Bosch discusses solutions for a “connected world”
Bosch’s new Connected Mobility Solutions division will bring together over 600 associates to develop and sell digital mobility services, including vehicle sharing, ride-sharing, and connectivity-based services for car drivers.
Dr Volkmar Denner, chairman of the Bosch board of management, commented at the Bosch ConnectedWorld 2018 IoT conference in Berlin: Connectivity will fundamentally change how we get from A to B, and in the process it will help to solve todays traffic problems. We are using it to realise our vision of emissions-free, stress-free, and accident-free mobility. Connected driving is a growth area for Bosch. Bosch aims for significant double-digit growth with the solutions it offers.” The plan is for the new division to further extend the existing service portfolio. According to a report by PwC, by 2025, there will be more than 470 million connected vehicles on the worlds roads. Just four years from now, the market for mobility services and associated digital services will be worth 140bn.
Bosch enters the ride-sharing business
By 2022, the number of ride-sharing users worldwide is set to rise by 60% to 685 million, according to Statista. To date, most such services have been directed at people who happen to be traveling in the same direction or who want to book a trip at the last minute; companies and commuters have been seen as less of a priority. This is precisely where SPLT comes in. Recently acquired by Bosch, the American start-up developed a platform that companies, universities, or municipal authorities can use to arrange ride-sharing for their staff. This B2B approach is aimed directly at commuters: the SPLT app brings together people who want to share a ride to the same workplace or place of study. One advantage of this is that rides are shared by colleagues, which means users never have to get in the car with complete strangers. Within seconds, an algorithm locates a suitable ride-share, calculates the fastest route through traffic, and thus assumes what used to be the time-consuming task of coordinating the departure point, departure time, best route, and passengers.
Digital services for electric vehicles
Bosch subsidiary COUP has provided e-scooters for rent in Berlin since 2016. After introducing e-scooter sharing to Paris last year, the service will launch in Madrid this year. This will bring the total number of e-scooters to 3,500. Digital services will give electric driving a boost, Denner said.
Eliminating range anxiety: Services that encourage everyday use
For many car buyers, the worry that an electric car might leave them stranded is a deal-breaker. It is precisely this problem that system!e is designed to tackle. Because the electric drive is connected to the cloud, the system can produce an extended range forecast. An algorithm factors in vehicle data such as current battery charge, energy consumption of heating or air conditioning, and the drivers driving style, as well as information from the vehicles surroundings. This includes the current traffic situation and topographical data for the route ahead. Based on this information, the system can reliably calculate the vehicles precise range. For longer journeys in an electric car, the extended range forecast is supplemented by the charging assistant. This service knows where all the charge spots are on a given journey; it also manages the payment process. Thanks to additional information about restaurants, cafés, and shopping options, drivers can make the most of the charging time. A third service manages vehicle charging in smart homes, helping to optimise how they use energy. It integrates the electric car into the smart homes electricity grid, meaning the cars battery supplements the stationary storage device for the houses photovoltaic system. During the day, the car absorbs excess solar power and feeds it back at night as necessary.
4,000 participants, 70 exhibitors, and 140 speakers
At the Bosch ConnectedWorld forum for the IoT industry in Berlin, more than 70 exhibitors will demonstrate what is already possible with the internet of things, and how it will improve peoples everyday lives in the future. On a 10,000sqm exhibition space at Station in Berlin, some 4,000 delegates will meet from February 21 to 22. In addition to Bosch CEO Dr Volkmar Denner, the roughly 140 speakers will include Dr Dieter Zetsche (CEO Daimler), Dr Frank Appel (CEO Deutsche Post DHL), and Johann Jungwirth (CDO Volkswagen). At a hackathon, some 700 programmerss, start-up associates, and designers will develop new ideas for connected mobility services, automated driving, connected manufacturing and logistics, and connected living. The 2018 Bosch ConnectedWorld will be the fifth event of its kind. It is one of the worlds largest conferences on the Internet of Things.
