Continental has begun producing its Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) at its Bangalore plant. This move demonstrates Continental’s commitment to supporting local OEMs in India by localizing TPMS production. Over the next three years, Continental plans to significantly increase TPMS production capacity. Currently, Continental is the first Tier 1 supplier to manufacture TPMS in India, which provides safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive mobility. Initially, the production will cater to the local market, but within the next two years, the scope will be expanded to include export markets.
Ramnath Sivaraman, Head of Motion Technologies and Services, Continental Automotive India, stated that safe mobility is a topic of high interest among consumers in India, who are consistent in their expectations for the latest safety technologies in vehicles. TPMS will complement the overall vision for safe mobility in India while also contributing to clean mobility by indicating to drivers when they need to maintain optimal tire pressure. With their in-market, for-the-market focus, Continental is well-positioned to support local OEMs by providing advanced technologies at an affordable cost.
TPMS measures tire pressure, temperature, and motion from inside the tire and transmits the information through radio frequency and the vehicle communication network to a display in the instrument cluster. This information is crucial for the driver to maintain optimal air pressure to ensure vehicle safety and efficiency. Phanindra Karody, Head of Bangalore Plant, Continental Automotive India, added that Continental is focused on localization, and the newly launched TPMS line features state-of-the-art smart manufacturing processes, including a fully automated assembly line with collaborative robots (Cobots) and a system that enables digital traceability.
Continental’s TPMS offers cost savings by optimizing tire usage through driving at recommended tire pressure for optimal rolling resistance, enhancing driving safety, reducing fuel consumption, and CO₂ emissions, and extending the battery range for electric vehicles. TPMS also detects early tire leakage and can be implemented as a stand-alone or integrated system solution. Continental also offers innovative add-on TPMS features, such as advanced “problem tire” localization functions and ultra-convenient Smartphone Apps such as Filling Assistant and Tire Data.
Continental’s Bangalore plant is the largest electronics manufacturing plant in India, and it is symbolic of a smart factory that enables digitization and automation of various processes. By implementing technologies such as Cobots, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, automated replenishment systems, automated optical inspection, automated guided vehicles, and Big Data applications, Continental aims to enhance operational efficiency, maintain consistency in precision, and maintain a high level of transparency. Smart manufacturing processes offer a strategic advantage in swift localization and faster product-to-market solutions.
