Safety Tech Taps Cloud to Predict Road Hazards

Auto safety supplier Continental Corp. will be demonstrating the latest generation of its eHorizon technology, which uses data from the cloud to predict upcoming road conditions, at the Consumer Electronics Show this week.

Continental will conduct two demonstrations, both on public roads in Las Vegas, the company said. The latest version of eHorizon builds on the success of the static eHorizon, which uses data from a static map stored in the vehicle. The system can enable a significant reduction of fuel consumption – around 3 percent on average, the company said.

Continental has taken development of eHorizon further by using the cloud and crowd intelligence to enhance the digital map in the dynamic eHorizon backend with fresh and accurate information, the company explained. This allows Continental to include dynamic and lane-specific data such as variable speed limits, traffic lights, construction sites, or obstacles on the road.

If a vehicle or obstacle is a potential hazard, a visible warning will appear long before the driver or even the environmental sensors could recognize the trouble zone.

“At CES we will demonstrate how the dynamic eHorizon enhances drivetrains and warns drivers about hidden dangers in real driving situations,” said Ralf Lenninger, head of innovation, system development and strategy at Continental’s interior division. “The result: cleaner and safer vehicles, thanks to Internet technology.”