Bosch aims to shape future of smart mobility

Rolf Bulander, chairman of Bosch's Mobility Solutions business sector, said the company aims to better meet the needs of the Chinese market in the future. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Bosch, a leading global supplier of automotive technology and services, is demonstrating a series of automated, connected and electrified mobility solutions at the 2017 Shanghai auto show, as part of its efforts to shape the future of smart mobility with local partners.

"Bosch possesses deep insights into trends in the automotive industry and is actively leading change, which also helps Bosch to better meet the needs of the local market," said Rolf Bulander, a member of the board of management and chairman of the company's Mobility Solutions business sector.

In the field of automated driving, Bosch is now working with local partners, including leading high-definition map providers AutoNavi, Baidu and NavInfo, to introduce a crowd-sourced, robust and accurate map service that will be an important prerequisite for automated driving in China.

As part of this joint development, Bosch said it will adopt an open and standardized approach, which will be interoperable with different OEMs and map providers worldwide, allowing Bosch's customers to choose their preferred map supplier.

Bosch has also started its automated test drive on Chinese roads with a locally developed demonstration car, which is equipped with five Bosch mid-range radars and a multipurpose camera, Electronic Stability Program, Electric Power Steering system, together with integrated localization and augmented reality HMI supported by Baidu iV.

In connected mobility, Bosch is now working with Huawei, China's world-leading communications technology provider, and Vodafone, a British multinational mobile network operator.

The three are conducting road tests in Germany of its telematics communication technology, the LTE-V2X, to achieve real time data exchange between vehicles and provide the technological readiness for connectivity and automated driving.

The cooperation with Huawei has also been extended to China, where localized development and testing are being carried out on vehicle anti-collision warnings and emergency braking in accordance with the requirements of Chinese regulations and local road conditions to better serve the domestic market.

In March, Bosch signed a memorandum of cooperation with HealthLink, a leading Chinese provider of third-party emergency services management, to launch the "i Rescue" emergency service.

In addition to enhancing its own innovative capabilities, Bosch is to launch in China a program called the Auto Artificial Intelligence Accelerator to offer help to promising startups with a focus on technologies and solutions in the areas of driver assistance, autonomous driving and smart mobility solutions.

The initial application period for companies interested in the program is before May 15. Ultimately, there will be 15 outstanding domestic entrepreneurial teams selected, said Bosch. The company is the first global automotive technology and services supplier to launch an incubator accelerator project in China.

Bosch said it will fully leverage its innovation abilities, global experience and industry resources and advantages to support the fast development of outstanding local startups.