It’s not every other day that you get to hear a company
bossman deliver a speech using tools of humour and substance, elaborating on
the several ways his company’s products touch our ordinary lives in more ways
than one.
Dr. Werner Struth, Chairman, Robert Bosch LLC and Member of
the Board of Management, Robert Bosch GmbH combined these attributes at the
International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) to
drive home the point that our time spent at home and on the road has been
influenced positively by several innovations carried out by Bosch.
Dr Struth began and ended his speech by recalling the
contents of an email sent to him by his daughter earlier in the day. “As I
started my day – perhaps like you – I checked my e-mail…
Received a text from my daughter…Hi Dad… Hope u r well. Want
to go skiing with friends Saturday.
Short on cash. Loan? Will pay u back. Promise. Maybe you'll
hit it big in Vegas and write it off?:)
Good luck on the press conference. <3”.
By the time the Bosch chairman came to ending his speech, he
rounded it off with his daughter’s email request, saying that he texted back to
her...” “Check's in the “mail.” :) Dad”.
What he wanted to tell his audience was that whether anyone
realises or not, lives are being revolutionised by technology. “The lifestyle
to which we aspire is only a few clicks away,” he said.
Whether it is online banking, getting an update on family
vehicles, scanning headline news, checking on one’s house to make sure the
doors are locked and the heat turned down, all this can be done with just a few
clicks on a smartphone.
“It is amazing how connected living has revolutionised
virtually everything we do. And, we are still in the infancy stage of fully
understanding the real impact it will have on our lives. While many people may
not know it, Bosch is actively involved in advancing connected, smart,
sustainable and secure living. In this regard, Bosch is not only strengthening
its software competence, but also forming alliances with strategic partners,”
he said.
Bosch, he said provides three Ss in its connectivity
business: Sensors, Software and Service.
According to him, Bosch fits into this fast-changing,
connected environment by monitoring mega trends. “We examine the world,
identify consumer needs and seek to innovate solutions that make peoples' lives
better. That means all aspects of their life, including their home and their
various modes of transportation”.
He informed that Bosch products touch four main sectors:
Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods and Energy and
Building Technology.
“From oxygen sensors to ovens, you will find Bosch in many
places… some of which may surprise you… and hopefully all of which will
fascinate you! ...Not many people know the full depth and breadth of the Bosch
portfolio. Frankly, that is one of the reasons we come to CES. We want to help
others understand our company. When people start to look at our portfolio, they
begin to realize our company's vision and know that Invented for life is more
than a tagline. It guides our products… our people… and our principles,” he
said.
Dr Struth then went
on to elaborate on the two areas of people’s lives on which connected living is
having a tremendous influence: Connected Home and Connected Mobility.
“Connectivity and sensors are the cornerstones of the
Internet of Things. It is what makes connected living happen. Bosch is the
world leader in creating micro-electro-mechanical sensors – or MEMS.
We provide sensors for a wide range of automotive and consumer
electronics applications. More than 50 pc of the smartphones in the world are
equipped with a Bosch sensor. So chances are that you have a Bosch sensor in
your smartphone… in your home appliance… or in your vehicle,” he informed.
He said a sensor that Bosch makes can be used in a myriad of
ways… to monitor and manage air quality in a room by opening and closing
windows or managing air flow. It can monitor personal fitness and offer you
recommendations to secure your personal well-being. It is key for home
automation and environmental monitoring, as well as personal weather forecasts.
Bosch Sensortec is continuously developing innovative sensor solutions for
wearables and the Internet of Things.
Bosch also enables a net-zero energy consumption lifestyle.
Bosch's Thermotechnology division and Bosch PowerTec Division are teaming up to
make this lifestyle readily attainable. He said his company was also presenting
a WiFi-enabled Remote Room Controller with a touch screen and a corresponding
app that allows users to control their heating systems via their smartphone.
To further advance smart home technologies Bosch, ABB and Cisco
plan to establish an international joint venture that will develop and operate
an open software platform for smart homes. The companies also intend to
establish a partner alliance that will be open to all manufacturers, developers
and suppliers of products and services in the area of smart homes. The joint
venture is subject to approval by antitrust authorities, he said.
He said last fall in Europe, Bosch presented its first
networked home appliances that can be controlled with an app. Called Home
Connect, this app acts as a control centre for the family of Bosch-related
brand appliances that have a WirelessLan communication module configured for
the app. Consumers can use this app – which is built on an open platform – via
their smartphone or tablet .And even if they are not at home, consumers can
control appliances like the oven, the dishwasher or the refrigerator, he told
journalists.
Bosch Security Systems is working around the globe to keep
individual homes and large commercial venues safe and secure. For example, in
Singapore, the Star shopping mall with more than 100 shops and restaurants is
an architectural stand-out. It also features a comprehensive security solution
created by Bosch. Security for this multifunctional building includes systems
for video surveillance, public address and access control. The entire security
system is managed through Bosch's Building Integration System.
Talking about Connected Mobility and how Bosch keeps people safe
and secure on the road, he said that Bosch's mobility sector has developed a
comprehensive portfolio of technologies to meet drivers' increasing needs for
cleaner, safer, more efficient, and more comfortable driving experiences.
“Besides improving the conventional powertrain,
electrification will play an increasingly important role in the future of
mobility. Our portfolio of electric solutions encompasses a broad spectrum from
eBikes and e-scooters, through mild and plug-in hybrids, all the way to fully
electric powertrains.
Also for electric vehicles, Bosch and BMW announced a DC
fast charger last year. Smaller and more affordable than other available fast
chargers, this DC fast charger can charge a BMW i3 battery to 80 percent... in
just 30 minutes. It's also compatible with some other electric vehicles.
And at the other end of the electromobility spectrum is the
eBike, for which Bosch produces drive systems. With eBikes, electrical energy
supports muscle power during pedaling. Bosch has become the market leader for
eBike drive systems in Europe. We are excited to see them launch in the U.S.,”
he said.
Nyon is Bosch's first all-in-one eBike cycle computer with
an integrated navigation and fitness function. Equipped with comprehensive
basic functions, Nyon can be adapted to the needs of the rider with a
smartphone app and online portal. Its housing is waterproof and rugged, so it
can be used in the rain and off-road. Twelve bike manufacturers will offer the
Nyon in Europe for the 2015 model year.
Bosch also develops a variety of sensors that enable
automated driving. For example, ultrasonic sensors and near-range cameras
enable automated parking… radar sensors and mono and stereo-video cameras
enable driver assistance systems.
“By coupling radar and video technology, traffic jam assist
controls longitudinal and lateral movements of the vehicle in congested
traffic, returning control to the driver if necessary to change lanes or if
obstacles are detected,” he said.
He further added that Bosch is making cars an active part of
the internet – and bringing drivers a range of benefits. By networking
vehicles, Bosch is improving the comfort, safety and efficiency of tomorrow's
mobility. “At the same time, Bosch is
bringing the fascination of the digital world onto the streets of the physical
world. In this, the company is pursuing three strategic objectives.
First, Bosch is making the internet an intuitive in-car
experience. Second, Bosch is connecting cars to the internet and creating
driver assistance functions with added value. And finally, Bosch is networking
cars with traffic infrastructure.
“In the future, we will see completely new functions emerge.
For instance, in-car augmented reality will connect the virtual world with the
physical world. Think of a soccer game on TV… augmented reality is what allows
viewers to see the offside line blended in as if it were part of the field. The
windshield will become the vehicle's main display area, bringing all vehicle
information as well as data on the surroundings into the driver's field of
vision. Connected mobility makes driving safer and offers greater comfort and
convenience,” he noted.
As the world becomes increasingly more connected, consumers
want their vehicle to be an extension of their lifestyle. Bosch's mySPIN
smartphone integration creates a device-to-vehicle link that provides users
with the opportunity to continue using certain apps – both Apple and Android –
through the vehicle's central display. The apps are optimized for in-vehicle
use, thus minimizing distraction, Dr Struth informed.
The instrument cluster is another area where Bosch is making
a technology leap and adding versatility to the vehicle. “Our display-based
instrument cluster, which was recently introduced in the BMW i8 and Audi TT,
provides maximum flexibility for processing and displaying content with great
clarity,” he said.
He said that digital communication and data networking are
playing an increasingly important role in repair shops. The repair shop of the
future will be able to continuously monitor the status of customers' vehicles
and recommend a repair in advance. In addition, parts can be ordered and
employees' work time can be better organised. Once a customer arrives for a
service appointment, Bosch's flex inspect component automatically reads the
fault memory and checks the battery, the tire inflation pressure and the
chassis geometry, he said.
Dr Struth wrapped up his informative speech by saying that
“Integrating the physical and virtual worlds promises to enrich our lives,
provide tremendous amounts of important information and allow us access to many
communities, large and small”.