“For Bosch, Japan is a key market, not least on account of the outstanding significance of the Japanese automotive industry for the entire region” explained Dr Bernd Bohr, member of the Bosch Board of Management and Chairman of the Automotive Group, during a press conference at the Tokyo Motor Show.  At the beginning of 2005, the Bosch Group employed 9,200 associates in Japan, with 8,400 working within the automotive technology division. Following the merger of the braking and automotive electronics businesses three years ago, and with the aftermarket business in July 2005, Bosch has now pooled all automotive technology competence in Japan in the new entity of the Bosch Corporation.

Products tailored for the Asian market

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Bosch is presenting a number of innovations for international carmakers, as well as products tailored to the specific needs of the Asian market. In its business with transmission controls, for example, the company expects considerable growth. This year alone, it will grow my nearly 30 percent. Demand for push belts for continuously variable transmission (CVT) is also growing significantly. “Bosch is meeting all efforts to fulfill this strongly increasing demand,” Bohr said.

Bosch also plans to significantly increase its sales of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). The positive effect of ESP in Japan has been officially confirmed by the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims Aid. According to this agency, vehicles with ESP are involved in almost a third fewer head-on collisions and traffic accidents than vehicles without ESP. “In view of this, we welcome the fact that the share of vehicles equipped with this system is increasing: last year, 10 percent of all cars produced in Japan were equipped with ESP, and by 2007 this figure is expected to have risen to 25 percent,” added Bohr.

Innovations for the automotive industry

Bosch is continuing to drive forward the development of fuel-injection technology. The end of this year will see the launch of the of the second generation of gasoline direct injection systems – smaller, lighter, more cost-efficient, and highly flexible to allow a wide variety of combustion processes. In the diesel area, Bosch is working on higher injection pressures for the common-rail system, with the aim of further enhancing consumption and emission values. There is also active involvement by Bosch in the development and system integration of the hybrid drive. Bosch has many years experience with combustion engines and electric motors, as well as extensive know-how in brake and power management. “Again and again, it is this broad-based know-how that works to our advantage in our innovation-driven partnership with carmakers,” Bohr said.

In Japan, nearly 1,000 Bosch associates are involved in research and development. Worldwide, some 18,000 associates work in research and development in the Automotive Technology business sector, and Bosch operates in 50 development and application centres.

Note to Editors:

The Bosch Group is the world’s largest provider of automotive technology to all leading vehicle and component manufacturers. 

In 2004, the company generated automotive sales of €25.3 billion and employs 149,200 people in this sector.  The key business areas include: fuel injection technology (diesel & petrol); systems for active and passive vehicle safety (brakes, ABS, traction control, ESP, control units for restraint systems); electrical motors, rotating electrics and products for car multimedia.

Bosch media enquiries:
Chris Wakley / David Eden
Automotive PR
Tel: 020 7494 8050
Email: cwakley@automotivepr.com / deden@automotivepr.com

Bosch OE enquiries:
Beverley Daniels
Corporate Affairs Manager
Robert Bosch Limited
Tel: 01895 878155
Email:beverley.daniels@uk.bosch.com