AutoMujeresPinas Stages "Amplified" AutoMujeresPinas, a car club composed of free-spirited and fun-loving Filipinas who share a common passion for the automobile, will be staging "AMPlified" a car-driving... Event Details
Modern cars are incorporating a variety of safety systems designed to help drivers avoid accidents and then, if an accident is unavoidable, to minimize the risk of injury. Until now, most of these have operated largely independently of each other, but Continental Automotive Systems (and its competitors) is trying to change that. At the Chicago Auto Show, Conti had a BMW 3-series equipped with its experimental Active Passive Integration Approach (APIA). APIA ties together the various safety systems to try and achieve a result greater than the sum of the parts.
Continental combined the radar inputs from the adaptive cruise control system and added a laser speed detector, the hydraulic control unit for the stability control, and then tied it all together with the air bag, seat belt tensioning, seat controls and window controls. The system detects the speed of the vehicle ahead and determines how fast you're closing in. The system has various stages of operation depending on how quickly you approach the vehicle in front of you. There's more about how the system works after the jump along with a video from Continental.
Even if it's obvious, it never hurts to remind people to be more careful on the road or around their vehicles, so we figured we'd share this video clip with all of you. Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne offers a frightening look at how quickly and easily a thief can make off with your valuables and/or your identity by showing actual surveillance cam footage from a Broward County incident.
We're told the usual stuff about keeping doors locked, being aware of our surroundings, etc. -- common sense tips, to be sure, but it's in familiar or routine situations, like filling up at our local gas station, where one often lets his or her guard down. An interesting point is made about larger vehicles being targeted because of the lack of visibility on the other side. Sounds to us like just one more reason for everybody to drive sports cars.
At the Chicago Auto Show, Autoblog was invited to sit down with Bill Kozyra, the President and CEO of Continental Automotive Systems - North America. In 2005, Continental was the thirteenth largest automotive supplier in the world, and is now even larger. Perhaps best known as a tire maker, they supply a wide range of automotive components and systems both to car-makers and the aftermarket.
Autoblog: Thanks for taking the time to talk to Autoblog. Why don't we start by discussing what Continental is announcing today.
Bill Kozyra: Sure, Continental is pleased to be exhibiting at the Chicago Auto Show for the first time as part of our reaching out to the local community in the Greater Chicago area, showcasing Continental as a new employer in town by virtue of acquiring the Motorola automotive electronics business in Deerpark, Illinois, which is just down the road. We are now a new automotive supplier and have a large presence here in town. So our theme here at the Chicago Auto Show is really demonstrating automotive safety technologies. In essence, those kind of technologies that make the car smarter and safer and at the same time still a lot of fun to drive. We build on our longstanding 101 year technology heritage of innovation and, and we're also showcasing how Continental is a great place to work.
Follow the jump to read more about what Bill Kozyra has to say about their new acquisition, various safety systems, tires and motorsports.
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At the Chicago Auto Show, Autoblog was invited to sit down with Bill Kozyra, the President and CEO of 
