This follows the company’s recent announcement, on the occasion of its tenth anniversary celebration, to invest in high Rs three-digit crore for expansion in India

The German technology company Continental, which celebrates ten years of local production in India, has inaugurated a new facility for its R&D center in Gurgaon. The new facility, located within its existing Gurgaon plant premises, will cater to global and regional R&D requirements for its brake systems businesses. Recently, on the occasion of its tenth anniversary celebration, Continental had announced that it will invest in a high three-digit crore Rupees level in India within the next two years and increase headcount to 10,000 in the same period. The company has already invested close to Rs 2,100 crore for its various businesses in India since 2008.

The new facility is aligned to the company’s strategy of increasing its R&D footprint in India. Currently, the capabilities of the R&D center at Gurgaon include design and testing for brake systems, and offshore engineering activities for the Continental’s Italy and Japan regions. The company also operates a full-fledged R&D center – Continental Technical Center India (TCI) – in Bangalore, catering to Continental’s entire automotive business, globally.

“As a technology company, it is Continental’s priority to invest in the technologies of tomorrow. India is an important R&D hub for Continental, and we plan to increase our R&D footprint in the country. With focused R&D, innovations and ongoing improvement of our components and systems, both at this new center dedicated to brake systems and at TCI, India’s contribution to Vision Zero – a future with zero accidents – will be significant,” said Prashanth Doreswamy, Head of Continental India and Managing Director, Continental Automotive India.

Thomas Laudes, Managing Director, Continental Automotive Brake Systems (India), who also heads the hydraulic brakes business in India, explained, “We are glad to make this investment to broaden the scope of R&D and further strengthen existing capabilities at this location. At Continental Gurgaon, we manufacture and assemble a series of products that enhance safety in vehicles at various levels. Now, with a full-fledged R&D center, we are enhancing the added value to the corporation by driving innovation.”

Krishan Kohli, Head of Vehicle Dynamics business in India, said, “With a range of safety technologies that address current legislative requirements and are future-oriented, Continental is in a position of strength in the market. This new R&D center houses the vehicle dynamics test labs and will augment our R&D and engineering presence in India. We are excited to be part of this growth.”

To strengthen its commitment to safe mobility in India, Continental has been focusing on localisation strategy. In line with this plan, the company opened a production line for safety components in Bangalore in January this year. The new production and assembly line of electronic control units (ECU) for two-wheeler and passenger car anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) is a part of its Bangalore Central Electronics plant – Continental’s largest plant in India. This strategic step towards “In the market, for the market” was also its next step in localising ABS/ESC after system assembly started in Gurgaon
in 2017.

With focused R&D, innovations and ongoing improvement of our components and systems, both at this new center dedicated to brake systems and at TCI, India’s contribution to Vision Zero – a future with zero accidents – will be significant.

Prashanth Doreswamy,
Head of Continental India and MD, Continental Automotive India