Continental is celebrating its 150-year anniversary this year.
Since its foundation in Hanover, Germany, in 1871, Continental has been developing pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. From a small factory in Hanover the company has developed into one of the global players in the automotive industry, which is now operating in 58 countries and markets.
“Tires are our passion. Our technological excellence has ensured safety, reliability, and sustainability for 150 years. We are proud of this,” says Christian Kötz, head of the tires business area and member of the executive board of Continental. “Many of today’s technology standards in tires come from Continental. Time and time again, we push the boundaries of what is possible. Our goal is to produce our entire product portfolio exclusively from sustainable materials in a climate-neutral way by 2050 at the latest.”
[RELATED: Continental Turn Assist monitors blind spots for safer turning]
Today, Continental is the oldest independent and also one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world. Over the past 150 years, the company has set standards in the tire industry with its pioneering spirit and innovative strength. Time and again, it was Continental’s engineers who, with their ground-breaking inventions, ensured that tires became safer, more efficient, and sustainable, the company says. Milestones in Continental’s tire development include the first treaded tire, the first tire with a detachable rim, the patent for the world’s first tubeless tire and, with its “all-terrain” model, the first dedicated winter tire. Likewise, the company notes the first pneumatic tractor tire came from Continental. Later came the first rolling resistance-optimized tire and the first production tire to feature a tread made of dandelion rubber. Continental is also one of the pioneers in the field of digitalization.
Additionally, as early as 1999 the tire manufacturer demonstrated that the data required for advanced driver assistance systems can be determined even more accurately and quickly if the tire is used as a data source. The company says this was the birth of the intelligent tire. Meanwhile Continental is connecting its tires and their sensors to the cloud and offering its customers completely new, smart and digital tire solutions and services.
