27.02.2023

Image

Connected mobility

Bosch drives forward the development of 6G

04.11.2020

Image

Automated mobility

Groundbreaking passenger protection

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” Forty years ago, Bosch launched the electronic airbag control unit for cars. It functions as the control center for the lifesaving inflatable cushion.

04.11.2020

Image

Automated mobility

Saving lives since 1980

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” Forty years ago, Bosch joined forces with Daimler to start production of the world’s first electronic airbag control unit – giving a decisive boost to passenger protection. The company’s accident research indicates that, from the time of their market launch, Bosch airbag control units in front, side, and head airbags have helped save some 90,000 lives around the world.

04.11.2020

Image

Automated mobility

The right decision in milliseconds

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” Using internal and external acceleration, yaw-rate, and pressure sensors, a state-of-the-art airbag control unit identifies the type of accident as well as its severity, and deploys the airbag and belt tensioner as needed.

04.11.2020

Image

Automated mobility

Deploys faster than a person can blink

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” In just ten milliseconds – ten times faster than a person can blink – the trigger algorithm interprets the sensor data to determine whether the driver has simply hit the brakes, bumped into a parked car, jumped the curb, or if the vehicle has had a severe collision or is at risk of rolling over. If the situation is dangerous, the system ignites the pyrotechnic gas generator. Within 30 milliseconds, the airbag is fully inflated and can protect the driver and passengers.

04.11.2020

Image

Automated mobility

Evolution of the airbag system

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” The first airbag system, which went into production in December 1980 and then had its market launch in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, consisted of three components – a voltage converter, an energy reserve, and a control unit – with a total of 170 parts. These controlled only an airbag and belt tensioner for the driver and optionally for the front passenger. Today’s twelfth generation airbag control units have just half as many parts and can manage up to 48 restraint devices, including various front and side airbags, knee airbags, and belt tensioners.

18.09.2020

Image

Connected mobility

Research project develops attention and activity assistant for automated driving

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” Depending on assistance level, the driver’s condition, and what the actual driving situation will permit, the assistant can provide the driver with various secondary activities: listening to music or audiobooks, reading emails, writing text messages, watching movies, scheduling the day’s appointments, planning the route, and doing fitness exercises.

18.09.2020

Image

Connected mobility

Virtual companion increases safety for trucks on the road

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” What is the ideal way to coordinate the interaction between vehicle and driver? This was the focus of the TANGO project over the past three and a half years. TANGO stands for “Technologie für automatisiertes Fahren, die nutzergerecht optimiert wird” in German. Its English equivalent is “Technology for automated driving, optimized to the benefit of the user.” It produced a prototype for an attention and activity assistant.

18.09.2020

Image

Connected mobility

Break up the monotony of the drive, maintain alertness, avoid accidents

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: CanControls” The research project installed sensors to monitor the interior and combined them with artificial intelligence methods. Cameras detect if the driver’s eyes are closing, if they are blinking frequently, are losing sight of the road, or even if their head is drooping to the side with fatigue. Intelligent algorithms evaluate the images, interpret them, and launch countermeasures. These might be a warning, an offer to perform a secondary activity, or an active intervention such as braking.

18.09.2020

Image

Connected mobility

Development focuses on the needs of the user

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Bosch” The research project involved driving simulators, drives in test vehicles, and even a little magic: in a right-hand-drive truck, the passenger side of the cab was also equipped with a steering wheel, brakes, accelerator, and all the necessary control and display elements, with the two halves separated by a privacy screen. This approach, dubbed the “Wizard of Oz,” enabled the researchers to simulate the automated function and observe user behavior under realistic conditions.

20.07.2020

Image

Connected mobility

How cars and infrastructure work together in urban automated driving

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: TomTom” Connected infrastructure sensors will make automated driving safer and more efficient. The MEC-View project partners have developed the corresponding hardware and software for this purpose; the system processes the images and signals from the infrastructure sensors, combines them with high-resolution digital maps (HD maps), and transmits them to the vehicle over the air. There, the data merges with the vehicle’s own sensor information to create an accurate picture of the situation, including all relevant road users.

20.07.2020

Image

Connected mobility

Sensors in streetlights allow early detection of objects, even if obscured

Reproduction for press purposes free of charge with credit “Picture: Uni Ulm MRM” Reaching up to six meters in height, streetlights tower above road traffic. They have a precise bird’s eye view of developments at busy intersections, say – and it is knowledge like this that automated vehicles will need in the future. How cars and infrastructure work together in urban automated driving - this was the the subject of the MEC-View research project