One million Bosch start-stop starters
Start-stop systems stop the combustion engine when the vehicle comes to a halt at a red light or in a traffic jam, starting it again automatically when the clutch is depressed and the vehicle is put back into gear. For this system, Bosch supplies a special starter, whose powerful electric starter motor as well as low-noise, enhanced meshing mechanics guarantee safe, fast, and quiet engine starts. The system also includes control software, which is generally integrated into the engine ECU, and a battery sensor, one of whose tasks is to record the current battery charge and relay this information to the energy management system. This ensures that the engine is only stopped if the battery has stored enough energy to start the engine again quickly. The system is rounded off by a crankshaft sensor, sensors on the pedals, and a deep-cycle resistant battery.

Bosch navigation is environmentally friendly
Navigation systems offer vehicle drivers the choice between a number of different route options. When only one option is used to calculate the route, the results often display very specific characteristics. The short route, for example, tends to favor country and district roads, passes through villages and towns and uses roads which can only be travelled at relatively low average speeds. This type of route often requires frequent stops and starts, which results in a waste of energy and higher fuel consumption. The fast route, on the other hand, prefers routes with fewer intersections, such as motorways, main national roads and bypasses, which can mean that the distance traveled is actually longer. Systems from Bosch have already taken things a big step forwards in this respect. They weigh up distance and time against one another, evaluate such different road attributes as villages and towns that are passed through or intersections and use this as a basis to calculate the most ecologically friendly and at the same time most economical routes.

New safety and driver assistance systems
The predictive emergency braking system is an example of how sensors that monitor vehicle surroundings can be networked with active safety systems. According to the German accident database GIDAS, one-third of drivers either do not brake prior to a rear-end collision, or they do not use their full braking power. The Bosch predictive emergency braking system can thus assist drivers on several levels. In a first step, it uses the radar sensor's signals to assess the situation in front of the vehicle. If a car approaches vehicle in front of it too quickly, the system warns the driver with an acoustic signal, and the ESP® system then briefly jerks the brakes. If the driver does not respond to initial warnings and the situation worsens, the ESP® system automatically brakes, slowing the car down by up to half of the maximum deceleration. If the driver responds, the system increases deceleration to the point that the vehicle may come to a stop before a collision occurs. If the system deems an accident inevitable, the maximum deceleration is initiated to at least limit the severity of the crash. At the highest level of automatic full braking, the system is supported by a video sensor. From 2010, such a Bosch system will be offered in a series-produced vehicle for the first time.

The automotive battery of the future
Nearly all automakers and suppliers agree: as energy storage for the electric drives of the future, a lithium-ion battery is the preferred technology. When compared to the nickel-metal hydride technology that has been used to date, lithium-ion technology provides improved power density. Moreover, thanks to a high nominal voltage, it also has a higher energy density. As a result, lithium-ion technology makes it possible to drive significantly longer distances without increased weight. Other benefits of lithium-ion batteries include high cycle durability and a longer lifetime, as well as extremely low self-discharge. These are the very reasons why lithium-ion cells are widespread in consumer electronics, and are already used in billions of laptops, mobile phones, and power tools.

However, the requirements for their use in the automobile are far more demanding. Wether in arctic temperatures or in tropical heat, on the highway or on streets in poor condition the battery has to work perfectly. If a car is involved in an accident, the battery must not pose an additional hazard. SB LiMotive's development activities thus aim not only to further improve power and energy density, as well as achieve higher cycle durability and a longer lifetime, the aim is also to adapt the new technology to high automotive safety standards.