Bosch Priority: Keep Technology Focused on Consumer

Bosch Consumer Products chief Raschke

Struth: At Bosch, we believe that automated driving will help us achieve our vision of safe and accident-free driving. About 90% of vehicle accidents (injuries and fatalities) today are due to human error. Supporting advanced automated vehicles could reduce this rate significantly. It could be one of the strongest lifesavers in our cars. Everyone – customers to makers – wants to emphasize safety in cars.

Driving a car is fun on country roads, in the Black Forest or the Alps. But most people drive in city conditions and traffic jams. With driver-assist technology, the driver can (relax more).

WardsAuto: Are we moving fast enough in developing automated (driverless) vehicles?

Struth: We’re at the partial automated stage now. Step-by-step, we will eliminate the obstacles. In fully automated vehicles, without human interface, the system will detect the surroundings and (provide) the right level of precision for driving conditions.

WardsAuto: How far away are we from these fully automated vehicles?

Struth: Fully automated driving is on the horizon and can be expected in the decade after 2020. But Bosch already offers an increasing number of driver-assistance functions which represent important first steps.

WardsAuto: What about your tech partners/supplier companies? Are they on board with new tech trends?

Raschke: The distribution landscape changes all the time; our trade partners of tomorrow would be happy to have the products we see (today). Consumers will decide if it’s a good solution or not; these developments are driven by technology, not consumers. But we have integrated the consumer heavily into the equation.

WardsAuto: What’s the importance of consumer shows like CES and auto shows to your marketplace?

Raschke: Companies watch the headlines (at shows). They look at new trends and ideas, new and old players, who’s leading in a space. It’s important to show our competence. We’re happy to show products like our new 3-D printer, Smart Home, self-parking cars, gesture-controlled info systems, head-up displays, etc.

WardsAuto: Mr. Struth, what is your view on digital disruption?

Struth: It’s a matter of disrupt or be disrupted. The change we see today will become even faster and shorter-cycled. The really exciting thing is that today’s business models are enabled by the Internet of Things. We have the power and inherent creativity to adjust a little bit ahead of the change and be part of the change. If you don't innovate, you will have a hard time (surviving).

WardsAuto: What's important to you in these changing times?

Raschke: What’s important to me is the feeling of the times we are in – it’s all so connected. We live in the most exciting phase of the last 200 years since industrialization began. Entrepreneurial behavior is changing. Contrasted to buying companies 10 years ago, opportunities and risks are still there, but there are huge possibilities for those who (want to be) successful.

We (at Bosch) are strong believers in a changing world and the (role of) strategic industries and companies like ours. Today, this means that products have to be even more integrated and connected.