Lindau, Germany – Continental is further expanding its global activities in driver assistance systems and automated driving and strengthening development sites in Germany. The technology company is starting to grow its site in Memmingen and prepare a new, central location in Neu-Ulm.
The ground-breaking ceremony for a new development campus with space for up to 150 employees in Memmingen took place on March 30th. Completion and occupation of the new facility are planned for mid-2023. Employees from three locations in Ulm and Neu-Ulm will be brought together to bundle competencies in Neu-Ulm. Construction is scheduled to begin in December 2022 and will be completed in 2024. The new location offers space for around 700 employees. Continental plans to invest almost 75 million euros in the two sites over the next three years. “Both locations are an important part of our growth strategy and will continue to advance research and development in assisted and automated driving. Embedded in our global development and production network, we offer our customers tailor-made solutions and systems to make the mobility of the future even safer, more environmentally friendly and more comfortable,” says Frank Petznick, Head of the Autonomous Mobility Business Area at Continental.
Development campus Memmingen with connected test track
Continental has been active in Memmingen since 2016. With the construction of a new, approximately 6,000 square meter development campus, the company is merging previously separate locations for research and development and workshop areas. About 25 million euros will be invested in new office and workshop space when construction begins. The new building, which offers room for up to 150 employees, will be occupied in mid-2023. The development campus is connected to a 30-hectare test site of the company FAKT-motion. Continental will use the test track as part of a long-term partnership to develop solutions for driver assistance systems and automated driving functions in Europe. The focus of the activities on-site is the testing and validation of components and system and driving functions for aided and automated driving. “For us, the direct connection to the test track of the new location provides significant added value for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of our development activities for assisted and automated driving,” says Marc Haussmann, Location Manager Memmingen.
Three separate locations will be merged into one central location in Neu-Ulm
Since 2013, around 600 employees in Ulm and Neu-Ulm have been researching and developing driver assistance systems and automated driving at three locations. The plan is to begin construction of the new building in December 2022 and integrate research and development of future technologies in this expansion area in one place. The planned investment volume amounts to around 50 million euros. After completion in 2024, the new building will offer about 700 workplaces on 15,500 square meters. “Bringing all employees of the three currently separated locations together at a central location with state-of-the-art equipment in Neu-Ulm is an important step for even better cooperation and motivates everyone tremendously.” – Florian Schwab, Location Manager Ulm/Neu-Ulm
Driver Assistance and Automated Driving: Growth Drivers at Continental
The construction and expansion of development sites are part of the growth plan of the Autonomous Mobility Business Area. Continental operates its development centers and production sites in the significant regions of Europe, America, and Asia to offer tailor-made solutions for its customers. Sensors, software, and intelligent connectivity are the basis for driver assistance systems. Continental began research and development more than 20 years ago. Continental’s customers include many national and international manufacturers. In aided, automated, and autonomous driving, the company is already one of the leading automotive suppliers. In 2021 alone, more than 28 million cameras, radar and lidar sensors for assisted and automated driving functions were produced.
