Continental’s Automotive group sector to eliminate 3,000 R&D jobs worldwide by the end of 2026

Continental’s Automotive group sector is planning to eliminate a total of around 3,000 research and development jobs worldwide by the end of 2026, less than half of which will be in Germany.

“The improved global set-up requires additional efficiency measures aimed at reducing the company’s R&D ratio to remain competitive. The planned R&D workforce optimization efforts will be largely implemented through natural fluctuation, for example from retirements, and a focus on internal hiring. These latest measures are necessary and in part due to the dynamic and challenging market environment as the industry is undergoing a major transformation toward future technologies,” a company release shows.

Targeted measures for the individual business segments, subsidiaries and locations are intended to adapt capacities to changing customer demand, increase the efficiency of the global network of research and development locations and improve processes.

In Germany, these additional efficiency measures relate primarily to the sites in Babenhausen, where around 12 percent of employees are affected according to planning, and Frankfurt (around 5 percent).

Further measures, on a smaller scale, are planned in Ingolstadt, Regensburg and Schwalbach. In addition, measures are planned at the subsidiaries Elektrobit and Continental Engineering Services. Worldwide, 480 jobs are affected at Elektrobit, of which around 330 are in Germany.

At Continental Engineering Services, the measures relate to 420 jobs worldwide, of which around 330 are in Germany. As part of the global location concept, Continental Engineering Services plans to leave its location in Nuremberg. 

The Continental group sector Automotive employs around 92,000 people (December 31, 2024), of which around 31,000 are in research and development.