To support developing premium tyres for the original equipment business even more efficiently, sustainably, and precisely in line with customer requirements in the future, Continental is investing in a state-of-the-art dynamic driving simulator.
The high-tech installation from manufacturer Ansible Motion will go into operation in mid-2022 at Continental's largest European tyre test centre, the Contidrom in Wietze near Hanover. It is a Driver-in-the-loop simulator (DIL) that calculates the tyres' exact driving dynamics parameters and those of the respective test vehicle. Thanks to its high mobility, the simulator can provide the company's professional test drivers with subjective driving impressions, just like tyre tests on the test track. Test drivers can experience new tyre developments in the most diverse virtual test scenarios and driving situations.
'Developing and testing premium tyres is a highly complex, time-intensive process. By using the new dynamic driving simulator, we will make this development process even more efficient in the future,' says Dr Boris Mergell, Head of Research and Development of the Tyres business area. 'The new simulator combines state-of-the-art technology with the vast experience of our professional test drivers. Continental is one of the pioneers in the use of this innovative, hybrid test technology,' he added.
Sustainable development
The new driving simulator brings significant benefits for tyre development – and thus for Continental's customers. Each test cycle completed in the driving simulator instead of on real roadways means fewer test tyres that need to be built. The investment in the new test technology thus also contributes to Continental's extensive sustainability efforts. 'If our test drivers sit in the simulator cockpit in the future and less at the wheel of a vehicle, around 100,000 kilometers less will be completed each year on real roads or test tracks,' explains Dr. Holger Lange, Head of Passenger Tyre Development for Continental's original equipment business. 'We can also save around 10,000 test tyres per year,' he added.
The technology company is intensively researching the possible applications of sustainable materials for tyre construction; these can be extensively tested and further optimised before the first test tire has even been built.