12/07/2009 The jury for this prestigious automotive innovation prize visits the development laboratory and production department in Regensburg. Continental leads the world in the manufacture of this sensor which reduces nitrogen oxide emissions.

Regensburg, Germany. The NOx sensor of the international automotive supplier Continental has been nominated for the final stage of the 2010 Automotive News PACE Awards. This smart sensor, used in gasoline and diesel engines, controls the combustion and exhaust after-treatment processes, thus significantly reducing the level of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas. On Friday, the PACE Awards jury learned about the sensor's technology and how it is produced in Regensburg. "We are proud that our sensor is one of the short-listed finalists to compete for this prestigious prize, often described as the Oscar of the automotive industry", said Wolfgang Breuer, head of Continental Powertrain's Sensors and Actuators Business Unit.

This smart sensor, used in gasoline and diesel engines, controls the combustion and exhaust after-treatment processes, thus significantly reducing the level of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas.

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NOx Sensor: Unique Sensor for Tuning Combustion and Exhaust After-Treatment Control Strategies

The internal combustion engine will remain the predominant propulsion system for vehicles for many years to come. This makes the challenges facing the automotive industry even greater; fuel consumption must drop in order to meet the growing demand for more economical cars, and the environmental pollution caused by CO2 emissions must be reduced. At the same time, legislation governing exhaust emissions standards is becoming more stringent in every country. The Smart NOx-sensor, developed by Continental and its cooperation partner, NGK Insulators, plays a major role in that matter. Based on a ceramic sensing element, the sensor measures the NOx concentration in the exhaust gas and transmits the output signal to the engine ECU, where it is used to control the engine combustion process and the exhaust after-treatment in the most efficient way. In diesel vehicles, this is achieved by injecting ammonia into the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system; and in gasoline engines by controlling the regeneration cycle of the NOx Storage Catalyst in combination with lean burn engine technology. Continental's Powertrain Division leads the world in this sensor technology which is now used by approximately two dozen passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers. "Continental's NOx sensors allow engine developers to fine-tune engines in the design conflict between the lowest possible consumption, low exhaust gas emissions and excellent ride comfort and performance", explained Wolfgang Breuer.

PACE Awards: Setting Standards for Innovation and Quality

Continental is one of the companies nominated in the 'Product Europe' category. Automotive suppliers can also receive awards in the 'Product', 'Information Technology' and 'Manufacturing Process' categories.  PACE stands for Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence; and the first awards, which were the brainchild of the industry magazine Automotive News, were made in 1994. The prize winners will be announced and honored at a ceremony in Detroit on April 12, 2010.

Continental has already received several PACE Awards

Continental has been among the PACE prize winners several times in previous years. In 2008, the company won the prize for its gasoline engine direct injection system; and in 2005, prizes were awarded for the colored heads-up display for passenger cars and for the economical process for manufacturing the Deka VII injection nozzles. In 2003, the piezo common-rail injection system for diesels received a PACE Award, as did the effort-saving Keyless Go locking system in 2000.