Continental sets 'game changer' goal around the software-defined vehicle

Continental has set itself an ambitious target of "code to road" in one day for new functions as the German supplier speeds up integration processes to keep pace with a rapid shift toward software-defined vehicles.

"Our goal internally is to go from code to road in one day," CTO Gilles Mabire told Automotive News Europe. "We need to be able to generate a grade of code, test it automatically, release the software, and deploy it to the customer in days instead of months. That is the game changer."

This goal comes as Continental seeks to keep pace with the intense speed of change in the industry and responds to the pressure felt by automakers. "Each automaker wants to cut by half the development time of a car because there is no other way around it," he said.

Previously, product integration took three to four years. This process included aspects such as building a layer of software to drive the different components, customer negotiations and testing phases.

In contrast, today, Continental aims to deliver software releases to its customers on a daily or weekly basis.

"These can be integrated into a completely virtual environment, tested automatically, with feedback in days or within a week," he said. "This means more speed and greater maturity during the early stages."