Bosch Predicts Vehicle Safety is the Next Frontier for Automotive Electronics

Forcier discusses advancing vehicle safety through electronic innovation and collaboration at the 2008 SAE World Congress

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., April 16 -- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), vehicle-related fatalities have remained constant for nearly a decade at approximately 40,000 deaths per year. Advancements in vehicle safety, designed to help reduce that alarming statistic, hinge on the research and development of advanced electronic technologies.

"Our premise is simple - vehicle safety is the next frontier for automotive electronics," said Jason Forcier, president North America, automotive electronics, Robert Bosch LLC. "Active safety technologies like forward collision warning, predictive braking and lane departure warning are helping to improve a driver's safety by completely avoiding or decreasing the severity of crashes."

Bosch's automotive electronics division continues its commitment to raising the bar on vehicle safety through linking various safety innovations. The company's Vehicle Motion & Safety (VMS) is one example of this effort. VMS creates a network including all systems and components relevant to vehicle motion, which often are already available in the vehicle. The resulting functions will have the ability to inform, alert and support the driver as the situation requires, or even to intervene independently in emergencies. This will further optimize driving safety, comfort and agility.

"In addition to innovation, collaboration is essential for advancing safety," said Forcier. "The industry - automakers and suppliers - legislators, regulators and consumer advocacy groups must work in unison to achieve technology neutral legislation and a common understanding among consumers of the benefits of these safety technologies."

On Tuesday, April 15, Forcier participated on an "Electronics: Expectations and Opportunities" panel at the 2008 SAE World Congress where he discussed this topic as well as industry expectations of advanced electronics.

In addition to Forcier's discussion at the 2008 SAE World Congress, Bosch hosted "AUTOSAR at Bosch," on Monday, April 14, at the Marriott Detroit Renaissance Center hotel, discussing how the Automotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR) will be introduced in Bosch products. Also, the company presented 13 technical papers and for the fourth year in a row, will serve as the SAE World Congress Banquet Afterglow sponsor on Thursday, April 17, at Seldom Blues in Detroit.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 272,000 associates generated sales of 46.1 billion euros ($63.2 billion) in fiscal 2007. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 300 subsidiary and regional companies in over 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch spends more than three billion euros each year for research and development, and in 2006 applied for over 3,000 patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering."

In North America, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial automation and mobile products, power tools and accessories, security technology, thermo-technology, packaging equipment and household appliances. For more information on the company, visit www.bosch.us .