GPS-Sensor-Based Control Unit Now Available in Passenger Cars

Passenger cars are now being offered a GPS- and sensor-based concept
control unit, an application that supplies data such as road
topography and curvature, as well as location, speed, and other
information continuously to a vehicle's control systems. This was
announced by Continental AG's Interior Division, a supplier of both
OEM and after-market vehicle electronics.
This unit works in such a way that optimizes automatic transmission
shift strategies when driving on curving or hilly roads, adaptive
headlamps can adjust before the steering wheel is turned, and adaptive
cruise control systems can respond to factors such as speed limits and
road type. With some of the basic functionality of eHorizon already
being used inside an adaptive cruise control system in an OEM product,
the unit can also optimize power train control strategies for both
conventional and hybrid systems.
The company said that the eHorizon concept is modular and adaptable
for a wide range of vehicle applications. In a basic version of
eHorizon, a control unit is integrated in the vehicle to precisely
calculate its position with the help of GPS, a gyroscope, and
wheel-speed information. Alternatively, eHorizon can use data captured
by navigation systems or Continental's Multi Media Platform (MMP).
In a statement by Michael Ruf, head of Continental's Multimedia
Business Unit "when you know a stretch of road like the back of your
hand, you drive more intuitively and efficiently because you know
every hill and curve. Armed with GPS and extensive map and road data,
Continental's eHorizon knows roads equally well, and it helps
coordinate and tailor the response of individual vehicle systems for
optimum performance, improved safety, and better fuel economy."
Speaking on the capability of the application, Continental explained
that map data is transmitted in a standardized data format to the
other control devices via the Controller Area Network (CAN) automotive
bus. The individual control units then recreate the virtual road image
with the help of an integrated program.
It should be recalled that Continental's Interior Division is one of
three new units created by the company following its takeover of the
automotive supplier division of Siemens AG in December 2007.