Bosch
Media Service

Bosch Media Service contains press releases, press photos, videos and other materials which aim to support reporting about the Bosch Group.

Headlines

Leading through innovation Bosch CEO Denner urges vigilance of new trends Europe's leading position not set in stone

  • China sees significant increase in patent applications
  • Innovation and creativity are prerequisite for prosperity in Germany and Europe
  • Linking the real and virtual worlds enables new business models and products
Stuttgart – At a panel discussion on Thursday evening in Stuttgart on the topic of “leading through innovation,” Dr. Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, urged Europe to step up innovation in order to retain its leading edge. “Our leading position is not set in stone.” For example, a decade ago China registered 80,000 patents, while Europe registered 160,000. Since then, the number in Europe has risen to 260,000; in China, however, it has reached 650,000 – more than double the number in Europe. According to Denner, it is crucial to remain vigilant of these trends and not be satisfied with past achievements. “Innovation and creativity are necessary to maintain and increase our prosperity. Indispensable elements of this are education, research and development, as well as a new startup culture.”

Connectivity a vital factor in success
Above all, Denner sees connectivity over the internet of things and services as a pioneering development. “In a few years, every electronic product will be internet-capable. The question is no longer if, but when,” Denner said. “If we fail to comprehensively network our machines and facilities, I believe we will jeopardize Germany's position as an industrial hub.” At the same time, Denner emphasized the opportunities that are resulting from new business models and products in the realm of connectivity, such as the preventative diagnosis and remote maintenance of machines over the internet, or automated driving. In the future, even heating systems will know the weather forecast, and will be able to regulate the temperature in homes accordingly. Denner is convinced that this connectivity will trigger a flood of innovations. “The only way we can protect our existing business and remain fit for the future is by having new ideas. Connectivity will literally revolutionize many areas.”

New products for mature markets in Europe
Denner also urged his audience to take advantage of growth opportunities in emerging markets. At the same time, he said, it is important to develop products for mature, wealthy, yet slow-growing markets such as Europe. Here, innovation and creativity are particularly needed. All companies must rise to this challenge, not only Bosch.
More
Add to my press materials
  • May 17, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Business/economy

ITU recognizes commitment to road safety Bosch CEO Denner receives award from the International Telecommunication Union

  • UN specialized agency honors Bosch innovations for improving road safety
  • In Europe, the number of road deaths has halved over the last 15 years
  • Need for harmonized allocation of radio frequencies around the globe
Stuttgart/Geneva – In Geneva, Dr. Volkmar Denner, the chairman of the Bosch board of management, has been presented with the 2013 World Telecommunication and Information Society Award by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In giving the award, the specialized agency of the United Nations is paying tribute to Bosch’s efforts to improve road safety. “I accept this prestigious award on behalf of our more than 5,000 engineers whose innovations have made driving safer and more comfortable,” Denner said. According to Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré, the secretary general of the Geneva-based ITU, Bosch has made exemplary use of modern information and communications technologies to improve road safety. In addition to Denner, Ueli Maurer, the president of the Swiss confederation, and Jean Todt, the president of the international automobile federation (FIA), also received awards.

Since the mid-19th century, the ITU has been responsible for global issues relating to telecommunications, including the allocation and registration of radio frequencies. The organization supports the UN’s “decade of action for road safety” campaign, which aims to significantly improve road safety around the world by 2020. “One way we are working toward this goal is with the development of assistance systems which identify potential dangers and warn drivers about them in advance,” Denner said. Radar sensors are a key component of these systems. However, they depend on common, secure frequencies around the world. “Warnings or even emergency braking in critical situations are only possible when there are no disruptions to these systems. To ensure this, it is crucial that the frequency bands between 76 and 81 gigahertz be allocated to vehicle radar applications worldwide. In addition, the technical requirements must be harmonized and regulated globally,” Denner said. “This matter will therefore be a key topic at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference, and is one of the areas in which Bosch and the ITU are collaborating.”

In his acceptance speech, the Bosch CEO also called attention to the tremendous progress that has already been made in improving road safety. Thanks to advancements in automotive technology, the number of road deaths in Europe has fallen by half over the past 15 years. These technological innovations include the ESP® electronic stability program developed by Bosch. This system can prevent up to 80 percent of all skids, which account for nearly half of all fatal accidents. Since 1995, Bosch has delivered almost 100 million ESP® systems. The list of countries in which these systems are mandatory already includes Europe and the U.S., and is still growing.
More
Add to my press materials
  • May 17, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 1

Bosch makes driving safer and more comfortable Assistance systems reach the compact class Featured in the new Golf

  • Emergency brake assist provides safety, and adaptive cruise control makes driving more comfortable
  • Sales of radar and video sensors are skyrocketing
  • Bosch supplies assistance technology for the new Volkswagen Golf
As the driver’s gaze drifts to the left, the car keeps rolling forward. In the very same moment, the vehicle ahead comes to a sudden stop. While the driver does not notice the impending danger, the Bosch emergency brake assist does, and brings the car to a stop in the nick of time.

The predictive emergency braking function is just one of many assistance technologies that Bosch, being one of the leading automotive suppliers worldwide, offers. The electronics help preserve a safe distance between vehicles. In critical situations, they can warn drivers and brake automatically. At night, the vehicle electronics provide optimum automotive lighting outside city limits – and they do so fully automatically. All this makes driving a safer and more pleasant experience.

For many years, automatic assistance systems were to the preserve of premium-segment vehicle models. However, the technology has now reached vehicles in the compact class. For instance, Bosch has supplied the radar and video sensors for the new Volkswagen Golf.

“With its assistance systems in the new Golf, Bosch has brought safety and comfort to the masses,” says Gerhard Steiger, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division. The sales figures for modern environment sensors clearly illustrate this. Such sensors form the basis of predictive assistance systems, as they monitor the vehicle’s surroundings. From 2011 to 2012 alone, the number of sensors sold around the world more than doubled. And drivers are benefiting from this trend: as a result of mass production, prices have decreased, and more buyers of new vehicles can afford the electronic helpers. In turn, as the sensors become more widespread, the accident risk for all road users will diminish.

Assistance systems become noticeably active in critical situations. For instance, the Bosch emergency brake assist alarms the driver as soon as danger becomes apparent. If the driver fails to react to its acoustic warning, it briefly hits the brakes, and then partially brakes automatically. If an accident can no longer be avoided, full automatic braking can, at the very least, reduce impact speed. The sensor data can be used to precisely adapt the braking force to the danger at hand. At speeds of less than 30 kilometers per hour, however, there is no multi-stage braking strategy. This saves time, and makes it possible to effectively avoid accidents.

Another example is the Bosch adaptive cruise control. The driver sets the vehicle’s speed as always. The car not only maintains the speed, it brakes and accelerates automatically – and can bring the car to a complete halt. In vehicles equipped with automatic transmission, it can even move off on its own following a short stop. With adaptive cruise control, the only thing the driver has to do is steer. All this is made possible by a radar sensor that keeps precise track of the distance to the vehicles ahead.

The multi-purpose camera is another decisive provider of information. It films what is happening up to a range of 120 meters in front of the car. Powerful software analyzes the flow of images at lightning speed. For instance, it recognizes road markings that are important for lane departure warning assistance. If a vehicle approaches the curb line, steering can be gently corrected to automatically guide the vehicle back to the middle of the lane. Road sign recognition functions can also draw on the video sensor data. Comparing these with information from the vehicle’s navigation system means drivers can be warned of speed limits and areas in which overtaking is not allowed. The high beam assistant and dynamic light control functions also use data from the Bosch video camera, which provides the information required to ensure the best possible view without dazzling oncoming drivers.

Assistance and much more
In addition to safety and comfort features, the new Volkswagen Golf is equipped with a number of other Bosch technologies, including the car’s diesel injection system, its engine control unit, injection valves for gasoline direct injection, the start-stop system, the alternator, the wiper system, and the engine’s cooling fan, as well as a broad range of sensors.

Additional YouTube links:
Bosch predictive emergency braking system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHR8AeZrlVc
Bosch Adaptive Cruise Control:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=own_VaRZ9M8
More
Add to my press materials
  • May 15, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 1

Automated driving Bosch carries out tests on German roads

  • Bosch test vehicle brings highly automated driving to the Autobahn
  • TÜV Süd confirms that comprehensive safety concept is sound
  • Tests in real traffic conditions accelerate the development of functions
Bosch is testing automated driving on German roads. The stated aim is to use everyday driving situations to put these self-steering and self-driving cars to the test and to improve them. In an independent report that praises the safety concept Bosch worked up for the test drives, the German certification organization TÜV Süd is absolutely certain that “nothing now stands in the way of testing these experimental vehicles on public roads.” Wolf-Henning Scheider, the member of the Bosch board of management responsible for this area, underlines the significance of this independent assessment: “We are absolutely committed to the principle of dual control.”

The first stage of development is concerned with automated driving on the Autobahn. With no crossing traffic, no oncoming traffic, and no pedestrians, freeways present the fewest challenges to automated systems. The test car’s maneuvers are dictated by a lane keeping assistant, an adaptive cruise control system, and a lane changing assistant, with the necessary information about the car’s surroundings being collected by Bosch radar and video sensors. Findings from these tests are paving the way for driving functions that are ever more automated, such as a traffic jam pilot that fully automatically assumes control of the car at low speeds. On the way to achieving this goal, the tests are already providing valuable experience that is feeding in to improvements in emergency braking or evasion systems. “The results of these tests are helping to make driving even safer and more relaxed,” Scheider says.

Even though the technology is already in a position to deal with almost any traffic situation that might conceivably be encountered on a freeway, the drivers at the wheel of these test vehicles are nonetheless specially trained. Only associates who have internalized the safety concept and completed a special driving course are allowed to take part in the test drives. One thing they must be able to do is react quickly in potentially critical situations.

A good 5,000 engineers work at Bosch to develop ever more powerful safety and assistance systems which form the foundation for automated driving. The project team responsible is now working to safely integrate these future functions with a car’s sensors, control units, and actuators to form a unified system. They are working toward this aim in two places: in Palo Alto, California, engineers are driving the development of functions, while systems integration is being done in Abstatt, near Stuttgart in Germany.

Additional YouTube link:
Bosch automated driving:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D0ZN2tPihQ
More
Add to my press materials
  • May 03, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 2

2013 Automotive Innovation Award Awards for Bosch parking assistant and hybrid components

  • Bosch wins in the categories “powertrain technology” and “electrics and electronics”
  • Professor Stefan Bratzel: “Bosch offers high-quality innovations”
  • Awards for significant innovations that are close to series production
Parking without lifting a finger – Bosch’s automatic parking assistant makes getting into even the tightest spaces child’s play for drivers. This is one of the innovations for which the company has won two awards. The Center of Automotive Management and PricewaterhouseCoopers have given the supplier of technology and services the “2013 Automotive Innovation Award” in the “powertrain technology” and “electrics and electronics” categories. In his commendation, Professor Stefan Bratzel from the Center of Automotive Management said: “Bosch is seen as a highly innovative supplier and its innovations are very high quality.” In addition to the parking assistant, innovations such as the diesel hybrid and the latest improvements to the start-stop system impressed the judges.

The awards were given following a comprehensive analysis of several suppliers. The selection committee examined hundreds of innovations by leading companies. But the sheer number of innovations was not the only thing that counted. What was more important was the degree of innovation and how close the products were to series production. The opinions of major automakers also played a role in the evaluation. The awards were accepted by Wolf-Henning Scheider, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. Dedicating them to his hard-working associates, Scheider said: “These two awards are also confirmation of two fundamental Bosch values: innovative strength and quality.”

He added that the workforce of Robert Bosch GmbH will continue to be an innovative force in the automotive industry. As well as continuously improving internal-combustion engines, the supplier is also working on alternative powertrains for electric vehicles, efficient peripheral systems, and a hydraulic hybrid. In addition, Bosch engineers are focused intently on automated driving as well as on sophisticated multimedia solutions and user-friendly interfaces. Even now, for example, drivers can benefit from more than half a dozen assistance systems that are becoming standard features not only in the premium segment but also in the compact class.
More
Add to my press materials
  • May 03, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 1

Key component in driver assistance Bosch manufactures one-millionth radar sensor

  • Driver assistance systems poised for a boom
  • Bosch has all the capabilities needed for driver assistance
  • Radar sensor performance and production costs greatly improved
  • Bosch solely uses the powerful 77 GHz frequency band for radar sensors
When driving a car, the most important point of reference is the vehicle in front. How far ahead is it, and how fast is it traveling? What humans can only estimate, radar sensors can measure with extreme precision around 20 times a second – which is why they form the basis of numerous powerful assistance systems. These systems automatically maintain chosen pre-selected distance from the car ahead, and in critical situations they provide warnings and hit the brakes of their own accord. At the time of writing, Bosch is manufacturing at its Reutlingen location near Stuttgart its millionth radar sensor that utilizes the 77 GHz frequency band. Series production began in 2000. For a long time volumes remained small, but now they are growing rapidly. While it took 13 years to reach the one-million mark, the next million will roll off the production lines in little over a year. “Driver assistance will experience a real boom in the coming years,” says Wolf-Henning Scheider, describing the dynamic affecting the sector for which he is responsible as member of the Bosch board of management. “Bosch will be delivering its ten-millionth radar sensor come 2016.”

Driver-assistance market experiencing double-digit growth
Automakers are using the growing number of assistance functions as a way of standing out from the competition. A further major driver of this growth is Euro NCAP's future rating process: from 2014, a car will have to feature at least one assistance system to receive a five-star rating, and from 2016 comprehensive pedestrian safety will be mandatory. But once sensors are on board, they can of course serve many other functions. A camera that detects lane markings can for instance also record traffic signs. Drivers will come to appreciate these safety and comfort features more and more. “The driver-assistance market will see annual growth of over 20 percent over the next few years,” Scheider says.

Bosch offers comprehensive systems competence
Powerful assistance systems call for the comprehensive integration of several in-vehicle systems. Assistance systems combine data from a wide range of sensors to form a unified map of the vehicle's surroundings, with the engine, brakes, and steering carrying out the instructions computed on the basis of that map. In the words of Gerhard Steiger, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division, the supplier of technology and services has more than just a high level of systems competence: “For driver assistance, Bosch has all the necessary capabilities in-house.”

Bosch is looking to help shape the coming years by way of new technology and new functions. The company is about to start series production of the new mid-range radar sensor, which is just as powerful as its predecessor but more compact and considerably more affordable. The sensor is available in front and rear versions. In 2014 production will get underway for a stereo video sensor that can measure distances of up to around 50 meters. For the first time, therefore, just one sensor is needed for automatic emergency braking to enhance pedestrian safety. In the future, new functions will play a bigger role in helping to steer vehicles. For instance, they will use ultrasound sensors to park fully automatically, even if the driver is standing outside the car, and they will steer through narrow construction zones sites on freeways. “Each innovation brings us a little bit closer to accident-free, automated driving,” says Steiger. The degree of automation will slowly increase at first, initially on freeways. Starting in 2014, drivers will be able to choose a series-production traffic jam assistant developed largely by Bosch. At low speeds, this function steers fully automatically, although the driver retains overall responsibility. Over time, assisted freeway driving will become successively more automated at ever higher speeds, finally reaching the point when the highway pilot will automatically take care of all the driving, from approach road to exit ramp. Steiger is convinced that “fully automated driving will come about in many small steps.”

Comprehensive portfolio of radar sensors
Since the start of series production for the first generation of radar sensors, Bosch has worked intensively to improve the technology. The second generation saw a doubling of both range and aperture angle. The third and current series-production generation, the LRR3 long-range radar sensor, offers an even wider aperture of 30 degrees and a range of up to 250 meters. What is more, the high-frequency module of this Bosch sensor is the first to feature silicon-germanium technology, which brings down manufacturing costs substantially. “With each generation we have managed to halve costs and double performance,” says Dr. Bernhard Lucas, department head for radar components engineering.

The mid-range radar sensor is about to enter series production. Its aperture angle of 45 degrees and range of up to 160 meters enable all emergency braking functions to be implemented, as well as adaptive cruise control up to 150 kilometers per hour – sufficient for almost any country in the world. Production of a version for use at the rear of the vehicle will begin in 2014; this will allow early detection of vehicles approaching quickly from behind and thus warn of collisions when changing lanes. With an aperture angle of 150 degrees, it can survey a particularly wide area.

All Bosch radar sensors use the 77-gigahertz frequency band. Compared to 24-gigahertz versions, a 77-gigahertz sensor is more powerful in every respect: its object separation is up to three times more accurate, and it can measure speed and distance three to five times more accurately. Since this higher frequency band has been permanently allocated to automotive applications worldwide, it is particularly suitable for global vehicle platforms.

Additional YouTube links:
Bosch predictive emergency braking system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhLzFt3EYPY
Bosch Adaptive Cruise Control:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=own_VaRZ9M8
More
Add to my press materials
  • May 02, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 3

Vienna Motor Symposium 2013 Bosch believes vehicles can become even more fuel-efficient

  • Innovative Bosch technology reduces CO2 emissions in all segments
  • The most efficient engines in today's compact class are already 2020-compliant
  • CNG engines save money and help protect the environment
Stuttgart/Vienna – Bosch, the global supplier of technology and services, is confident that the EU fleet emissions targets of 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer are technically feasible. “We are working on innovative solutions with the aim of further improving engines across vehicle classes. Further reductions in fuel consumption are possible, but will involve considerable additional costs in some cases,” said Dr. Volkmar Denner, the chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH with special responsibility for research and development, at the Vienna Motor Symposium 2013. “From a Bosch viewpoint, it is essential that the further development of the powertrain be regarded from a cost-benefit perspective.”

In all vehicle segments, Bosch sees technical potential for reducing CO2 emissions even further, thus protecting the environment and conserving resources. Even today, compact cars equipped with the latest technology meet the EU targets. The most advanced diesel in this segment emits just 81 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Its gasoline counterpart manages 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer. In compact cars, the emissions targets for 2020 are within striking distance, and in some cases already reality. Improvements to engines can reduce fleet values further.

Especially in the middle class, price is an important criterion. This is why Bosch is also working to make engines in this segment even cleaner and more efficient, but at the same time affordable. This calls for new components. For example, there are systems that can effectively recuperate braking energy, allowing a mild electrification of the powertrain. Even in the middle class, therefore, further efforts will allow the very ambitious EU target for 2020 to be met: modern diesel engines in this class now emit 105 grams of CO2 per kilometer, and modern gasoline engines 115 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

Plug-in hybrid systems further enhance premium segment
For many automakers, these developments in compact and middle-class vehicles make sense. The more economical a vehicle fleet's high-volume compact models are, the better they can offset the emissions from SUVs. In the premium class, simply optimizing the internal-combustion engine is no longer enough for reaching CO2 targets. Additional savings can be achieved by further reducing drag and weight. At the same time, the automotive supplier Bosch is developing efficient plug-in hybrid systems that make it possible to drive up to 60 kilometers purely on electricity. Using systems such as these, even an SUV can reduce its emissions. However, this will also mean that this vehicle class will cost more. On the other hand, the plug-in hybrid offers extra functions that further enhance the premium segment. A car equipped with this powertrain is almost silent when driven electrically, but nonetheless has the same range as a car with a combustion engine. And the torque of the second, electrical powertrain provides a boost effect, making the car more fun to drive.

In addition to powertrain electrification, Bosch sees potential for installing economical CNG engines in all vehicle classes. “CNG systems can already help reduce CO2 at a low additional cost. In this area, Bosch components have a technical edge,” Denner said. “However, in order to increase the market penetration of CNG vehicles, the infrastructure has to be significantly expanded.” As the world's leading automotive supplier, Bosch offers a broad range of systems and components that contribute to conserving resources and increasing energy efficiency. With sales of 31.1 billion euros in 2012, the Automotive Technology business sector accounted for 59 percent of Bosch's total sales. The business sector counts 177,000 associates worldwide, of which 33,000 are development engineers.
More
Add to my press materials
  • April 25, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology

Double-digit growth over the past decade Bosch China continues steady business performance in 2012 Increasing local agility to sustain long-term growth

  • Total revenue at CNY 41.7 billion (5.1 billion euros)
  • Compound annual growth rate of 25 percent makes China a Bosch success story over the past decade
  • Double-digit growth expected in 2013
Shanghai – Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, generated consolidated sales revenue of CNY 41.7 billion (5.1 billion euros) in China in 2012. “After many years of strong growth, our business in China stagnated on a high level in 2012. Even so, China remains Bosch’s second largest overseas market. For 2013, we again expect to see considerable growth in China,” said Uwe Raschke, the member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH responsible for Asia Pacific. He added: “The compound annual growth rate of 25 percent over the past decade makes China a Bosch success story. And we strive to achieve double-digit growth in the future.” A number of measures were introduced to improve local agility in 2012, and these will continue in 2013. They include greater local decision-making powers, a higher share of local value add and supplies, more products oriented to local markets, and a continuation of the company’s long-established policy of substantial local R&D activities.

2012 is a mixed year in terms of business development for Bosch in China. With the lasting strength of innovative technologies and localization solutions for the Chinese market, the Automotive Technology business sector managed to grow in line with the market. The Industrial Technology business sector, however, felt the effects of the downturn in mechanical engineering. And as the real estate market recovered, the Consumer Goods and Building Technology business sector witnessed moderate growth.

Bosch Group business developments 2012-2013
For 2013, Bosch expects global sales growth of 2 to 4 percent. The measures to improve result that were started in 2012 – such as limits on fixed costs, capital expenditure, and company acquisitions – are to be continued. The supplier of technology and services will also continue to rigorously pursue the main lines of its strategy – with systems for environmental protection, energy efficiency, and safety. Bosch believes that there is huge energy-efficiency potential, as well as sales potential, in modernizing buildings’ power supply, energy management, and insulation.

On January 1, 2013, Bosch brought together the areas of its business that deal with this to form a fourth business sector, Energy and Building Technology. This new business sector generated sales of 5 billion euros in 2012. The company also expects sales growth to come from innovative and beneficial products, web-based business models, and the further expansion of its international presence. At the company’s recent annual press conference in Germany, Dr. Volkmar Denner, the chairman of the Bosch board of management, said: “Bosch’s broad footprint has never been as valuable as in the age of connected life.”

Comprehensive localization efforts
“Bosch continued to step up its localization activities in China, paying increasing attention to prospects for long-term growth,” said Dr. Chen Yudong, president of Bosch (China) Investment Ltd. “We see talent and innovation as the two main drivers of our future development. And in view of the results, our efforts have paid off,” he added. Bosch continued to invest heavily in China in 2012, with investments reaching a total of CNY 3.6 billion (440 million euros). Bosch’s localization policy manifests itself in various ways.

There has been continuous investment in R&D and local engineering competence has improved. In 2012, Bosch filed 126 local patents in China, 75 percent more than in the previous year. By the beginning of 2013, headcount was over 34,000 – 11 percent more than in the year before. And at 16 percent, the increase in Chinese associates working in R&D was even higher. They now number 3,200.

By appointing Chinese executives the new local presidents of a number of divisions in mid 2012, Bosch strengthened its local decision-making power. To meet regional market demands, Bosch stepped up its “Go West” strategy, especially in Chengdu, where Bosch established a communication center that will act as a service hub for the entire country. In addition, a plant for the Chassis Systems Control division will open this year, and further plants for Packaging Technology and Power Tools will be completed in 2014. In Nanjing, the Automotive Aftermarket division just opened a new plant, which will be the Bosch Group’s biggest spark-plug production base as well as the R&D hub for Asia Pacific.

Tailoring solutions to customers’ requirements
As domestic consumption becomes increasingly important in the economy, China is undergoing a profound transition. “Consumers with increasingly differentiated demands are flexing their economic muscle, and their purchasing behavior is evolving dramatically,” said Dr. Chen Yudong, and continued: “With a focus on these customers, Bosch has broadened and intensified its access to end-users through products and technologies, channels and market presence.”

Local innovations that make products more affordable without compromising Bosch quality performed a prominent role in the expansion of the company’s portfolio. Products such as the inexpensive AB light airbag control unit and the mid-price T-edition power tools for Chinese tradespeople were developed using Bosch expertise from a number of areas. The Thermotechnology division is developing a low output wall-mounted boiler for the Chinese housing market. To further strengthen its bond with consumers, Bosch is attaching more importance to its B2C platforms, and has opened new gates for customer communications, such as the Bosch Car Service’s newly inaugurated Beijing workshop.

In the future, Bosch wants to progress from customer satisfaction to customer enthusiasm. User experience, with a focus on connectivity, will be the primary contributor to meeting this objective. As of January 1, the company has established a fourth business sector, Energy and Building Technology. This sector shows great potential, from both an economic and an environmental perspective. It will focus on two main areas: the control of heating and security systems, and energy-management services.

Enduring and comprehensive efforts to support industrial upgrading
Rapid industrialization has made China the world’s leading manufacturing base, but also places enormous pressure on the environment. “As China seeks to transform its economic growth pattern to one of lower environmental impact and greater innovative competence, industrial upgrading is essential,” said Dr. Chen Yudong. “Besides technical innovations, talent is the key to the success, especially the blue-collar workers who are the bedrock of our manufacturing operations,” he added.Thanks to its dual system for training blue-collar workers, Bosch has sustained its competitiveness for over a century in the manufacturing world. Since its Chinese equivalent, the "Apprentice Class Program," was introduced in 2007, the system has been made available in Suzhou, Beijing, Changsha, and Nanjing. More than 200 apprentices have completed the program and showcased the skills they acquired.

In addition to manufacturing quality, Bosch provides innovative solutions for energy efficiency. For mobility, Bosch proactively develops cleaner technologies. Locally made products include the Denoxtronic 6-5 exhaust-gas treatment system and the start-stop system. For manufacturers, Bosch has introduced its “Rexroth for Energy Efficiency” program, which allows industrial systems to be optimized and offers an energy saving potential of up to 44 percent.

By partnering with customers and suppliers, Bosch intends to boost the competence of related industries along the value chain. The more than 60 “best supplier” awards it has received are evidence of Bosch’s successful cooperative practices with customers. On the other hand, Bosch spares no effort in cultivating local suppliers that meet Bosch’s global standards. As an incentive, Bosch confers preferred-supplier status on suppliers that deliver outstanding products or services every year.

Actively taking on social responsibility
In each of the past two years, the independent international human resource institute Corporate Research Foundation has named Bosch a “Top Employer.” It is Bosch’s aim to offer its associates attractive working conditions and career development opportunities. As a corporate citizen, and in accordance with its wider presence in China, Bosch makes a valuable contribution to society. In 2012, Bosch China Charity Center kicked off its three-year plan, increasing its efforts in the less developed mid-western regions and focusing on areas such as poverty and vocational training. By integrating its responsibilities for both associates and society into its daily activities, Bosch is determined to drive forward a sustainable and mutually beneficial development in and with China.

Bosch at the International Automobile Exhibition in Shanghai, Hall E2
Under the theme of “Clean and Economical, Safe and Comfort”, Bosch will present a series of leading automotive technologies and system solutions on the 15th International Automobile Exhibition in Shanghai, April 21 - April 29, including innovative safety technologies and driver assistance systems committed to “accident-free” driving, powertrain electrification systems, diesel common rail systems, gasoline direct injection systems, start/stop systems, CNG system for natural gas and combined diesel-gas-drivetrains.
The press release will be available here on April 20:
http://www.bosch.com.cn/new/web/press/press_release_en.htm

Contact person for press inquiries:
Agnes Grill
Phone: +86 18501675033
In Germany:
Melita Delic
Phone: +49 711 811-48617

In China, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial drives and control technology, packaging technology, solar energy products, power tools, security and communication systems, thermotechnology, household appliances. Having established a regional presence in China since 1909, Bosch employs over 34,000 associates in 58 legal entities and facilities, with consolidated sales of CNY 41.7 billion in fiscal 2012.

The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 360 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 50 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 further growth. Bosch spent some 4.8 billion euros for research and development in 2012, and applied for nearly 4,800 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s products and services are designed to fascinate, and to improve the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. In this way, the company offers technology worldwide that is “Invented for life.”

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com and www.bosch-press.com.

More
Add to my press materials
  • April 19, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Business/economy
  • Images: 2
Add to my press materials
  • April 18, 2013
  • Press kit
  • Business/economy
  • Images: 19
  • Presseinformations: 2

DTM 2013 season Vehicles in DTM and all partner series equipped with Bosch engine management systems

  • 2013: DTM vehicles to be equipped with Bosch engine management systems once again
  • Bosch engine management systems also featured in vehicles competing in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, and FIA Formula 3 European Championship races
  • Bosch Motorsport supplies both specially designed technologies and series engineering that has been optimized for motor racing
DTM and its partner series have once again opted to use Bosch engine management systems. As in previous years, all DTM racing cars – the Audi RS5 DTM, the BMW M3 DTM, and the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé – are equipped across the board with Bosch Motorsport’s MS 5.1 engine management system as well as other Bosch technologies. The company is also supplying engine management systems for DTM’s partner series: FIA Formula 3 European Championship, Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, and Porsche Carrera Cup Germany.

Engine management in every series
The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup is the world’s most eco-friendly championship cup. The racing cars run on natural gas and are equipped with Bosch Motorsport’s MS 4.0 engine management system. With this type of engine, a vehicle’s CO2 emissions are up to 80 percent lower than with conventional fuels. All of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup vehicles racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany series are equipped with the Bosch MS 3.1 electronic engine management system. The vehicles with intake manifold and direct injection engines of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship also feature corresponding engine control units from Bosch. The vehicles with intake manifold injection are equipped with the MS 3.1 engine management system, and vehicles with direct injection feature Bosch Motorsport’s MS 5.8 system. “For every race series, whatever the application, Bosch offers the right technology,” says Klaus Böttcher, Vice President of Bosch Motorsport.

Engine control units with engine management software
The engine control units are based either on Bosch series-produced hardware, or are specially engineered for motor racing and produced in low volumes. The control units are designed to accommodate every type of fuel used in motor sports, and they support engines of up to 12 cylinders and with different types of injection systems. Using the corresponding Bosch Motorsport engine management software allows several of the racing cars’ parameters to be adapted to meet specific race regulations. The software can also be used to analyze the results of laps already driven. This allows the teams to quickly adjust their vehicles’ engines and chassis as needed.

A long tradition in motor racing
Bosch has partnered with the DTM since the start of the series in 2000 and in addition to the engine management system supplies the teams with the Display DDU 8, starter, generator, vehicle cable harness and numerous other components. In addition to the DTM, Bosch has also been the exclusive supplier of electrical and electronic components for the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and its forerunner, the Formula 3 Euro Series, since 2003, and for the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany since 1990. Moreover, Bosch has supplied the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup series since it began in 2010 with engine control units for the racing cars’ natural gas drives. Beyond the DTM and its partner series, a number of teams competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and many other races rely on Bosch technologies. As an experienced supplier of systems and components, Bosch Motorsport has the systems competence and integration know-how required for the different motor racing applications.

Bosch Motorsport is part of Bosch Engineering GmbH, a subsidiary specializing in system development services. The company can look back on a long tradition of involvement in motor racing, with Bosch technology having made its successful debut in racing cars in 1901.
More
Add to my press materials
  • April 17, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 1

FIA Formula 3 European Championship 2013 Racing cars in the new series equipped with Bosch technology

  • FIA Formula 3 vehicles are equipped with Bosch engine management and data loggers as well as displays and other components
  • Bosch technology also featured in British and Japanese Formula 3 series
  • Bosch Motorsport supplies racing teams optimized series engineering and technologies that were specially developed for motor racing
The vehicles forming up on the starting grid of the new FIA Formula 3 European Championship will have Bosch technology on board. All of the racing cars taking part in the series feature Bosch engine management systems and fuel injection technology as well as other components. The FIA Formula 3 European Championship is replacing the Formula 3 Euro Series, which Bosch has supplied with a broad range of standardized electrical and electronic components since the race series was founded in 2003. All vehicles taking part in the new series will be equipped with Bosch technology for their intake manifold and gasoline direct injection engines. Vehicles racing in the British and Japanese Formula 3 series are also equipped with Bosch technology that complies with the regulations of each specific series.

The right fuel injection and engine management technology
In the 2013 racing season for the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and the British and Japanese Formula 3 series, vehicles equipped with intake manifold and gasoline direct injection are authorized to take part. Bosch is supplying both types of fuel injection technology, as well as the engine management system and many other products. “The new direct injection engines are equipped with hydraulics components based on state-of-the-art series engineering that have been optimized to meet the requirements of motor racing. These include the HDEV 5.2 high-pressure injection valve and the HDP 5 high-pressure pump, which is especially compact and lightweight,” says Dr. Klaus Böttcher, Vice President of Bosch Motorsport. The system is completed by system electronics developed especially for use in motor racing by Bosch Motorsport engineers. These include the MS 5.8 control unit and the HPI 5 high-pressure power stage unit. Vehicles with intake manifold injection are equipped with the MS 3.1 engine management system, based on series engineering, and with EV 6 and EV 14 fuel injectors. “The hydraulic and electronic components have been carefully designed and tested to ensure that they work together as one powerful, coordinated system,” Böttcher says.

Comprehensive program for Formula 3
In addition to fuel injection and engine management technology, the racing teams are using other Bosch Motorsport products. These include displays, data loggers, wire harnesses, starters, and generators, as well as a broad range of sensors and a comprehensive software package. To help vehicles meet the new race requirements, Bosch Motorsport also offers a new steering wheel with an integrated display and shift paddles. This steering wheel was specially developed for use in the Formula 3 series.

A long tradition in motor sports
Bosch has supplied electrical and electronic components to Formula 3 race series since 2000. From 2003 on, the company supplied standardized technology to the Formula 3 Euro Series. In addition to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship that begins in 2013, standardized Bosch technology is also fitted in vehicles racing in the DTM, Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, and Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup series. Moreover, many of the teams competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans also rely on Bosch systems and components. Bosch Motorsport experts have the systems competence and integration know-how required for the different motor racing applications.

Bosch Motorsport is part of Bosch Engineering GmbH, a subsidiary specializing in system development services. The company can look back on a long tradition of involvement in motor racing, with Bosch technology having made its successful debut in racing cars in 1901.
More
Add to my press materials
  • April 17, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 1

BMW honors Bosch "BMW Supplier Innovation Award" for outstanding partnership

  • Special prize in the innovation partnership category
  • BMW honors several innovation milestones
  • Bosch continues to drive progress in automotive technology
The BMW Group has awarded Bosch its “BMW Supplier Innovation Award”. The German carmaker presents the prize to suppliers who have distinguished themselves with outstanding innovation and performance. “We are very proud of this award,” says Peter Tyroller, the member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH responsible for marketing and sales. “Once again, it highlights our associates’ innovative strength, which has secured our technological leadership.”

Robert Bosch GmbH was awarded the special prize for innovation partnership. With this prize, BMW honored the outstanding cooperation that the two companies have engaged in for several decades. Bosch has set numerous innovation milestones in a broad range of automotive projects. This has made the supplier one of BMW's most important and most innovative partners. In addition to receiving this prize, Bosch was nominated in the categories “Connected Drive” and “Sustainablity”.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Herbert Diess, the member of the BMW AG board of management responsible for development, emphasized the importance of new technologies. “Innovation is a decisive factor in a vehicle’s market success. Many customers ultimately opt for the car with the most impressive innovations. In fact, innovations are a key driver in our role as a pioneer in shaping the mobility of tomorrow.”

Robert Bosch GmbH will continue to drive these developments. In addition to continuously improving the internal-combustion engine, the supplier is also working flat-out to develop alternative powertrain technologies for electric cars, efficient auxiliary systems, and a hydraulic hybrid, to name only a few examples. Bosch engineers are focusing their attention on a number of areas, among them automated driving, sophisticated multimedia solutions, and user-friendly interfaces. Today’s drivers already benefit from more than half a dozen assistance systems, for instance. While these systems were once reserved for the premium class, they are now becoming standard features in compact vehicles as well.
More
Add to my press materials
  • April 17, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology

Bosch at BAUMA 2013 Hybrid drive for building site vehicles Tried-and-tested common rail technology reduces fuel consumption and emissions in off-highway applications

  • Tried-and-tested CRS2-18/20-OHW system now available for off-highway applications
  • CRSN3-25 common rail system can be used in heavy machinery for the first time
  • Exhaust gas treatment helps vehicles comply with Tier 4 Final standard
  • Bosch Emission Systems GmbH offers exhaust gas treatment building blocks from a single source
In the future, hybrid vehicles will become much more widespread, and Bosch is bringing electric drives to off-highway applications. The robust systems that recover the energy set free when braking rotational motion are one example. Such systems will in the future make it possible to use hybrid excavators equipped with energy recovery systems on building sites. Moreover, this new technology can be used for engine downsizing and downspeeding purposes. This, in turn, could result in fuel savings of up to 40 percent.

Hybridizing heavy commercial vehicles significantly increases their efficiency, as fuel is the biggest cost factor for heavy machinery. At the same time, future emissions standards encourage the use of the new hybrid technology: thanks to lower fuel consumption, CO2 emissions will also be reduced. With a power rating of 65 kW, the new drive offers no loss in performance. In short bursts, up to 120 kW and a maximum torque of 1 000 Nm can be delivered.

With its new common rail system, Bosch is bringing a technology to the off-highway segment that has been tried and tested in road traffic. The high quality of its fuel injection systems helps make engines robust enough for the challenging conditions of off-highway applications.

A symbol of quality and efficiency, the CRS2-18-OHW system is suitable for small and medium-sized machines. While it is based on the CRS-16 system that is featured in millions of passenger vehicles, it operates at a much higher pressure of 1 800 bar. In addition, the CRS2’s injectors enable higher dynamics in controlling the nozzle needle. This, in turn, makes the intervals between injections especially short and the engine more flexible. With optimized combustion, emissions and fuel consumption can be reduced. The CRS2-20-OHW, which is currently in development, goes one step further. It is scheduled to start series production in 2014 and will operate at a pressure of 2 000 bar.

The CRSN3-25: equipped with new injectors and easy to install
CRSN3-25 is designed for heavy machinery. Here, too, Bosch has brought its high technology expertise from the commercial vehicle segment to off-highway applications. The CRSN3-25 is the newest product to be added to the common rail family, which was launched in 1999 and has since seen more than ten million systems produced. The injectors now operate with an injection pressure of up to 2 500 bar. Its parts, including the control valve, are subjected to rail pressure. This prevents seepage between the low- and high-pressure ranges. The system, which was further developed with changing requirements in mind, is compatible with existing engines and can be installed in engines of the previous generation. The CRSN3-25’s higher pressures also help reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Bosch also offers products beyond the engine block that will make it possible to meet future emissions standards, such as Tier 4 Final and Stage 4. Exhaust gas treatment systems and sensors help reduce pollutant emissions and optimize fuel consumption. To this end, the reliable and highly precise sensors deliver information from the powertrain and exhaust system. The Departronic 2 uses this information for the targeted injection of diesel fuel into the exhaust-gas flow. This enables the closed particulate filter to regenerate in a controlled manner and at regular intervals. The new Denoxtronic 6.5 also helps reduce emissions significantly. Here, AdBlue (DEF) – a solution of 32.5 percent urea in water – is injected into the exhaust gas flow. The system reduces NOx emissions by up to 95 percent and fuel consumption by up to five percent. Thanks to its flexible modular system, the new generation of Denoxtronic can be easily installed into a range of engines. As a result, it can be adapted to many different markets, as it is capable of meeting varying market and installation requirements.

Bosch Emission Systems GmbH (BESG), a Bosch subsidiary, completes the product offer. The company, which is the Bosch Group’s systems integrator, puts the complete exhaust-gas treatment system together. BESG has developed a modular system for exhaust-gas treatment systems that makes it possible to adapt a system’s components to the requirements of different applications. For instance, the company has come up with a retrofit solution that makes it possible to install exhaust gas treatment systems in used construction machinery, where space for such systems was not initially foreseen. This keeps development, tooling, and validation costs down. Moreover, the Bosch subsidiary offers a complete service package from a single source: BESG combines individual components into a single system that is perfectly suited to a specific application; it then assesses the system on a regular basis with state-of-the-art diagnostics. In addition to highly efficient exhaust gas treatment systems, the service provider can also adapt its modules to suit vehicles up to 5 000 kW.

Technical details at a glance
The hybrid system’s technical details can be found in the data sheet.
The CRS2-18/20-OHW’s technical details can be found in the data sheet.
The CRSN3-25’s technical details can be found in the data sheet.
For more information about Bosch Emission Systems GmbH (BESG), please consult the data sheet.
More
Add to my press materials
  • April 15, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 4
Add to my press materials
  • April 11, 2013
  • Press kit
  • Security Systems
  • Presseinformations: 5

100 years of apprentice workshops Bosch to offer dual occupational training abroad New training centers in Vietnam and Thailand

  • April 1, 1913: apprentice workshop established by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart
  • More than 100,000 young men and women trained around the world
  • Christoph Kübel, director of industrial relations: “Occupational training is our social responsibility.”
  • International apprentices exchanges offer experience of life abroad
Stuttgart – 100 years of apprentice workshops at Bosch. On April 1, 1913, Robert Bosch founded his company’s first occupational training department. Since then, more than 100,000 young men and women have begun their professional lives with training programs at Bosch, the global supplier of technology and services. That is more people than Berlin’s Olympic Stadium can hold. Back then, it was the first time that apprentices had been trained in a workshop to ensure consistent quality standards. Today, more than 6,500 young people around the world are in occupational training programs at Bosch, roughly 4,500 of them in Germany. A concept that began in Stuttgart all those years ago has since been successfully exported: occupational training programs based on the Bosch model have been implemented in more than 20 countries, and interest in such programs is on the rise. For instance, new training centers are currently being established in Vietnam and Thailand.

Mechatronics technicians in high demand
Bosch offers 30 occupational training programs in Germany alone. These include training for modern professions, among them computer specialists, microtechnologists, and organizational assistants. Mechatronics technicians are in especially high demand. This is because production increasingly calls for skills in both electronics and mechanics. At Bosch in Germany, the share of women per class currently stands at about 23 percent. Each year, the company receives more than 20,000 applications for its 1,500 training spots in Germany. Back in April 1913, company founder Robert Bosch kept just 40 apprentices busy in his apprentice workshop.

“We regard it as part of our social responsibility to offer apprenticeships, thus enabling many young people to get a head start in their careers,” says Christoph Kübel, member of the board of management and director of industrial relations at Robert Bosch GmbH. “Over the years, we have developed extensive expertise in the realm of occupational training. We now want to carry this expertise over into the training of specialists to our high standard of quality abroad.”

High interest in Bosch training programs in Asia
Dual occupational training, which sees apprentices alternating between phases in the classroom and at work, is in demand abroad as well. At present, Bosch locations in many countries, among them China, India, and Brazil, offer training programs based on this tried and tested concept from Germany. The need for qualified specialists is especially high in Asia. Bosch is currently setting up an occupational training center in Vietnam. The center will initially offer training to 30 apprentices when it opens in 2013. A cooperative venture for occupational training is also being initiated in Thailand, where Bosch is about to start training the first six young associates as mechatronics technicians. Until now, this system of dual occupational training was unknown in the country.

Apprentice exchange programs promote intercultural skills
Today’s apprentices develop problem-solving and social skills early on. The practical experience they acquire at Bosch from the very beginning helps them cultivate these skills, for instance when they build workpieces for production or engineering. Intercultural skills are another important aspect of the occupational training programs. For more than 50 years, Bosch has offered international exchange programs for apprentices. In each class, 20 percent of apprentices are offered opportunities to experience different cultures and approaches to work in other countries. The aim is to foster apprentices’ ability to act in an independent manner, take responsibility for their actions, and develop strong teamwork skills.

“It was an excellent chance to learn about how people live and work in another country,” says Eike Kennel from Homburg. In the second year of his training program, he worked at Bosch’s Beijing location for two months. “My language skills also improved in the few weeks I spent in China. I now find speaking English much easier.”

For more information about working at Bosch go to www.bosch-career.com
More
Add to my press materials
  • March 27, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Business/economy
  • Images: 12
Add to my press materials
  • March 22, 2013
  • Press kit
  • Business/economy
  • Images: 5
  • Presseinformations: 2

Changes on the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH

  • Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer to be new deputy chairman of the board of management
  • After a successful career spanning 30 years at Bosch, including 10 years as chairman of the Automotive Group, Dr. Bernd Bohr is to retire for personal reasons on June 30, 2013.
  • Effective July 1, 2013, Dr. Rolf Bulander is to be appointed to the Bosch board of management, where he will be responsible for the Gasoline Systems, Diesel Systems, and Starter Motors and Generators divisions, as well as for Bosch Engineering GmbH.
  • Wolf-Henning Scheider will in the future coordinate the activities of the Automotive Technology business sector, and be responsible for the Electrical Drives, Automotive Aftermarket, and Steering Systems divisions.
  • Effective July 1, 2013, Peter Tyroller will be responsible for Asia Pacific, and based in Shanghai.
Stuttgart – As proposed by the shareholders, the supervisory board of Robert Bosch GmbH has appointed Dr. Rolf Bulander (54) to the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH effective July 1, 2013. Effective the same date, Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer (56) will be appointed the new deputy chairman of the Bosch board of management. Since 2010, Asenkerschbaumer has been the board of management member responsible for finance, purchasing and logistics, and information technology. He has worked for the Bosch Group since 1987.

After 30 years with Bosch, including 10 years of successful work for Automotive Technology, the Bosch Group's largest business sector, Dr. Bernd Bohr (56) is to retire for personal reasons. In the future, he will perform advisory and supervisory-board activities and devote more time to his family and personal interests. The shareholders and the supervisory board underscored Bohr's outstanding work in the numerous functions he held during his many years with Bosch. They thanked him for his great dedication, most recently on the Bosch board of management.

Dr. Rolf Bulander (54), who joined Bosch in 1988, will in the future be the Bosch board of management member responsible for quality, for the Gasoline Systems, Diesel Systems, and Starter Motors and Generators divisions, and for Bosch Engineering GmbH. A mechanical engineering graduate, Bulander has also had a successful Bosch career outside automotive technology. He has been president of the Gasoline Systems division since 2010.

Effective July 1, 2013, Wolf-Henning Scheider (50) will coordinate the activities of the Automotive Technology business sector. He will be responsible for marketing and sales as well as original equipment sales, and will thus be the most important contact person for automotive customers from around the world. In addition, he will be responsible for the Automotive Aftermarket, Electrical Drives, and Steering Systems divisions. Sharing responsibility for the Automotive Technology business sector alongside Scheider and Bulander effective July 1, 2013, Dr. Dirk Hoheisel (54) will be responsible for the Car Multimedia, Chassis Systems Control, and Automotive Electronics divisions. Within the same sector, he will also be responsible for systems integration.

Effective July 1, 2013, Peter Tyroller (55) will take over two new responsibilities. From Uwe Raschke (55), he will assume responsibility for Asia Pacific, and be based in Shanghai. From Bernd Bohr, he will assume responsibility for India. Tyroller has been a member of the Bosch board of management since 2006. Up to now, he has been responsible for marketing and sales, original equipment sales, and the Automotive Aftermarket division.

At the end of June, Uwe Raschke will hand over the responsibility for Asia Pacific he has held since 2008. Since January 1, 2013, he has been responsible for Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as for the Consumer Goods business sector, which comprises the Power Tools division and the BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte joint venture. In addition, he bears group-wide responsibility for user experience.

The shareholders and supervisory board wished Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, Dr. Rolf Bulander, Dr. Dirk Hoheisel, Uwe Raschke, Wolf-Henning Scheider, and Peter Tyroller every success in their new functions.

For resumés and photographs of the board of management members, click on the following links:
Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer
Dr. Bernd Bohr
Dr. Rolf Bulander
Dr. Dirk Hoheisel
Uwe Raschke
Wolf-Henning Scheider
Peter Tyroller
More
Add to my press materials
  • March 22, 2013
  • Press releases
  • HR and CSR issues
  • Images: 1

Bosch adds to its family-friendly working culture First guidelines for balancing career and private life

  • Modern policies on working hours simplify working life
  • Achieve a better work-life balance
  • Bosch offers over 100 different working time models
Stuttgart – In creating new company guidelines on working hours, Bosch is affording its associates greater flexibility in deciding when and where they work. This is yet another milestone for the global supplier of technology and services in its journey toward establishing a flexible and family-friendly working culture. In these guidelines Bosch pledges to harmonize associates’ professional and personal demands, to enable telecommuting, and to create a leadership culture that focuses first and foremost on commitment and achievements, and not on whether associates are physically present. Such a culture enables mothers and fathers, for instance, to work from home if one of their children falls ill, or managers to work part time in order to be able to take care of loved ones. This kind of family leave can also count as a career module. The new guidelines apply to the entire Bosch Group, with a workforce of over 300,000 worldwide, and are designed to give associates and managers alike the security they need to do their jobs well. The aim is to use these elements to help continue the transition toward a family-friendly working culture, and the approach is already showing results: last year, Bosch was named Germany’s most family-friendly large enterprise (1).

Respecting family commitments
Bosch’s commitment to part-time leadership is also reflected in the new guidelines, as is the company’s pledge to make it easier for associates to re-enter working life quickly after taking time out to care for the family. Bosch is also committed to providing the best possible support to associates experiencing particularly challenging family situations (having to take care of loved ones, for example), taking into consideration the demands placed on associates during such times. This is why, since 2012, associates have been able to have a period of family leave take the place of a career module (a placement abroad, for instance) in their progression to the next hierarchical level. Bosch recognizes that taking care of loved ones counts as valuable life experience, helping develop social skills and the capacity to deal with complexity.

“Achieving an effective work-life balance is becoming increasingly important throughout our workforce, as working time is not some isolated part of life,” says Christoph Kübel, member of the Bosch board of management and director of industrial relations. “Our guidelines are designed to promote a more flexible working culture in which we place the same value on family and career commitments.”

100 working time models offer greater flexibility
Developed together with managers, associates, and employee representatives, these Bosch guidelines form a framework that managers and associates can orient to when carrying out their day-to-day work. Today, Bosch already offers its workforce over 100 different working time models, ranging from job sharing and various part-time options to working from home, all with the aim of helping reconcile professional and private commitments.

It pays to be a family-friendly employer
The Bosch guidelines are voluntary commitments that the company took on when it became one of the first companies to sign the German government’s Charter for Family-friendly Working Hours (2). Mothers and fathers have an equally pressing need for working time to be organized in a family-friendly way. According to a survey conducted by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth, nine out of ten parents with children under the age of 18 would appreciate more flexible working hours. Almost 60 percent of respondents said that their employer made little, if any, effort to accommodate demands on employees’ time (3).

(1) See press release “Bosch is Germany’s most family-friendly large enterprise”, from May 3, 2012.

(2) See press release “Bundesregierung und Wirtschaft setzen auf familienbewusste Arbeitszeiten”, from February 8, 2011. (German)

(3) See “Monitor Familienleben 2012” (report on family life), a survey commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Woman and Youth, from September 25, 2012. (German)
More
Add to my press materials
  • March 11, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Business/economy

Changes on the supervisory board of Robert Bosch GmbH

  • Professor Dr. Weder Di Mauro to succeed Professor Dr. Kormann
  • Christiane Benner and Kerstin Mai to join as new employee representatives
  • Number of women on the Bosch supervisory board to increase to four
Stuttgart – There are to be personnel changes on the supervisory board of Robert Bosch GmbH when its new term starts on March 22, 2013. Following a five-year tenure on the board, the shareholder representative Professor Dr. Hermut Kormann will be resigning for age reasons. His successor will be the economist Professor Dr. Beatrice Weder Di Mauro. In addition to her academic work and various offices, Weder Di Mauro was previously a member of the German Council of Economic Experts.

The employee representatives Daniel Müller and Wolf Jürgen Röder will also be leaving. Their places will be taken by Christiane Benner, a managing partner on the executive board of Industriegewerkschaft Metall, and Kerstin Mai, the chairperson of the works council of Robert Bosch Car Multimedia GmbH as well as a member of the combined works council of Robert Bosch GmbH. This will bring the number of women on the board to four. The supervisory board is made up of ten shareholder representatives and ten employee representatives.

“The shareholders and the supervisory board would like to thank Professor Dr. Hermut Kormann, Daniel Müller, and Wolf Jürgen Röder for their loyal collaboration over the past few years,” says Franz Fehrenbach, chairman of the supervisory board of Robert Bosch GmbH. “At the same time, we wish Professor Dr. Beatrice Weder Di Mauro, Christiane Benner, and Kerstin Mai every success in their new tasks.”
More
Add to my press materials
  • March 07, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Business/economy

R&D expenditure of 4.5 billion euros Bosch ranks first in Europe with 838 patents in 2012 Innovations include snap electrodes for clean exhaust

  • Patents protect ideas and secure revenue
Stuttgart/Munich/Brussels – The European Patent Office in Brussels announced on Wednesday that Bosch was ranked first for patents in Europe in 2012, with 838 patents granted to the company over the course of the year. The company currently holds a portfolio of more than 90,000 active industrial property rights. In total, Bosch filed more than 4,700 patents in 2012. The European Patent Office regulates the granting of property rights in the 38 member states of the European Patent Organization (EPOrg).

Bosch spends more than 8 percent of its sales on research and development, with R&D expenditure reaching 4.5 billion euros in 2012. More than 42,000 associates work in R&D worldwide, 20,700 of them in Germany. Patents protect the company’s innovations from being imitated, while licensing allows third parties to benefit from Bosch’s technological edge.

From patent to product: a long and winding road
Not every good idea leads to a patent, and not all patents go on to become products. The process is generally a long one. “One example is the snap electrode, which is part of our particulate filter for the clean combustion of biomass in the wood-burning stoves of private households,” says Dietmar Steiner, one of the inventors at Bosch.

High-voltage dust-catcher
While heating with renewable materials such as briquettes or wood pellets is carbon-neutral, the exhaust gas contains unwanted particulate matter. However, it can be removed by means of a particle separator. Steiner, a physicist in the research department in Schwieberdingen close to Stuttgart, explains how this works: a strong electric field is created in the exhaust pipe, as a result of which free charge carriers attach themselves to the dust. An electrode then attracts the charged dust particles, which stick to it.

Longer maintenance cycles thanks to snap electrodes
At some point, the electrode is so covered in dust that it has to be cleaned. Steiner and his project team first began to devise solutions in 2006. The dusty electrode can be briefly shaken by a bimetal element that folds over (“snaps”) as the stove heats up. As a result, the dust is shaken off the electrode into the stove’s ash pan.

“Our aim was to have a filter that required maintenance only twice a year, and we have achieved this,” Steiner says. The filter prevents more than 85 percent of particulate matter from being emitted. By using mass-produced parts that Bosch is able to manufacture in large numbers and to high quality standards, costs were significantly reduced. Lower limits on particulate matter will take effect in Germany from 2015. The new filter will make it possible to comply with them.

The first prototypes were built in 2006, and a patent was filed in 2008. In 2010, the snap electrode patent was published. It was then legally granted in 2011. A number of other companies in the heating industry have expressed interest in the technology, and licensing negotiations are currently underway.

Background information on patent statistics:
The statistics include all patents granted between January 1 and
December 31, 2012.

Internet
- For more information on the European Patent Organization
http://bit.ly/12dYqyq
- For more information on patents at Bosch:
http://bit.ly/13OosUf
- Directive for small and medium-sized wood-burning stoves
http://bit.ly/Y2v79O
More
Add to my press materials
  • March 06, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Business/economy
  • Images: 1

Less stress during traffic jams Bosch works on autonomous driving

  • Assistance systems autonomously guide vehicles traffic jams
  • Bosch offers all the required components and sensors from a single source
  • First steps on the way to fully autonomous driving
High-performance assistance systems already help drivers reach their destinations safely and more comfortably. Such systems control speed and the distance between vehicles. They also warn drivers of traffic jams and help them maneuver into even the tightest of parking spaces. Bosch, the global supplier of automotive technology and services, is set to expand its range of driver assistance systems in the years to come. In the future, these systems will take on a growing role in guiding vehicles through traffic jams. More specifically, they will brake, accelerate, and steer completely autonomously. The traffic jam assistant will step in when the vehicle is moving at speeds between 0 and 50 kilometers per hour. This means that it will operate in most stop-and-go traffic situations. According to the German motor club ADAC, the total length of tailbacks in Germany alone amounted to 405,000 kilometers in 2011. “The traffic jam assistant helps drivers arrive more relaxed at their destination, even in dense traffic,” says Gerhard Steiger, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division. The first generation of the traffic jam assistant is expected to enter series production in 2014. In the following years, the feature will be enhanced to cover ever-faster speeds and more complex driving situations. Eventually, the traffic jam assistant will serve as a highway pilot, making fully autonomous driving a reality.

Today, adaptive cruise control already tracks the vehicles ahead and adapts the distance and speed of the driver’s own vehicle accordingly. Acting in combination with the ESP® system and with the additional support of lane-detection cameras and electromechanical steering, this forms the technical basis for autonomous driving. High-performance software now calculates the appropriate driving instructions for a safer and less stressful driving. Automatic lane changing is the next functional step. It calls for two additional features. First, a rear-mounted radar sensor that also detects fast-approaching vehicles and, second, a dynamic navigation map. Such maps, which operate via a mobile network connection, can keep drivers informed of current roadwork sites and local speed restrictions. And although drivers remain responsible for driving, they can limit themselves to monitoring the actions of the driver assistance system.

The Bosch portfolio offers all the required sensors and components
As well as the ESP® and electrical steering, Bosch offers all the sensors required to detect the full range of traffic conditions relevant for drivers and their vehicles. Depending on the extent of onboard functions offered by a particular vehicle, front detection is carried out by a radar sensor combined with a mono camera, or by a stereo camera. With the LRR3, Bosch offers a high-performance long-range radar sensor. With an aperture angle of up to 30 degrees, this sensor can detect objects at a distance of 250 meters. The new mid-range radar sensor, scheduled to go into series production in 2013, offers a range of 160 meters and an aperture angle of 45 degrees. Its cost is significantly lower, since it is designed to meet the requirements of the mass market. In addition to the currently available multi-purpose video camera that is equipped with one sensor element, Bosch has developed a stereo video camera that detects objects in 3D with the help of two sensors. As a result, it is able to calculate exactly how far objects are from the vehicle, as well as in which direction they are moving. Both sensor configurations enable full predictive emergency braking. Two adapted mid-range radar sensors assume the task of observing traffic behind the vehicle. These sensors have an aperture angle of 150 degrees and can detect objects up to 100 meters away. Finally, the parking assistant’s ultrasound sensors provide support during close-range steering maneuvers.

Level of automation continues to grow
“Fully autonomous driving will come about one step at a time,” Steiger says. At first, driving on highways with an ever greater degree of automation and at ever higher speeds will be possible, until the highway pilot can take over the entire trip. Two major challenges remain. First, inner-city driving, since automated vehicle functions have to deal with dense traffic involving a large number of road users traveling in every direction. Second, developing a concept to ensure that the system’s functions operate reliably in all types of driving situation.
More
Add to my press materials
  • January 09, 2013
  • Press releases
  • Automotive technology
  • Images: 2