Source: Continental announcement
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Continental’s Transparent Trailer technology is being recognized this week with a 2021 CES Innovation Award in the Vehicle Intelligence and Transportation product category. The new product completes an award-winning portfolio of trailering technology now available from Continental.
“Engineering solutions that support drivers in various conditions is always our focus at Continental, and that includes technology for safer, more efficient towing,” said Arnaud Lagandré, head of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Continental North America. “We know how challenging and stressful it can be to maneuver a vehicle-trailer combination. Continental’s intelligent suite of trailering technology is designed to change that, bringing together innovative technologies that complement one another to serve the driver.
“Our team is honored to be recognized as a CES Innovation Award Honoree, exemplifying this commitment to increasing road safety.”
Related post:
Continental Wins Three CES 2021 Innovation Honoree Awards
The Transparent Trailer technology allows drivers to “see through” a trailer in haul and check the surrounding area. Based on Continental’s Surround View system, a key component for the trailering portfolio, the technology enables safer driving while towing.
Two cameras and a control unit work together to provide a panoramic view that renders the trailer virtually invisible. The result is a seamless live feed for drivers to see the road and any obstacles behind or beside the trailer.
Another feature in the company’s trailering portfolio, enabled by Continental’s Short Range Radar, is Trailer Merge Assist with Trailer Length Detection, which was selected for a 2017 CES Innovation Award and earned the company a Supplier of the Year Award from FCA in 2019.
The first-of-its-kind system is a “black box” sensor mounted in the rear/side area of the vehicle that enhances and extends blind spot detection through sophisticated object tracking, measurement and length detection algorithms.
To successfully back up a trailer, the driver must navigate two vehicles at once – oftentimes with the truck going one way and the trailer going the other.
First unveiled in 2015, Continental’s Trailer Reverse Assist makes it safer and easier to back up and park vehicles with trailers. It utilizes an Intelligent Rear Camera Module and can be integrated with the vehicle’s 360-degree Surround View system for enhanced viewing and trailer detection.
With this, drivers are able to see a projected trailer path on the vehicle’s center console screen and control the trailer direction with a knob, helping to reduce the stress of backing trailers into tight spots. The technology could also enable a remote-control feature to back up and park the trailer from outside the vehicle.
To view the complete announcement, click HERE.
