DETROIT, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- This week at the 2008 SAE World Congress, the President of Continental’s Interior Division will discuss, during a panel titled: "Electronics: Expectations and Opportunities,"* how digital lifestyle and vehicle safety trends are driving Interior Electronics forward and helping automakers differentiate their vehicle brands.

"Digital and portable content has dramatically altered our lifestyles and consumer expectations," said Helmut Matschi, Head of Continental’s Interior Division. "The trends that are appearing in consumer culture are impacting the automotive industry and requiring suppliers to develop innovative, flexible and upgradeable in-vehicle electronic architectures."

Matschi will discuss how automakers around the world are embracing in-car information management and connectivity trends by offering compelling, relevant in-vehicle experiences that enhance vehicle safety, comfort and convenience.

With more than 100 years of experience, Continental’s Interior Division is focused on partnering with its customers, and non-traditional automotive suppliers, to design intelligent electronics that will enable a car and its users to be "Always-On." Known as the "Information Company" within Continental, the Interior Division designs products that provide consumers with the ability to enter and start their car at the push of a button; connect to the outside world to access the information and content they need, all while enhancing driver focus through intuitive human machine interfaces (HMIs).

Continental continues to utilize its technology expertise to keep drivers and passengers safe while also providing them with a more convenient way to "control" and operate their Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones or music players while inside the car. For example:

- According to recent consumer research, the voice activated Ford Sync in-car communication and entertainment system that was designed by Ford and Microsoft with hardware, vehicle software, system integration and manufacturing support from Continental has positively impacted Ford vehicle sales in North America.

- The company has launched its hands-free communication systems with four customers and on five vehicle lines in China. Next week, during Auto China in Beijing, Continental will demonstrate how its next- generation system, which utilizes Mandarin voice recognition technology, will make hands-free calling even easier. Later this year, the company expects to enhance the experience by demonstrating how Mandarin text-to-speech technology will enable a car to read short text messages to a driver and also enable them to use their voice to play or manage their digital music inside the car.

- In Europe, Continental is a strong supporter of the European Commission’s eCall initiative which, when implemented, will provide a "wireless-life line" to emergency assistance by transmitting important accident data to authorities to help facilitate an emergency response during the critical seconds after an accident.

- The Telematics Control Unit that Continental has supplied to General Motors for more than 10 years has enabled OnStar to provide safety, security and peace of mind for drivers and passengers in North America.

- Continental also is actively participating in a four-year field trial in Germany, known as SIM-TD, to investigate how car-to-car and car-to- roadside communication systems may one-day reduce traffic congestion and enhance vehicle safety.

"With our new, expanded product portfolio, Continental is at the forefront of Interior Electronics and I am attending the SAE World Congress this year to help inspire and energize automotive engineers about a truly exciting area of our industry," said Matschi. "I believe that the digital lifestyles we are leading, combined with vehicle safety trends, will continue to transform in- vehicle electronic architectures and evolve the cars we drive into the most reliable, high-tech electronics device we own."