Bosch continues to be a strong advocate of road safety with the showcase of its Antilock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) at the inaugural Southeast Asia Automotive Safety Week, organized by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS). The event is held in conjunction with the Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) 2012 Annual Meeting.
Herbert Hemming, President of the Bosch Corporation in Japan, who was invited to present at the Global NCAP Annual Meeting said, “There is a growing awareness of vehicle safety systems in emerging automotive markets, an aspect which is becoming a critical priority in the new vehicle purchase thought process of vehicle owners.” Mr. Hemming added, “While the installation of ABS and ESC systems in new vehicles has been prevalent in Europe and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries, more still needs to be done to ensure that they are introduced by vehicle manufacturers in developing nations.” Due to the importance of ESC, mandatory installation of this technology as standard equipment in new vehicles has already been introduced in the United States and Europe, with Japan, Australia, South Korea and Russia to follow within the next few years.
On a global level, 48 percent of all new passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and motorcycles are already fitted with ESC. In China, nearly one out of every five cars rolling off the production line is equipped with ESC. ESC also incorporates ABS and traction control. The ABS allows safe braking by preventing the wheels from locking, ensuring the vehicle remains steerable and can be brought to a standstill with the shortest braking distance. Despite facing emergency brake situations, vehicles equipped with ABS remain steerable and stable without loss of control of the vehicle. ESC incorporates the components of both ABS and Traction Control, and helps prevent the wheels from spinning when starting off and accelerating, with the additional benefit of stability control in all driving situations.
Dr. Wolfgang Hiller, Senior Managing Director of Bosch Corporation (Japan) and Regional President (Chassis Systems Control) of Bosch Corporation (Japan) summarizes, “As a result, modern vehicles are able to avoid skidding accidents 80 percent more effectively than their traditional counterparts. To address growing consumer demand for safety and comfort, it is important for vehicle manufacturers to adopt ESC.” Martin Hayes, President of Bosch Southeast Asia and Managing Director of Bosch Malaysia said, “I applaud MIROS’s initiative to include the installation of ESC as one of its 5-star criteria for the ASEAN NCAP standard. This marks a new benchmark for the industry in Malaysia and in Southeast Asia, and is a vital step in ensuring greater vehicle safety for consumers.” Mr. Hayes added, “Bosch is committed to a long-term vision of realizing accident-free driving experiences through our safety systems technology.
The initiatives by MIROS are in accordance with our own objectives, and we look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with more local entities such as MIROS to support and improve road safety in Malaysia.” The recently introduced Proton Preve features both ABS and ESC systems developed by Bosch, making it one of the first cars in Malaysia to incorporate active safety features at an affordable price range for middle-income car owners. Additional safety for motorcycles Bosch has developed the world’s first ABS specially for motorcycles and put it into series production.
The compact dimensions allow it to be used for all motorcycle types also for motor scooters and small motorcycles with a hydraulic brake system. Next to cars, the ABS can also add considerable safety to motorcycles. ABS allows safe braking by preventing the wheels from locking up, preventing a fall and thus significantly reduce braking distance. A study presented by Vägverket, the Swedish highway authority in 2009, shows that 38 percent of all accidents involving personal injury and 48 percent of all serious and fatal accidents could be prevented with the help of ABS. Another study by Bosch based on GIDAS, the German database of accident statistics, comes to the finding that 47 percent of motorcycle accidents are caused by wrong and hesitant braking.
It concludes that a quarter of accidents with injuries and fatalities could be prevented if ABS was standard equipment. According to a recent survey by Bosch, 97 percent of the total global production for motorcycles was for units with capacities lower than 250 cc. However, less than one percent of these units are incorporated with an ABS.
