Table of Contents
Recharging at home
Bosch’s intelligent energy manager makes it possible for homeowners to reduce CO2 emissions and save energy costs. Serving as an interface between a Bosch heat pump and a photovoltaic system, it optimizes the use of home-generated solar energy and distributes it intelligently throughout the building. Alongside heating and hot water, it will also be possible to integrate electric cars into the Bosch energy management system in the future. Compatible wall boxes can then be deployed to recharge vehicles using as much home-generated electricity as possible.
Bosch is automating driving and making roads safer
Less stress, smoother traffic flows, greater safety – vehicles that assume more driving tasks themselves are a key building block for tomorrow’s mobility. An automated vehicle must be able to do everything a human driver can: perceive its surroundings, make decisions, and accelerate, brake, and steer. Step by step, Bosch is laying the technical foundations for automated driving. With its driver assistance systems, it is already paving the way for all levels of automation.
Surround sensing for all traffic situations
Sensor technology forms the basis for assisted and increasingly automated driving. To drive safely, the vehicle must be able to reliably recognize objects, people, and other road users. Bosch’s multi-purpose camera combines traditional image-processing algorithms with artificial intelligence (AI) methods. Using AI, the camera understands and interprets what it sees, ensuring reliable object recognition and good surround sensing. In addition to the camera, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, Bosch is also developing a long-range lidar, for which it employs various sensor principles. The more complex the driving task, the more important their interaction.
Localization technology for exact positioning
Automated vehicles need to know exactly where they are at all times. Bosch offers a comprehensive package of hardware, software, and services that allows automated vehicles to precisely determine their own location. The VMPS (vehicle motion and position sensor) uses satellite navigation signals to identify the exact position, augmented by data from a correction service and information from the steering-angle and wheel-speed sensors. The Bosch road signature cloud-based map service uses data from radar and video sensors as well as vehicle motion data to create additional layers for high-resolution maps.
Redundant braking and steering systems for safe and energy-saving driving maneuvers
Better safe than sorry – this holds especially true for safety-relevant functions in automated driving. Thanks to multiple redundancies, Bosch’s electric steering system offers additional safety. In the rare event of a malfunction, the system is still capable of retaining 50 percent of its electric steering functionality. Bosch has also integrated a redundant architecture into the design of its braking systems: should either the iBooster (the electromechanical brake booster) or the ESP electronic stability program fail, the other component can break the vehicle. A second braking unit serves as a backup for the integrated power brake system, which combines brake boosting technology and ESP functionality. This is an especially important requirement in automated vehicles. In addition, Bosch’s regenerative braking systems help save CO2: in a very smooth process, which is unnoticeable for the driver, they make it possible to switch between generator and friction braking, thus enabling braking energy to be converted back into electrical energy and fed back into the battery every time the vehicle is braked.
Services for automated driving
Bosch’s predictive road-condition services raise the alert in the event of potential hazards long before critical situations develop. They provide real-time information about road conditions and risks such as aquaplaning, ice, and snow. This enables automated vehicles to correctly anticipate road conditions, adapt their driving behavior to the conditions, choose a different route, or even ask the driver to take control.
Bosch connects vehicles with each other and with their surroundings
Vehicles that warn each other of danger, keep a protective eye on their occupants, and communicate with the smart home – Bosch connects systems, components, and services inside and outside the vehicle, making mobility more efficient, safer, and more relaxed. Users, vehicles, and surroundings are seamlessly connected, making driving more enjoyable and providing a personalized mobility experience.
The smart car meets smart home: Bosch is turning cars into the command centers for smart homes: using Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX infotainment system, Bosch Smart Home applications can be controlled by voice command from the vehicle. In addition to shutters and heating thermostats, the system can also be used to control light switches and smart adapters, and to check the status of motion detectors and door/window contacts. Using voice commands allows the driver to stay focused on the road.
Guardian angel for all areas of life
In the shape of Help Connect, Bosch has developed a digitally connected emergency call system for motorcycles and other vehicles. A smart crash algorithm added to the acceleration sensors in the Bosch MSC motorcycle stability control system allows accidents to be detected. A smartphone app transmits information about the accident scene and the rider to a service center, and from there to the emergency services. If the motorcycle has no permanently installed accident detection system, the sensor data from the smartphone can be used to initiate the emergency response. Bosch Help Connect can also provide assistance at home, in the gym, or when out cycling.
Indoor monitoring for better occupant protection
Bosch has developed a system comprising cameras and AI that can increase the safety of vehicle occupants. The interior monitoring system detects driver drowsiness and distraction, or if occupants are in an unsafe seating position. It warns inattentive drivers, recommends a break if they are getting tired, and can reduce vehicle speed – depending on the automaker’s wishes and legal requirements.
