The winning project focused on Piezo Injectors, a new technology for clean and economical diesel and gasoline engines which was selected by the award jury as the best of a final shortlist comprising four nominated teams. This is the first time that an R&D body with members from two different and directly competing companies has received the honour. The prize for innovation was presented by the German Federal President, Horst Kohler based upon developments of high scientific calibre that are ready for market application.

Dr. Siegfried Dais, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH commented; "Bosch is proud to receive this award in recognition of its efforts in the automotive industry, aiming to advance both the ecological and economic aspects of its technology. I am particularly delighted for the award winners from the two companies, and their respective development teams who, competing intensely with each other have succeeded in implementing the idea of using Piezo technology in high-demand, high-volume products."

Piezo technology is suitable for both diesel and gasoline direct injection systems. As one of the world's largest manufacturers of injection technology for internal-combustion engines, Bosch initiated an image transformation for car diesel engines with the 1997 launch of the high-pressure common-rail system. Around 50 percent of new vehicle buyers are guided in their purchasing decision by considerations such as fuel economy, engine response, and the environmental soundness of today's advanced diesel technology.

The Piezo technology which has garnered the Deutscher Zukunftspreis award has been instrumental in the performance improvements and market successes achieved. The third-generation common-rail series featuring Piezo inline injectors was launched by Bosch in 2003. This system reduces not just exhaust emissions from the diesel engine but also its operating noise and fuel consumption.

The development and introduction of this technology is evidence of exemplary entrepreneurial courage and a commitment to viable long-term corporate strategies. Since the mid-1990s, both companies have invested well over five billion euros in the development and manufacture of such systems. The market success already achieved underlines the significance of such a forward-looking approach. In 2001, one year after production start-up of Piezo common-rail systems, the number of Piezo injectors manufactured hit the half-million mark. In 2004, Bosch and Siemens VDO Automotive produced more than three million such injectors together. In 2006, the aggregate production volume of the two companies is expected to be in the region of 16 million units.

The success of Piezo technology with car owners has also helped secure employment levels. For manufacture of the Piezo injectors alone, the two companies employ around 9,400 people worldwide, 6,000 of whom work in Germany. In addition, the largely SMEsized components suppliers and machine manufacturers also involved are keeping a approximately a further 8,000 people in work most commonly in Germany.

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