The Hindu Business Line : Bosch upbeat on new auto safety systems

A time will come when a driver instead of driving his car, can actually start reading his newspaper and the car will navigate on its own to take him to his office. Sounds impossible? "Actually, such a situation is in the realms of possibility," says the Bosch Director of Sales for ABS (anti-lock braking system) and braking system, Mr Norbert Monig.

Of course, a heartening fact for India is that most of the software work being carried out to make cars safer and cleaner is being developed by engineers in Bangalore. "Software engineers in Bangalore are the best in the world. And it is cheaper to outsource work," says Mr Monig.

His division, consisting of about 2,700 engineers spread across several offices of Bosch worldwide, is performing some pioneering work in safety measures.

Carmakers such as Toyota and Daimler Chrysler say that cars mounted with ESP (electronic stability programme) are much safer than ever before. According to Toyota, cars are safer by at least 50 per cent while Daimler Chrysler, which makes Maybach and Benz cars, claims that they are at least 33 per cent safer. But a major part of the credit goes to the customers themselves, as they are increasingly becoming more demanding than ever.

"Nearly 10 to 15 years ago, customers were far more interested in shape and colour of their cars, than on safety," says Mr Monig. But cars were also fewer then and drivers more patient.

Realising the growing demand for safer and environmentally friendly cars, Bosch set aside a good part of its total sales of its automotive technology group as investments every year to bring out innovative products to cater to the market. Last year, the sales of its automotive technology group were about 2.7 billion euros.

The Abstatt facility, which is the headquarters of the chassis system that makes ABS and ESP, was built at a cost of 200 million euros. An hour's drive from Abstatt, Bosch has also set up a 50-million-euro modern 92-hectare test track facility at Boxberg where expert drivers regularly put several models of cars fitted with their safety system to some gruelling tests.

Mr Monig points out that while newer products are being introduced in the market, some of the key safety products like ABS is also becoming cheaper.

For example, when ABS version 2 was introduced in the early eighties, Bosch used to sell it for $1,000. A more feature-driven ABS version 8 now costs a mere $100 each.

Likewise, ABS2 sold around 50,000 units when it was launched. But ABS 8 has so far sold 7,50,000 units.

According to a target set by the eSafety initiative of the European Union, by 2010, it expects reduction in road deaths to come down by as much as 50 per cent by the promotion of intelligent active driving safety systems like the EPS and the ABS. As per the self-commitment of the European Car Manufacturers' Association, all new vehicles will be fitted with ABS as standard equipment from this year.

Bosch is currently working on an automated parking brake, which gets released when the throttle is depressed and of course one day perhaps one could see hands-free driving too. But Mr Monig cautions that his company can do everything to make cars safer, but can't play God. "You still have to drive safely."

More Stories on : Software | Automobile Components

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Mobile beeps growing louder than fixed lines

Reliance prepaid plan evokes good response — 25 pc subscribers shift from post-paid package

Bosch upbeat on new auto safety systems

iMedX plans to set up three hubs