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LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental has earned contracts to deliver customized in-vehicle entertainment systems, based on its Multi Media Platform (MMP). The systems, which utilize the Microsoft Auto software platform, will debut in North America in 2010 and in Europe in 2011. Continental's MMP is designed to provide the auto industry with a quick and easy way to integrate the latest consumer electronics trends into the car. The Multi Media Platform will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 8-11, 2009 in Microsoft Auto Pavilion located at Central Plaza CP#7, Las Vegas Convention Center.

Consumer Electronics & Cars Unite

Continental understands the latest digital music, audio, navigation and mobile phone trends and is working with Microsoft to quickly implement them inside the car. Continental's flexible Multi Media Platform is designed to provide automakers with the ability to pick and choose from a variety of features, including: a car radio; CD/DVD player; navigation system; the ability to connect mobile audio and video players, USB devices or memory cards; or connect mobile phones using Bluetooth wireless technology.

The scaleable platform also features a full internet browser and a web radio. Furthermore, the Multi Media Platform allows the viewing of office documents such as Word or PowerPoint attachments in the car. The Platform comes with an innovative multi-modal HMI concept that can be operated via a touch pad - used for handwriting recognition as well as a pointing or scrolling device. In addition the system can also be used with a touch-screen to intuitively select elements or buttons seen on the large high resolution color display.

A key selling point of Continental's Multi Media Platform is the Microsoft Auto operating system. It is designed as a flexible Operating System that is capable of accommodating software updates. By simply updating the system software, the in-vehicle electronics are always compatible with the latest consumer electronic devices, standards and trends. This key feature helps automakers "future-proof their vehicles" by ensuring that the car is compatible with the latest devices through the lifetime of the vehicle.

"By using Microsoft Auto, Continental is able to quickly react to the latest market trends and benefit from a large development eco-system that already provides lots of applications and services. This allows us to add further applications and services available in the Microsoft eco-system without huge development efforts. At the same time it enables Continental to focus stronger on their core competencies to enhance the in car system with driver assistance, safety and comfort applications," said Dr. Michael Ruf, Head of the Multimedia business unit in the Interior Division.

High-Tech Hardware

Continental engineers have created the MMP design and developed the navigation software. The system connects to the vehicle architecture via either the:

-- Controller Area Network (CAN) bus which has a data rate of up to 1 Megabit per second, or the

-- Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus, an in-vehicle network designed to process multimedia content at a data rate of up to 150 Megabits per second.

The system's basic hardware design contains a high-performance processor which handles all the AM and FM signal processing and provides interfaces to mobile audio and video players, USB devices, memory cards or Bluetooth wireless technology.

In a high end version, an additional multimedia processor and a high graphic accelerator provide extra calculation power to enable high end 3D graphics and offer an even broader range of applications and interfaces.

About Continental

With targeted annual sales of euro 25 billion for 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of tires, brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Today, the corporation employs approximately 146,500 at nearly 200 locations in 36 countries.