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On the heels of winning the 2005 World Traffic Safety Symposium award for leadership in community service, Continental Teves today said it would continue educating consumers about the latest safety advances and why they are important to have on their next new vehicle.

Continental Automotive Systems North America President and CEO William Kozyra said, "We are grateful to the World Traffic Safety Symposium for recognizing our work innovating quality safety products that are right for the times, and making sure the public understands the value and how to use them to best advantage."

The award was presented in New York City April 1 during the New York International Auto Show.

"We want our safety message to reach as many people as possible, especially women who spend so much time driving family members around town, and young people who are just beginning their driving experience," he said. "The safety of people around the world is improving every day thanks to rapid technological advances, a commitment by the auto industry to accelerate installation rates of important safety equipment, and increasing consumer demand."

Kozyra said that the company would continue to exhibit and conduct demonstrations at prominent events around the country to showcase safety advances, and promote public understanding about what he called "the electronic transformation in auto safety."

"We can't just talk about safety in the abstract when so much is happening and happening very fast. It's important that opinion-leaders and average citizens alike have a chance to experience it firsthand," Kozyra said.

Two examples of coming events that the company will attend: the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV 2005) June 6-9 in Washington, D.C., and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) annual meeting, August 28-31, Norfolk, VA. Attendees at both will have an opportunity to see and actually drive the latest in Continental safety technology.

In March, the company attended the annual Lifesavers safety conference in Charlotte, NC. Kozyra spoke at a safety technology session, and dozens of federal, state and community safety officials from around the country were able to drive Continental's "Total Safety Concept Car" that integrates several active and passive safety technologies to improve safety and enhance the driving experience. They were also able to drive a vehicle with ESC.

"Frankly, the response at Lifesavers was overwhelming," Kozyra said. "Not only were our test drives literally 'sold out,' it would be fair to say that those who drove the car were wowed by what they experienced."

Kozyra explained that the international safety award was for the company's Safely There multi-million dollar tractor-trailer exhibit that uses interactive HDTV media and a realistic, Disney-like simulator to enable the public to "test drive" Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and learn about other available safety equipment.

"This award belongs to all of the Continental team, some of whom are literally on the road 24/7 taking the Safely There truck to the American people in the cities and towns coast to coast where they live and where they will be buying their next car," he added.

"While manufactured by many companies, we are proud to have helped put ESC on the map," Kozyra said. "Because of our efforts dating back to the mid- 1990s to educate safety groups and consumers, ESC is now considered 'must have' safety equipment, and consumer demand for it is increasing every day. This award is especially gratifying for those of our team -- from our plant employees to those who drive the Safely There truck -- who get up every morning and think how they can help save another life by what they do."

"You can't just add new equipment to a vehicle and expect consumers to understand the added value. Educating them on why they need it and how it works to their benefit is an important component of new vehicle marketing these days," he added.

He explained that Continental was the first to make consumers aware of compelling international data documenting real world effectiveness of ESC, and the company also used the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National Advanced Driving Simulator to underscore the practicality of the technology.

NHTSA changed the safety paradigm internationally when it announced in September 2004 that cars equipped with ESC had 30 percent fewer fatal crashes; 35 percent fewer single vehicle crashes; and that SUVs had 67 percent fewer single vehicle crashes and 63 percent fewer fatal crashes.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) did its own research and echoed the NHTSA findings, announcing that ESC could save 7,000 lives a year.

"ESC is a quantum leap forward in protecting people by preventing crashes from happening in the first place. It has now evolved into a building block for even more safety enhancement. Prevention should be the first goal in motor vehicle safety," Kozyra said.

The award-winning national tour for the company's Safely There truck was launched in Washington, DC in July 2003. The big rig with eye-catching graphics subsequently visited dozens of cities and events across the nation.

The World Traffic Safety Symposium was established in 1990 to address concern about traffic injuries and fatalities. Sponsored annually by the New York International Auto Show, the largest such show in the U.S., it engages the auto industry, consumers, and the news media in a dialogue about available safety opportunities.

Other awards went to Ford Motor Company (automaker category); TRW (supplier category); and Parents Magazine (media category). Judges include auto safety experts from government and private organizations.

Source: Continental AG