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29 AutoData | May 2018 Continental has, in Germany, a large complex with laboratories and test tracks where it develops numerous technologies for the vehicles of the future. Can you tell us what is being developed there at this moment? Some of the newest technologies Continental is working on, include our Chassis & Safety Division, Advance Driver Assistance Systems which will guide us toward our Vision Zero, zero traffic fatalities and ultimately zero accidents. This includes Sensor technology. Our Interior Division is working on Holistic Human-Machine Interface and head-up displays, important for the acceptance of automated driving and 5G communication. In our Powertrain Division, a key technology is our 48-volt system for hybrid electric vehicles, and technologies designed to improve the combustion engine performance in terms of fuel economy and emissions. Additionally, some interesting technologies include new technology for tires, such as experiments with dandelion rubber to replace natural rubber and tires with integrated sensors. 5 From the purely technological point of view, would Continental say that the development of 100% autonomous vehicles is already fully ready for all conditions, i.e. cities and roads? For highly automated driving functions for the use on highways in around 2020. Fully automated driving is expected around 2025. Automation starts on the highway, because it is the complexity there that we will be able to master first. In built-up areas this complexity will not come until later. That requires a virtual environment model going far beyond what is available today. 6 And from a legislation point of view, can you say the same? The biggest obstacle is the lack of a legal framework for highly automated driving in 2020. It’s now time that legislatures in markets around the world open up the way to the actual use of automated driving. In Germany, for example, we see the recent law on automated driving as an important step forward, though we still see the necessity of specific adjustments. 4