· Smallest brake control system in the market with up to 30 percent less weight and volume than the previous version

· Cost-effective design

In 2010, Bosch will start series production of generation 9 brake control systems. Bosch engineers have been able to reduce their weight and size by up to 30 percent as compared to the previous version. These Bosch systems will be the smallest and lightest in the market. The most compact ABS will weigh only 1.1 kilograms, the lightest ESP® only 1.6 kilograms. Thanks to its modular design, the new generation offers an ideal solution for all vehicle segments ? whether for compact cars, luxury cars, or for light commercial vehicles. “With this cost-optimized design, we are supporting the worldwide efforts of the automobile industry and governments to make active safety systems standard equipment in every vehicle,” said Dr. Werner Struth, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division. “This way, we can significantly reduce the number of serious accidents.”

The right brake control system for every purpose
For economy models, Bosch offers ABS antilock braking systems that feature the protection well known to drivers of luxury and middle-class cars. These systems are mainly intended for operation in the emerging markets and for vehicles in the low-price segment. Even the most compact ESP®9 version offers complete protection against a vehicle's skidding. Depending on the additional features of a given system, automakers are utilizing further extensions of the ESP®9 system architecture. For example, the stop-and-go function of an adaptive cruise control system requires frequent and smooth braking all the way to a full stop. Bosch achieves this with specially adapted electric motors and pumps which operate very quietly and nearly free of vibration, and which allow braking pressure to be adjusted exactly.

Not only the hardware, but also the software of the generation 9 systems can be flexibly applied. For example, the modular software architecture CSMosar incorporates tried and proven features of the previous system. This leads to a significant reduction in the costs incurred by an automaker for testing and application work.

ABS and ESP® gaining widespread recognition
The results of numerous relevant international studies have led the U.S., the EU, and Australia to pass legislation that will make the installation of ESP® in newly registered vehicles mandatory in the next few years. In Brazil, an agreement was reached at the beginning of 2009 to make ABS mandatory for all newly registered vehicles. Bosch developed the active safety systems ABS and ESP® and was the first company to launch them onto the market: the ABS antilock braking system in 1978 and the ESP® electronic stability program in 1995. To date, Bosch has manufactured over 200 million brake control systems, which are now made at eight locations worldwide ? including its sites in Brazil (since 2007), and in India (since 2009).

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.

PI6757 - September 2009