VDO (company)

VDO Automotive AG was created after the purchase of Siemens VDO Automotive AG, Continental AG on 10 December 2007. Following a name change, the VDO Automotive AG merged on June 2, 2008 with the Continental Automotive GmbH and is thus, together with the previous CAS ( Continental Automotive Systems ) for Continental Automotive Group of Continental Group. Continental Automotive GmbH is a global supplier to the automotive industry for automotive electronics and mechatronics. The VDO brand but will continue to function.

The company employs claims to some 53,000 people worldwide (2006) and achieved a turnover of € 10 billion each in fiscal years 2006 and 2007. The Board formed Helmut Matschi, Gérard Cordonnier and Harald chair man.

History

VDO

The company VDO ( United DEUTA - OTA) was created in 1929 through the merger of DEUTA ( German Tachometer Werke GmbH ) with the OTA Apparate GmbH ( Offenbach speedometer works ). From the company part of the automotive Deuta later became the VDO Adolf Schindling Tachometer Werke GmbH, which in turn was used to VDO Adolf Schindling AG. In 1978 the company IWC and Jaeger- LeCoultre were purchased ( mechanical watches ). The sole heir of Adolf Schindling, Liselott Linsenhoff, sold the whole property, 1991 to Mannesmann.

Then, the Mannesmann Kienzle GmbH ( tachographs and taximeter ) was integrated into the Mannesmann VDO AG. 1998, the acquisition of Philips Business Communications branch Philips Car followed (audio and car navigation ).

1999 VDO bike computer division was sold to the company Cycle Parts GmbH in Rohrbach / Landau. This also offers bicycle and pulse - computer under the brand VDO.

In 2001, Vodafone, Mannesmann AG, retained its telecommunications shares and intended initially, the remaining business units, including VDO, as an independent AG under the name Atecs ( " Advanced Technologies " ) to go public. However, this did not materialize because the Siemens AG and Robert Bosch GmbH took over these areas. Siemens implemented for competitive reasons alone the VDO while Bosch Rexroth took over the area. Through the merger with Siemens Automotive AG emerged as a leading supplier of automotive electronics and mechatronics.

Siemens Automotive

Siemens AG founded the independent Automotive division in 1989, 2000, the Automotive division of Siemens AG was spun off as Siemens Automotive AG and merged the following year in 2001 with VDO Siemens VDO Automotive AG.

Siemens VDO Automotive ( AG)

In March 2006, Siemens VDO Automotive AG has been legally integrated into the Siemens AG. The corporate and product brands "Siemens VDO " and " VDO Dayton " were continued after the integration of the company. The area was within the Siemens AG the name "Siemens VDO Automotive".

On January 25, 2007, the Company announced its intention to bring its Siemens VDO Automotive to the stock market, where the majority of shares and the industrial management should remain at Siemens. On 1 June 2007, the division was again spun under the old name as "Siemens VDO Automotive AG ".

On 25 July 2007 the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG, Siemens VDO Automotive AG decided to 11.4 billion € to Continental AG to sell. Since 5 December 2007, the former Siemens VDO Automotive AG is wholly owned by Continental AG.

VDO Automotive AG

Following the acquisition of Siemens VDO Automotive AG by Continental, the company was registered on 10 December 2007 in the commercial register by the name of VDO Automotive AG.

On April 1, 2008, the electric motors division was sold to the Brose Group. This includes window motors and drives for ABS / ESP, heating / ventilation ( HVAC), engine cooling, electric power steering systems, sunroofs, dual clutches (DCT ) as well as parking brakes.

Continental Automotive GmbH

On 2 June 2008, the VDO Automotive AG merged into the Continental Automotive GmbH. In November 2008 Continental announced at the end of the VDO Dayton brand and abandon their retail business. The production and sales of portable navigation devices and retrofit, as well as car stereos and DVD players has been set. However, the OEM business with vehicle manufacturers like VW and BMW will continue with navigation and multimedia solutions.

Structure

The Siemens VDO was divided into four divisions, which, in turn, each consisting of several areas. These areas were:

Chassis & Safety

• Safety & Chassis Electronics
• Motor Drives

Electronics Interior & Infotainment

• Infotainment Solutions
• Radio navigation
• Information Systems Passenger Cars
• Interior Controls

Powertrain

• Engine Actuators, Air and Emissions Management
• Diesel Systems
• Electronics & Drivetrain
• Fuel Supply Systems
• Gasoline Systems
• Sensor

Commercial Vehicles

After the incorporation into the Continental Group, these divisions are included in the divisions Powertrain, Interior and Chassis & Safety newly created.

Products

The Continental Automotive GmbH has among others the following products:

Chassis & Safety

• Control devices and trigger sensors for airbags
• Radar, lidar, video sensor technology for accident avoidance
• Electronic Wedge Brake
• Occupant monitoring systems
• Modules for the engine cooling
• Power Packs for braking, steering and transmission systems
• Access control systems
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Control devices, also for the other areas below

Interior & Infotainment

• Cockpit complete unit
• Instrument clusters
• Driver information systems ( Digifiz ect. )
• Heating and air conditioning control
• Tachograph
• Avionics systems
• Toll systems
• Infotainment and telematics systems
• Navigation and multimedia systems
• Head -up display

Powertrain

• Systems and components for injection in gasoline engines
• Piezo common rail systems (PCR)
• Piezo - pump-nozzle injection systems (PPD)
• Emission control systems
• Tank venting systems
• Fuel supply units ( modules fuel pumps, fuel level sensor, pressure regulator and filter)
• Electronic transmission control
• Hybrid solutions

Service & Special solutions

• Operational control systems
• Passenger information
• Electronic ticketing
• Control systems / Actuators
• Sensors

Innovations

• Piezo Common Rail System ( German Future Prize 2005)
• Colored Head -Up Display ( 5 and 6 Series at BMW )
• Electronic Wedge Brake by brake-by -wire
• Participated in the " ALLFA ticket " of the research project " intermobil " (electronic ticket in the Dresden area )
• MAPPS ( Passive Magnetic position sensor ) is a completely sealed rotation resistance which essentially consists of flexible metal tongues 52 which are arranged like the keys on a piano adjacent. The contacts are closed through from the outside via a movable magnet by the encapsulation. The variable resistor is subject to virtually no mechanical or chemical wear. Application preferably at level indicators.
• Siemens VDO is one of the manufacturers of the on -board unit (OBU ) for the truck toll in Germany.

Locations

The Continental Automotive has a presence in approximately 130 locations worldwide.

Important locations in Germany are for example:

Regensburg (headquarters), Schwalbach ( development, administration), Frankfurt am Main, Villingen- Schwenningen, Karben ( management, development and production), Babenhausen (development, production), Wetzlar (development, production), Bebra, Limbach- Oberfrohna and Dortmund.

In addition, maintains Continental Automotive locations in Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Romania, USA, Mexico, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Australia.