If additional sensors are integrated, other, indirect parameters such as road surface temperature and reflectance, tyre noise, and wetness can be factored into the equation."

Combine that with a GPS system and a detailed road map, and the technology can be used to alert the driver -- or even apply brakes -- ahead of a curve. This technology is called dangerous curve alert (DCA).

In a third development, the company offers ready brake alert (RBA). Like seat-belt pre-tensioning, this system ensures rapid response in case of a dangerous situation. The technology first identifies potentially hazardous situations - for example with the DCA (above), and then activates the brake pads to the point where they touch the discs, but do not retard the car. Once the driver presses the pedal, the brakes act instantaneously.

Conti has also improved its low-cost deflation warning system , named deflation detection system (DDS) with updated software to (DDS+). DDS compares data from the ABS system to detect changes in rolling diameter, but DDS+ adds a software module to detect changes in the vibration pattern affecting one or more wheels.

According to Conti, DDS+, "makes for much more precise computation of the tyre pressure and a more timely warning for the driver. As a result, DDS+ is almost as powerful as the more expensive TPMS. Not only can it identify the affected tyre, it can also spot a loss of pressure in all four tyres at once.