With rising awareness, every consumer today is India wants safety features to be a standard fitment in the vehicle. While cost of the vehicle may go up due these new fitments initially, Prashanth Doreswamy, Country Head of Continental India and Managing Director, Continental Automotive India, believes prices to come down gradually as safety installations increase.

The speed sensor product portfolio of the company includes wheel, engine and transmission speed sensors for passenger vehicles, while for 2-wheelers it is wheel and engine speed sensors.

Demand for safety features is growing in vehicles due to stringent regulations and changing consumer preferences.

Road safety is gaining importance in India, with increased awareness among the end users, driven by safety-related regulations. In the highly competitive market, passive safety systems are becoming the major differentiator for automobiles, says Rakesh Rao.

Continental recently observed the groundbreaking ceremony of its greenfield powertrain Plant in Talegaon, Pune. APF’s Neellohit Banerjee caught up with Prashanth Doreswamy, Market Head, Continental India and, Managing Director, Continental Automotive India after the press conference.

Continental has made a new addition in the form of an assembly line, to manufacture airbag control units (ACUs) at its central electronics plant in Bengaluru.

Rise in stringent emission norms, electric & connected cars, engine downsizing, increasing electronic components, etc are some of the developments that need accurate and rigorous testing of automotive parts.

The plant will produce various drivetrain products including engine management systems, sensors and actuators as well as fuel and exhaust management components

Keeping in mind the growing airbag business in India, production will supply both local and export markets.