· Lower costs of production will enable installment in medium- and compact-class cars in the future

· Ideal platform for ACC and predictive emergency braking system

Bosch is set to start production of its third-generation long-range radar sensor – LRR3 for short. As compared to its predecessor, the LRR3 is capable of delivering far superior results. It is now capable of registering objects in a range of 0.5 to 250 meters, instead of 2 to 200 meters as before. Depending on the application, the opening angle of the sensor is now up to 30 degrees, which is twice as large. The radar sensor will first be featured in the new Porsche Panamera. The sports car manufacturer will use the sensor for its ACC adaptive cruise control system.

In addition to improving the radar sensor's technologies, Bosch engineers have also succeeded in drastically lowering its production costs. For example, Bosch is the first manufacturer to make use of silicon-germanium technology in the high-frequency module of the radar sensor. As a result, in the future the LRR3 sensor can also be featured more and more in medium- and compact-class cars. In addition, the improved range of the sensor was made possible without the use of any moving parts whatsoever, which makes it more robust. In the future, the LRR3 will also be at the core of predictive safety systems: apart from its use in ACC systems, it can also team up with the ESP® electronic stability program to activate a collision warning or an automatic emergency braking operation. According to Bosch accident analyses, three out of four rear-end collisions involving personal injury can be avoided with such systems.

ACC in the new Porsche Panamera – dynamic and yet comfortable
If the Panamera driver switches on the ACC, the car will maintain its speed or its chosen distance to the car ahead. The ACC system is operable up to 210 kph and can brake the car comfortably with the help of the Bosch ESP® electronic stability program, all the way down to a full stop. When traffic begins to move again, a brief confirmation by the driver is all it takes to get the car up and running again fully independently. Appropriate to the sporty character of the Panamera, the system accelerates dynamically when the driver is changing to a free lane. In addition, the desired speed can be reached more quickly by operating the ACC control lever. The driver can also select a “sport” response mode for rapid downshifts and quick adaptation of the car's speed to that of the car ahead. “ACC reacts even more dynamically with the new sensor,” says Dr. Werner Struth, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division. “The system provides an excellent fit to the dynamic character of the new Porsche.”

Even when the ACC system is on standby, the radar sensor monitors the traffic ahead and informs the driver whenever the car threatens to fall short of the preselected safety distance to the car ahead. Should the car come dangerously close to the vehicle ahead, the brake system is automatically prepared for a potential full-braking maneuver. The brake circuits are filled with fluid, which presses the brake pads to the surface of the discs, and the trigger threshold of the hydraulic brake assistant is lowered accordingly. This enables drivers to have full braking capacity immediately at their disposal should they decide to brake – which shortens the braking distance considerably.

Apart from ACC and ESP®, Bosch also supplies the starter, the spark plugs, and an entire range of sensors for this new comfortable, high-performance gran turismo Porsche sports car.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 275,000 associates generated sales of 38.2 billion euros in fiscal 2009. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in over 60 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for growth. Each year, Bosch spends more than 3.5 billion euros for research and development, and applies for some 3,800 patents worldwide. With all its products and services, Bosch enhances the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH. Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.com.

PI6755 - September 2009