Continental has entered partnerships with global leaders and institutions in Singapore to drive research in sustainable mobility. Their collaborations aim to develop smart systems for electric vehicle (EV) charging, improve the circularity of automotive electronics, and enable a more efficient and sustainable EV ecosystem. The initiatives align with Continental’s commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation in the automotive sector. These efforts will contribute to a greener and more electrified future of mobility.
Continental, a global technology company, is proud to announce that it has signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with local and global partners, to drive research in Singapore focused on making the mobility ecosystem more environmentally friendly.
The partnership between Continental, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), and Volkswagen Group Innovation aims to develop smart energy management systems to optimize electric vehicle (EV) charging. The collaboration with CEA and NTU Singapore will research new solutions to recycle electronic components from end-of-life vehicles. The MoU with NTU Singapore and Pylon City covers the study of smart charging systems and battery optimization of EVs. Under this MoU, Continental, and Pylon City will also aim to contribute to the development of national standards for outdoor charging infrastructure of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Lo Kien Foh, President and CEO of Continental Automotive Singapore, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Continental is pleased to work with esteemed industry players and research institutions to accelerate the future of sustainable mobility. Leveraging each partner’s capabilities and resources, we can pioneer innovative solutions to transform the automotive sector and improve its environmental standards, creating a more sustainable ecosystem for the future.”
He continued, “These partnerships are aligned with Continental’s sustainability ambition, covering facets such as carbon neutrality, responsible value chains, and the creation of a circular economy.”
MoU 1: Continental, NTU Singapore, and Volkswagen Group Innovation seek to revolutionize EV charging
Volkswagen Group recognizes that charging infrastructure and sustainable energy supply are fundamental pillars for advancing the shift toward future battery-electric mobility. Volkswagen Group Innovation is taking steps to accelerate the electric transition by collaborating with Continental-NTU Corporate Lab to explore smart energy management systems. This partnership seeks to leverage cutting-edge technologies to encourage electric vehicle charging during conventional off-peak hours or when renewable energy supply is abundant.
Petromil Petkov, Head of Innovation Hub Singapore at Volkswagen Group Innovation, highlighted their commitment to sustainable mobility and global scalability of electric mobility solutions. He said, “In our collaboration, we harness the power of real-time data and artificial intelligence to explore pioneering methods for reducing charging emissions, setting new benchmarks in eco-conscious mobility.”
Kurt Leitner, Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Singapore, added, “We are not only dedicated to embracing e-mobility but also contributing to the infrastructure required to power them sustainably.”
MoU 2: Continental, CEA, and NTU Singapore collaborate on solutions to improve circularity of automotive electronics
To achieve 100 percent closed resource and product cycles by 2050, Continental experts are partnering with researchers to study sustainability in automotive electronics. Their investigation is conducted at a research center in Singapore jointly run by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and NTU Singapore, called the NTU Singapore-CEA Alliance for Research in Circular Economy (SCARCE). The partnership focuses on methods to improve the circularity of PCBs in vehicles and eco-designs to facilitate used PCB disassembly and automated sorting of components using intelligent solutions such as machine learning.
Jean Christophe Gabriel, Research Director at CEA and co-director of SCARCE, explained the necessity for tackling electronic waste as the semiconductor content of vehicles is expected to increase substantially in the future.
The partnership aims to deepen understanding of the economic viability of PCB recycling and produce guidelines for vehicle design, prioritizing sustainability throughout the manufacturing process.
MoU 3: Continental, NTU Singapore, and Pylon City cooperate to enable a more efficient and sustainable EV ecosystem
As commercial EV fleets grow in Singapore, demand for chargers and power consumption will increase. Continental and NTU Singapore, in collaboration with Pylon City, will study and develop a station-based, demand-responsive charge scheduling algorithm to reduce battery degradation while maintaining service levels for EV fleets.
Such an algorithm will enhance EV usage and sharing by regulating EV charging through an intelligent fleet management system, optimizing charging levels, schedules, and duration. This will also maximize the lifespan of EV batteries for longer-term sustainable use.
Two EV charging stations for commercial use will be built at Continental Singapore’s office, featuring a solar canopy. Data collected from the stations will provide insights to support the research project, which will be operational in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Continental and Pylon City will also lead the development and standardization of outdoor AMR charging infrastructure in Singapore to support the country’s Smart Nation ambitions.