OREANDA-NEWS. Customer experience is a big driver of connected vehicles, and just as consumers expect seamless digital solutions from their banks and fashion retailers, so too do they have the same expectations from their road vehicles. Continental ITS worked with management and technology consultancy BearingPoint to develop new digital service offerings for drivers and, in so doing, deepened the relationship with customers.

With BearingPoint’s help we were able to rapidly accelerate and professionalize the process of becoming a digital ecosystem.

Arno Semmelroth, Director of Ideation, Continental AG

Continental already had an extremely successful business of supplying vehicle parts to service centers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In addition, it could communicate directly with customers by sending data messages to onboard units, which reported on fuel consumption, range and efficiency. But with technological advancements and dynamic markets, the company did not want to squander its chance to develop its value network further: it has set up a smart mobility platform for its customers.

Using “eHorizon,” a state-of-the-art dynamic mapping system that updates the car’s digital map in real-time, Continental had a basis for enhancing its communications with customers. The system harnesses “swarm intelligence” to continuously supply the digital map in the back-end with accurate and up-to-date information. This ensures drivers are informed in advance of obstacles along their route, such as roadwork, debris and traffic jams.

The sticking point was which digital services it should focus on. Together with BearingPoint, a team was assembled to devise the right digital services specifically for motorcyclists.

BearingPoint’s Digital Innovation Generator formed the heart of the approach to transform Continental ITS from a traditional service to a digital service model business.

BearingPoint’s Digital Innovation Generator considers all relevant facets of a service offering. In this way we were able to reduce learning curves and use a structured framework to convince all participants of our approach.

Rene Kerner, Senior Manager Strategy & Business Development, Continental AG

Beginning with Continental’s current position, the tool uses a tailored, iterative methodology to tackle product service development and business model definition, and concludes with implementation support.

Some of the key benefits that arose from the project:

  • Setting up new value propositions for both existing customers (automotive OEMs, etc.) and new customers (motorcyclists) by launching eHorizon
  • Developing the business concept eHorizon for motorcycles with Continental ITS as an end-to-end service provider
  • Creating a sophisticated digital service offering that forms the basis of a broader digital ecosystem
  • This digital ecosystem will enable the business to participate in such areas as “smart cities”
  • Presenting Continental ITS as an “orchestrator” in smart mobility by combining hardware and software

The project has equipped Continental with the mindset and toolset to quickly identify and capture business opportunities in the future for exceptional market share growth.

Stefan Penthin, Global Leader Operations at BearingPoint