Continental has developed a new intelligent software solution that enables highly automated, Level 3 driving, which makes it possible to perform complex driving maneuvers autonomously. This software, aptly named Driving Planner, can perform certain driving tasks without intervention and / or monitoring by the driver. Key components – software to the required sensor systems – have been developed by Continental. What's more special about the solution? It is already close to series production and can be used in vehicles by as early as 2024. This demonstrates Continental’s goal of bringing automated driving to the roads in a short period of time.

Driver assistance systems are expected to increasingly take over semi-autonomous tasks and relieve the driver in decisive situations, especially on motorways and expressways. Our Driving Planner solution combines the driving skills of a racing driver with the computational skills of a math genius: the software system can calculate the possible traffic situations many seconds in advance and derive precise decisions from them to cope with complex driving maneuvers quickly, concisely, and autonomously.

Continental's Driving Planner becomes an extension of previously offered solutions and presents unprecedented possibilities. The innovative software module allows the combination of longitudinal and transverse movements in a harmonious, intelligent, and closely timed interaction. This builds on previously available systems like adaptive cruise control and lane change assist, which plan longitudinal and transverse movements largely independently. The integrated longitudinal and transverse planning is based on physical driving models and represents a major evolutionary step towards autonomous driving. The Driving Planner can calculate driving maneuvers up to a speed of 130 km/h.