Continental, the international automotive supplier and technology company today signed an MOU with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to support a three-year Bachelor of Engineering with Honours programme in Telematics (Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineering). This programme is a first of its kind offered in Singapore and the collaboration with a local university is also Continental’s first. At the event, Continental together with its ITS Lab partners, A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R) and Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich, TUM CREATE), also launched the new Park&Go @SG iOS parking app and the enhanced Android version.

With the emphasis in developing and driving the Smart Nation Platform (SNP), everyone, everything, and everywhere will be connected in real time in Singapore. In line with this initiative, the Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineering (Telematics) programme is timely as it involves not only transport and traffic management systems, connectivity and technology modules but a familiarity with the latest smart innovations currently expounded by R&D and university centres worldwide. Students in SIT’s Telematics degree programme who are exposed to an intimate knowledge of operational working conditions in leading-edge and telematics-driven companies such as Continental, will also be better able to respond and deal with the challenges in developing new capabilities in more efficient transport systems, vehicular communications technologies, smart mobility and connectivity devices.

Mr. Lo Kien Foh, Managing Director of Continental Automotive Singapore, and also one of the Industry Advisory Committee members at SIT, said: "As Continental does in other global markets, we are investing in the future of Singapore by collaborating with SIT in supporting ITS engineering and technology-driven training to provide student engineers with the knowledge and skill sets to meet the future demands and challenges of a Smart Nation. Continental has been working with SIT on the course programme for the past three years and I am gratified to sign this MOU with SIT to support the upcoming Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Telematics course commencing in September 2016. I am sure the programme will give both Continental and SIT an excellent platform to cross-fertilise and exchange ideas, knowledge, innovations, ITS operational concepts and best in industry practices in telematics technologies. I am confident the course will equip graduates with a well-rounded engineering capability and much needed hands-on experience to make them industry-ready for the Smart Nation."

Professor Loh Han Tong, Deputy President (Academic) & Provost, SIT said, "As a university of applied learning, we ensure that our degree programmes are industry-focused as well as tailored to meet critical manpower demands in Singapore. With the launch of Smart Nation and Smart Mobility 2030 initiatives together with the successful bid for ITS World Congress 2019, the field of telematics and ITS in Singapore is expected to accelerate in the coming years. The Telematics (Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineering) programme is the first of its kind in Singapore and will pave the way for students to become deep specialists in the relevant areas of vehicle communication and information processing. Students will go through rigorous academic training while having an eight-month Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) with MNCs such as Continental."

(From left) Prof Loh Han Tong, Deputy President (Academic) & Provost, SIT, Mr Ralf Lenninger, Senior Vice President of Interior Electronics Solution, Continental and Mr Lo Kien Foh, Managing Director of Continental Automotive Singapore at the MOU signing.

About the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Telematics Programme

The Bachelor course is a three-year programme by SIT. Continental Automotive Singapore is one of the contributors for the development of the programme’s curriculum. The course focuses on core skills in electrical engineering, computer science and ITS knowledge. In addition, specialist skills in vehicular communication, telematics technologies and ITS engineering will be emphasised. This will prepare students for the future in the technically-challenging and technology-driven field of ITS engineering arena. Continental will assist SIT’s teaching staff in the course instruction as adjunct lecturers.