WORLD NEWS

Gerlingen-headquartered engineering and technology major Bosch, on its ‘Tech Day 2024’ highlighted how software development is taking centre stage for the brand. Globally known for its technology and services, Bosch is now significantly expanding its software and services business, aiming to generate billions in sales by the decade’s end.
Currently, the company’s software solutions are utilized in several sectors ranging from industrial production lines and automotive repair shops to medical equipment and even space missions aboard the ISS.Besides, over 48,000 associates are dedicated to software programming, including a significant 42,000 programmers in the mobility sector alone.
“Bosch has long been a software company,” said Stefan Hartung, chairman of Bosch’s board of management. “Our deep domain expertise allows us to integrate software directly into our products, enhancing our customers’ lives.”

Bosch Tech Day 2024: Software-defined mobility
In the automotive sector, the company anticipates a shift towards software-defined vehicles, revolutionizing how cars interact with the digital world. “Cars will be seamlessly integrated into the digital world, becoming ‘updateable’ through over-the-air software updates,” said Markus Heyn, Chairman of Bosch’s Mobility business sector. This transformation promises to equip vehicles, ranging from cars to trucks and e-bikes, with enhanced safety and convenience features.
Since launching its smart e-bike system in late 2021, Bosch has rolled out approximately 70 new features and enhancements through the eBike Flow app, including alarms, tracking capabilities, and new riding modes.

Furthermore, the company has developed special software that enables cars to stop smoothly, without jolts, similar to a skilled chauffeur. This “eBrake to Zero” function not only enhances comfort during stop-and-go traffic but also reduces the risk of motion sickness among passengers. Currently, a typical car operates with around a hundred control units from various manufacturers, but in upcoming software-defined vehicles, these functions will consolidate into less than a dozen advanced vehicle computers, integrating domain-specific capabilities efficiently.
In this context, Bosch and Qualcomm jointly introduced a vehicle computer that merges infotainment and driver assistance systems. This system not only streamlines vehicle architecture but also promises significant cost reductions for automakers. In the advanced vehicle computer system domain, the company has already generated sales of just under four billion in the last three years.