German engineering and technology leader Bosch recently held its ‘Tech Day 2024’, where the company highlighted its strategic shift software developmentCurrently, Bosch’s software solutions are deployed in a variety of sectors, including industrial production lines, automotive repair shops, medical equipment, and even space missions on the International Space Station (ISS). In fact, the company has more than 48,000 associates dedicated to software programming, of which 42,000 programmers are focused on the mobility sector alone.
We recently talked about Markus HeineMr. K. Sharma, Chairman, Mobility Business Sector, Bosch, spoke on the company’s future direction in the software space, its R&D investments, and India’s important role.
Hein hopes to change that Software-defined vehicles In Automotive sectorWhich will revolutionize the way cars interact with the digital world. This change promises to equip vehicles from cars to trucks and e-bikes with better safety and convenience features. He said, “Cars will be seamlessly integrated into the digital world, becoming ‘updatable’ through over-the-air software updates.”
When asked if he expects R&D spending to increase significantly in the next few years, especially with Bosch’s new focus on software, and what role India will play in this shift, he said, “It’s definitely going to happen. We are not afraid to spend on R&D efforts, which I think is good, as long as we make enough profit to afford it,”
“As far as India is concerned, we benefit from our very capable and large team in India. Services in India started in a slightly different way where the main focus was on supporting the divisions with additional software services that were originally outsourced to India. Today, I would say, our Indian team has grown very strongly and is very capable, so from that perspective, it is a great asset for us in the transformation and we would like to use it,”
He added, “Working with Indian OEMs is critical to success as they understand local conditions and customer needs. We focus on R&D projects with them because of their openness to collaboration, which we greatly appreciate.”
Bosch’s mobility business sector recorded an 11.1 per cent growth in product sales during FY2023-24, driven by a 4.8 per cent growth in the overall automotive sector. The company’s domestic sales also grew by 13.2 per cent. “We will make all efforts to grow in the Indian market and continue the growth momentum and we believe that if we do it right we are really well positioned to move forward.”
Bosch, in collaboration with Qualcomm, has recently introduced a vehicle computer that reduces the number of ECUs from 100 to around 10 by combining ADAS and infotainment ECUs. This innovation not only simplifies vehicle architecture but also promises significant cost reduction for vehicle manufacturers. Over the past three years, Bosch has generated sales of around four billion euros from advanced equipment. Vehicle Computer Systems.
When asked if there are other key areas where the company plans to consolidate technology into a single ECU, he said, “We are looking at moving classical domains into high-performance computers. In an architecture of less than 10 computers, 3 to 5 could be central, while the others would be high-performance zone computers located in specific vehicle areas to reduce cable distances and improve efficiency. These zone computers will consolidate functions currently handled by separate ECUs, such as window lift, into smaller, more capable units.”
In other developments, the company has developed special software that enables cars to stop smoothly like a skilled driver. This “eBrake to Zero” function enhances comfort in stop-and-go traffic and reduces the risk of motion sickness. While a typical car now operates with about a hundred control units from different manufacturers, upcoming software-defined vehicles will consolidate these functions into less than a dozen advanced vehicle computers, efficiently integrating domain-specific capabilities.
The shift to software is a key focus for the future and Bosch is well placed to take advantage of this growing market. However, this also raises questions about the future of the hardware sector, especially for Bosch, which has a strong position Hardware ExpertiseAnd for smaller suppliers in markets like India that currently focus on hardware, what will happen to them if these hardware-only companies don’t make the shift? “The good news is that we will always need hardware. Hardware will not go away, and innovation will continue to happen in this space. As a company rooted in hardware with embedded software, we see both sides. While software is becoming more important, balancing both is essential for success. Those who think it’s only software are wrong, especially in automotive. There will be companies that focus on software and some on hardware, but the real benefit is in doing both. Software’s influence has grown, but hardware is still important,” Hein said.
We recently talked about Markus HeineMr. K. Sharma, Chairman, Mobility Business Sector, Bosch, spoke on the company’s future direction in the software space, its R&D investments, and India’s important role.
Hein hopes to change that Software-defined vehicles In Automotive sectorWhich will revolutionize the way cars interact with the digital world. This change promises to equip vehicles from cars to trucks and e-bikes with better safety and convenience features. He said, “Cars will be seamlessly integrated into the digital world, becoming ‘updatable’ through over-the-air software updates.”
When asked if he expects R&D spending to increase significantly in the next few years, especially with Bosch’s new focus on software, and what role India will play in this shift, he said, “It’s definitely going to happen. We are not afraid to spend on R&D efforts, which I think is good, as long as we make enough profit to afford it,”
“As far as India is concerned, we benefit from our very capable and large team in India. Services in India started in a slightly different way where the main focus was on supporting the divisions with additional software services that were originally outsourced to India. Today, I would say, our Indian team has grown very strongly and is very capable, so from that perspective, it is a great asset for us in the transformation and we would like to use it,”
He added, “Working with Indian OEMs is critical to success as they understand local conditions and customer needs. We focus on R&D projects with them because of their openness to collaboration, which we greatly appreciate.”
Bosch’s mobility business sector recorded an 11.1 per cent growth in product sales during FY2023-24, driven by a 4.8 per cent growth in the overall automotive sector. The company’s domestic sales also grew by 13.2 per cent. “We will make all efforts to grow in the Indian market and continue the growth momentum and we believe that if we do it right we are really well positioned to move forward.”
Bosch, in collaboration with Qualcomm, has recently introduced a vehicle computer that reduces the number of ECUs from 100 to around 10 by combining ADAS and infotainment ECUs. This innovation not only simplifies vehicle architecture but also promises significant cost reduction for vehicle manufacturers. Over the past three years, Bosch has generated sales of around four billion euros from advanced equipment. Vehicle Computer Systems.
When asked if there are other key areas where the company plans to consolidate technology into a single ECU, he said, “We are looking at moving classical domains into high-performance computers. In an architecture of less than 10 computers, 3 to 5 could be central, while the others would be high-performance zone computers located in specific vehicle areas to reduce cable distances and improve efficiency. These zone computers will consolidate functions currently handled by separate ECUs, such as window lift, into smaller, more capable units.”
In other developments, the company has developed special software that enables cars to stop smoothly like a skilled driver. This “eBrake to Zero” function enhances comfort in stop-and-go traffic and reduces the risk of motion sickness. While a typical car now operates with about a hundred control units from different manufacturers, upcoming software-defined vehicles will consolidate these functions into less than a dozen advanced vehicle computers, efficiently integrating domain-specific capabilities.
The shift to software is a key focus for the future and Bosch is well placed to take advantage of this growing market. However, this also raises questions about the future of the hardware sector, especially for Bosch, which has a strong position Hardware ExpertiseAnd for smaller suppliers in markets like India that currently focus on hardware, what will happen to them if these hardware-only companies don’t make the shift? “The good news is that we will always need hardware. Hardware will not go away, and innovation will continue to happen in this space. As a company rooted in hardware with embedded software, we see both sides. While software is becoming more important, balancing both is essential for success. Those who think it’s only software are wrong, especially in automotive. There will be companies that focus on software and some on hardware, but the real benefit is in doing both. Software’s influence has grown, but hardware is still important,” Hein said.
