Vitesco invests for production facilities in China, India and Thailand

Continental’s drivetrain business, Vitesco Technologies, presents its wide range of two-wheeled and powersports products at EICMA in Milan. The focus is on the latest generation of engine management, Air Module Engine Control Unit, for single-cylinder gasoline engines with an engine displacement of 50 to 250 cc, which play an especially important role in the Asian markets.

Stricter exhaust gas regulations such as China 4, including on-board diagnostics and BS VI can barely be met with carburetor engines. Therefore, gasoline injection will become standard and, for these markets, the company has perfect, tailor-made products in the portfolio: the M4L engine control units, which have already entered series production in China, and the M4A and M4B, which will make their market debut in India in 2020. The systems are extremely compact and robust, and also set the standard in value for money. In addition to injection technology, they also bring with them the potential for new functionalities. So Vitesco Technologies has already developed the M4L module further and made it Bluetooth capable. And both of the other M4 systems also enable a number of additional functions.

The Air Module Engine Control Unit, engine management system, is specially customised for lighter-weight and smaller motorcycles and scooters. All key components for controlling the combustion engine are integrated into the throttle valve housing, ranging from control electronics including microprocessor to the actuator and sensors. This concept allows for an extremely compact design, which is a key advantage, given the very limited installation space with two-wheeled vehicles. The system has become highly robust by eliminating exterior connections and cables to sensors and actuators. Just like all engine control units by the company, the M4 systems are flexible solutions that can be adapted to the requirements of each manufacturer.

“The latest generation of our Air Module Engine Control Unit meets the latest emissions standards, including the Euro 5 emissions standard which comes into effect in 2020. At the same time, we have used the microprocessor that comes with the motorcycle to enhance the range of functions,” said Torsten Bellon, Head-Non-Automotive Product Line, Vitesco Technologies.

With the company’s developed app, the driver can, for example, display their average speed or average consumption using a smartphone, and also read out the error log of the on-board diagnostics system. In addition, the app takes on the function of the key with keyless go, riders can be authenticated via their smartphone for starting the engine using the start button.