Bosch powers future of automotive development
Highlighting a number of keys themes, members of the Bosch board of management have addressed the international media at its bi-annual International Automotive Press Conference in Germany (May 19-21, 2015). Topics covered included sales growth, technology plans encompassing electrification, connectivity and automation in the mobility sector, as well as the company’s contribution to specific models including the technically advanced Porsche 918 Spyder
Mobility Solutions sector continues strong growth
Bosch announced that sales grew, once again, significantly faster than the market, with unit sales of the ESP anti-skid system, diesel systems and petrol systems each increasing by 20 percent in 2014. Meanwhile, the driver assistance business is rising by one-third annually.
Connectivity as the key to electrification and automation
Connectivity will lead breakthroughs in electrified and automated driving, for example, allowing drivers to locate and reserve charging spots or enabling automated vehicles to anticipate events such as congestion ahead and decelerate in plenty of time. Bosch also highlighted the issues of protection against unauthorised external access to vehicle functions, an essential element in a future of increasingly connected cars.
Bosch creates technical prerequisites for automated driving
As a leader in the automated driving arena, Bosch has now added electric power steering to its portfolio thanks to its new Automotive Steering Division. It also recognised people as being at the centre of automated driving; in Bosch prototypes, the human machine interface (HMI) notifies the driver whenever automated driving is a viable option for a portion of the journey.
Electric car twins join the Bosch fleet
Bosch premiered two new automated test vehicles based on the Tesla Model S at the Conference, each of which was retrofitted with fifty new Bosch components, enabling them to now autonomously drive on motorways without constant monitoring from the driver. The cars join the fleet alongside Bosch’s current test vehicles based on the BMW 325d Touring, which have been successful driven for several thousand kilometres on motorways in both Stuttgart and California.
Electrification will take combustion engines to new heights
In 2025, Bosch predicts around 15 percent of all new vehicles built worldwide will have a hybrid powertrain, while in Europe more than a third of all new cars will be partially electric powered. Bosch believes that electrification is complementary to internal combustion engines, with the company’s new recuperation system a prime example. The entry-level 48-volt hybrid unit reduces CO2 emissions by around 7 percent in the driving cycle for compact vehicles.
An electrifying combination: hybrid technology from Porsche and Bosch
“Porsche and Bosch have teamed up to bring electrification to electrifying sports cars together. Electricity gives added driving pleasure and efficiency”, said Dr. Rolf Bulander, Chairman of the Business Sector Mobility Solutions at Bosch. For the three plug-in models made by Porsche, Bosch supplies the power electronics, the battery pack, the electric motors for the Cayenne and Panamera and the electric motor installed on the front axle of the 918 Spyder.