Bosch Reaches 10 Year Production Milestone For Electronic Stability Control

BAUDETTE, Minn., Feb. 10, 2005 -- In 2005, Bosch celebrates the 10th anniversary of manufacturing electronic stability control (ESC) for the global passenger vehicle industry. Bosch was first to bring ESC to market on the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and in the past 10 years has produced 15 million ESC systems worldwide. During 2004 Bosch, on a global basis, produced four million ESC systems.

Today, Bosch ESC is featured on such vehicles as the BMW X3, BMW X5, Buick LaCrosse, Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, Subaru Outback H6 VDC Wagon and the Toyota Avalon. By the end of 2004, approximately 11 percent of vehicles produced in North America were equipped with ESC.

"Within the last 10 years, ESC has proven invaluable for increasing passenger vehicle safety," said Rich Golitko, marketing director, electronic stability control, Robert Bosch Corporation. "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 2004 study supports this by indicating that ESC reduced fatal sport-utility crashes by 67 percent, and fatal car crashes by 35 percent."

Recently, Bosch expanded the functions of ESC to include features such as roll over mitigation (ROM), used to help in the prevention of vehicle roll over, and trailer sway mitigation (TSM), used to prevent unstable oscillations and trailer sway. Bosch also offers other value-added ESC functions, including hill descent control, hill hold control, soft stop, traffic jam assist and controlled deceleration driver assistance systems.

Bosch is actively engaged in educating both dealerships and consumers on the benefits of ESC. In 2004, Bosch began a pilot training program to provide ESC information and test drives to automotive dealers. In addition, Bosch formed the Electronic Stability Control Coalition with Continental Teves in 2003. A primary goal of the ESC Coalition is to inform consumers on the active safety benefits of ESC.

"Announcements by General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda and Toyota to increase the number of ESC systems on their vehicles will positively influence installation rates," said Golitko. "In less than two years, vehicles produced with ESC in North America will more than double, from approximately 11 percent today to 23 percent in 2006."

In an effort to assist manufacturers in reducing cost and increasing design flexibility, ESC has experienced many changes over the years. For example, the latest generation of Bosch ESC is approximately 60 percent lighter than an early version introduced in 1998. In the United States, Bosch manufactures ESC at its Charleston and Anderson, S.C. facilities.

One of the largest North American automotive suppliers, Bosch develops, manufactures and supplies precision components and systems -- including body electronics, chassis and powertrain -- for every major vehicle manufacturer worldwide.

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, packaging equipment and household appliances. Bosch employs more than 23,300 associates in more than 80 facilities throughout North America and reported sales surpassing $7.5 billion in 2004. For more information, visit http://www.bosch.us/ .