Automotive components manufacturers Continental and Nexteer Automotive have announced their agreement to form a joint venture (JV) focused on the advancement of motion control systems and actuator components for automated driving.
This joint venture will combine Nexteer’s advanced steering and driver assistance (ADAS) technologies with Continental’s portfolio of automated driving and advanced braking technologies to accelerate advancements in vehicle motion control systems. Nexteer and Continental will hold an equal 50-50% ownership position in the JV. The partnership will focus on research and development activities, including rapid evaluation, design and prototyping. Capitalizing on Nexteer and Continental’s history of innovation and leadership in the automotive industry, the JV will combine global resources and expertise and focus on enhancing the development of advanced motion control systems and components for automated driving. Initially the venture will employ team members making use of existing technical talent from both Nexteer and Continental, with plans for future growth. Pending regulatory approvals, it is expected that this project will be operational in the first quarter of 2017.
“The joint venture will perfectly complete our product portfolio for automated driving. As a technology leader in the areas of assisted and automated driving, Continental will now combine its talent and expertise with Nexteer’s advanced steering system competence to create the best integrated systems for longitudinal and lateral motion control for automated driving applications,” said Frank Jourdan, member of Continental’s executive board and president of the company’s chassis and safety division. “We look forward to a collaboration that will develop breakthrough ideas to further develop systems that will improve safety, as we look toward the future of automated driving.”
Frank Lubischer, senior vice president of global engineering, and chief technology and strategy officer at Nexteer, commented, “The motion control venture will accelerate Nexteer and Continental’s advancements in automated driving, and achieve robust vehicle dynamics and safety. To that end, this team will work on braking and steering systems integration, enhanced by-wire development, as well as create common safety architectures and strategies for redundant, operationally safe systems. This arrangement will create a way for both of our companies to collaborate on integrating state-of-the-art electronic brake and steering systems to achieve ideal vehicle dynamics and safety, as well as increasing value for our shareholders.”
