Twenty years ago, the internet revolutionised computing. Over the next few years, it will revolutionise the car.
23 Dec 2014 | 6544 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Twenty years ago, the internet revolutionised computing. Over the next few years, it will revolutionise the car. At the CES in Las Vegas in early January, Bosch will demonstrate how it is making cars an active part of the internet – and bringing drivers a range of benefits. Bosch already ...
This is an Autocar Pro Plus article. Subscribe to continue reading.
Twenty years ago, the internet revolutionised computing. Over the next few years, it will revolutionise the car. At the CES in Las Vegas in early January, Bosch will demonstrate how it is making cars an active part of the internet – and bringing drivers a range of benefits. Bosch already has extensive know-how in all relevant areas. The company offers hardware that establishes the connection to the outside world, a flexible basic software suite that brings together service providers and users, as well as numerous related services.
The physical enabler for any smart solution is Bosch’s connectivity control unit. This small box is connected to the in-car network and comprises a GMS module for communication, and usually also a GPS module that provides data on the current position – important information for many services. Bosch offers the unit in various configurations for applications in passenger cars, trucks, as well as motorcycles. As early as 2016, for example, Bosch expects every new long-haul commercial vehicle in Europe and the United States to be offered with a networking solution.
The wholly-owned subsidiary Bosch Software Innovations offers a modular software suite that can be flexibly utilised. For example, it has been in use as the basis for a networked and easy-to-use vehicle charging infrastructure in Singapore since 2011 and as the basis for a fleet management service in Germany since 2013. From 2015, it will form the platform for an innovative intermodal transportation concept in Stuttgart.
Bosch’s new telematics services provide greater transparency and a clearer overview for fleet operators. Via the interface for the on-board diagnosis (OBD) system in the vehicle, journey and service data is sent to Bosch for data analysis. On the basis of this evaluated data, the fleet operator can optimize operating and maintenance times. Thanks to the integration of GPS vehicle tracking, services such as an electronic logbook and a theft warning system are also available. This helps to reduce the overall cost of the vehicle.
A lifesaving solution is the in-vehicle emergency notification service eCall. If the system detects that the vehicle has been involved in an accident, this information is sent to a Bosch communication center which is manned around the clock. The centre’s multilingual associates contact the driver and alert the police as well as emergency services if necessary.
Bosch is pushing connectivity forward in workshops
Connectivity doesn’t end when the car has to go in for service or repair. Since vehicle electronics are getting ever more powerful and complex, the German supplier has made it possible for workshops to access certain vehicle data helpful for error diagnosis and repair online. Bosch’s ‘Flex Inspect’ diagnostic system can automatically read out the fault memory, check the battery, tyre inflation pressure, and chassis geometry.
Bosch supports workshops with augmented reality in maintaining and repairing vehicles in the future, where information is superimposed onto the real object displayed on a tablet or a smartphone (as depicted above).
On the basis of this, a customer service advisor is able to immediately discuss any necessary repairs with the driver. During the repair work, the technician can make use of augmented reality technology. After focusing the diagnostics tablet computer’s camera on the engine compartment, relevant information such as repair instructions and necessary tools are superimposed on the image. The time-consuming consultation of service manuals is thus unnecessary. Even parts that are hidden behind covers or the dashboard can be depicted as three-dimensional images. Error diagnosis and repair has never been so easy.
New display techniques and an appealing smartphone integration solution
On one hand, new connected services are leading to an ever increasing amount of information. On the other hand, driver distraction must be minimised. At the CES, Bosch will showcase technical solutions that help to prioritise information and display it in a highly intuitive way. A particularly attractive approach is display-based instrument clusters. These replace conventional displays and project all of the instrument, navigation, and multimedia information into the driver's field of vision. Depending on the situation and the driver’s wishes, they offer different layouts. Two Bosch solutions for fully display-based instrument clusters are already in series production in the BMW i8 and the Audi TT, with more to come.
The new Audi TT comes equipped with an innovative display and operating concept (shown above). A display-based instrument cluster from the system supplier Bosch bundles all of the instrument, navigation, and multimedia information right in the driver´s field of vision. Audi calls this driver oriented concept the 'Virtual Cockpit'. The new Audi TT comes with two basic display modes. The traditional mode shows large, digitally produced round gages. The second mode trims down the virtual round speedometer and tachometer and shifts them to the lower corners, leaving plenty room for al large navigation display.
Another cost-effective solution is the Bosch combiner head-up display. The system does not project the information onto the windshield but instead onto a small special plastic screen positioned below it. This image is superimposed on the scenery outside the vehicle in such a way that these appear to merge with one another at a distance of around two meters in front of the vehicle. Since 2014, the system has been installed in a variety of BMW Group vehicles.
Connectivity with the outside world is currently achieved mainly via the smartphone. With its mySPIN solution, Bosch is offering a highly appealing way to integrate Android-based phones as well as iOS-based ones. mySPIN creates a perfect device-vehicle link and ensures much safer and more reliable in-car use. Other Bosch infotainment systems being showcased at the CES demonstrate natural voice input or a navigation system that offers a proactive driving strategy based on real-time traffic info. To keep the new assistance and convenience functions up-to-date, the Bosch subsidiary ESCRYPT is showcasing a solution for secure wireless software updates.
Assisted driving and e-bike demos at the Vehicle Intelligence Marketplace
The mobility of the future is electrified, automated, and connected. At the outdoor area of the vehicle intelligence marketplace, Bosch will display innovations that bring us a step closer to automated driving. A demonstration vehicle featuring the Bosch traffic jam assistant will prove that self-guided driving in heavy traffic already has become reality. The car can brake, accelerate, and steer within its lane completely independently. The driver still has to monitor the vehicle, but the overall burden is much lower. Visitors are also welcome to try out e-bikes of various brands featuring Bosch e-bike drive units on a dedicated course. There will also be an overview of Bosch’s various sensor technologies as well as its wide range of electromobility solutions, from e-bikes and e-scooters to hybrid and fully-electric vehicles.