magazin 2014 en

Journalof Bosch History

Past and present3 All-rounder for energy efficiency A short history of energy and building technology at BoschEyewitnesses3 Learn to be sensitive to others Intercultural skills in a globalized companyMilestones3 100 years of the electric starter A push button instead of a crank

2014

Published byRobert Bosch GmbHHistorical Communications (C/CCH)Postfach 30 02 20 70442 StuttgartGermany

Phone +49 711 811-44156

Director: Dr. Kathrin Fastnacht

Overall responsibility:Corporate Communications, Brand Management, and SustainabilitySenior Vice President: Uta-Micaela Drig

Website:history.bosch.com

Additional copies of this brochure can be ordered by email from:[email protected]

April 2014

2 | Journal of Bosch History

Invented for life is more than just a slogan its Boschs guiding

principle. Like so much in our company, it has a long tradition.

For more than 125 years, Bosch products have been improving

peoples lives, providing greater safety, efficiency, and comfort.

Examples include the innovative technologies developed by

associates in the new Energy and Building Technology business

sector. Turn to the article All-rounder for energy efficiency in

the Past and present section to find out more. The same section also reveals the story behind our company symbol, the

Bosch armature in a circle.

In the Eyewitness section, four associates share their experiences of working at Bosch in countries far from their own.

This illustrates just how important diversity is for a company.

Only by recognizing differences can we reap their benefits.

The Milestones section is devoted to the theme Invented for life. Among other things, the focus here is on the 50th anniversary

of the Bosch dishwasher. Now an integral part of most kitchens, this

appliance was a source of genuine delight to many people when it

first launched.

Dr. Kathrin Fastnacht

Contents | 3

Past and present 4 The main point, not an accessory The story of the Bosch trademark

10 All-rounder for energy efficiency A short history of energy and building technology at Bosch

ContentsForeword

Eyewitnesses 14 Learn to be sensitive to others Intercultural skills in a globalized company 18 Be open to everything... Four associates on working abroad

Milestones 22 100 years of the electric starter A push button instead of a crank

26 75 years of manufacturing in Japan On land, in the water, and in the air 28 50 years of the Robert Bosch Stiftung Dedicated to people

30 The Bosch dishwasher at 50 Taking the toil out of washing dishes

32 25 years of Bosch Korea Ltd. Many activities under one roof

34 25 years of navigation systems The innovation that became a TV star

36 25 years since motorcycle ABS premiered Safe braking in scary moments

38 Every picture tells a story

Cover:Products from what is now the Energy and Building Technology business sector sparked enthusi-asm as early as the late 1950s.


groups who ultimately make us their first choice.

Armature in a circleBut what does the Bosch armature in a circle symbol actually mean? To answer that, we need to go right back to a product that no longer exists, but which helped Bosch achieve its international breakthrough the mag-neto ignition device. A cross-section clearly reveals a double-T armature, the inspiration for the symbol. When the armature moves in a magnetic field, electricity is generated in its coil. If this flow of electricity is inter-

The armature shines silver in the deep blue of the night sky. Beside it, the five letters spelling BOSCH glow red. This is the view at dusk not just in Feuerbach, but at virtually all com-pany locations worldwide. Few other things bind the Bosch world together as strongly as the symbol and logo-type. However, as Peter Feldmann, head of Brand Management and Marketing Communications empha-sizes, this is just one element of an overarching concept. He says the trademark is also a leap of faith into the hearts and minds of our custom-ers, job applicants, and other target

Past and present

Past and present | 5

The first hand-drawn sketches for the Bosch logo by Gottlob Honold, 1918

Current issues always have a history. Their roots often reach far back into the past.

In Past and present, we trace the development of products and divisions, and, leaving

the issue of anniversaries aside, take the opportunity to highlight fascinating events

and episodes that happened along the way.

The main point, not an accessory The story of the Bosch trademark

Christine Siegel

rupted, the all-important ignition spark is produced at two electrodes in the engines cylinder head. This armature first emerged as a template for marking Bosch products around 1900. However, there was still no globally standardized trademark. France used a different trademark than the U.K., for instance. In the U.S., Bosch products were identified by the red devil. Modeled on Belgian racing driver Camille Jenatzy, this symbol stood for the reliability of the Bosch magneto ignition system even in extreme conditions such as those found in motor racing.

6 | Journal of Bosch History Past and present | 7

In fall 1918, chief engineer Gottlob Honold returned to the armature idea when he was designing a new trade-mark. The first world war had just ended and Bosch urgently needed to change its brand presence to avoid confusion. In addition to sales offices and branch operations, governments in some countries had also expropri-ated patents and protected trade-marks from defeated Germany. Bosch was concerned that companies that had taken over Bosch property would continue production under the estab-lished names and trademarks, result-ing in potentially disastrous mix-ups worldwide.

Recognizable worldwideThe requirements for the new trade-mark were clear. It had to be a sim-ple, line-based symbol that could be engraved easily on even the smallest products and spare parts. At the same time, it needed to be striking and understandable in any country, so letters were out of the question. The new symbol also had to be suit-able as an advertising motif. With all this in mind, Honold got to work. As with so many of his products, the

realization of this concept was also characterized by extreme precision, right down to the last millimeter.

On December 2, 1918, Gottlob Honold gave an exact description of the symbol to the companys patent department. On May 2, 1919, the armature was submitted as an official trademark to the patent office. It has been engraved on all Bosch products ever since. To spread the word about the new symbol to business partners and customers, Bosch commissioned renowned advertising artist Lucian Bernhard to produce an ad, which was published in numerous trade magazines. It was important to ensure Bosch was associated with the new trademark in all corners of the globe. This was particularly critical as the companys fears had become reality the investment group that had taken over expropri-ated Bosch property in the U.S. after the first world war soon began using the red devil in its own advertising. At first glance, U.S. customers might not realize that, at that time, American Bosch had nothing at all to do with Robert Bosch in Germany.

Making connectionsThe strategy with the new symbol paid off and the Bosch logo soon became established. In addition to products, the Bosch Car Service garages also helped to spread aware-ness of this. These service stations for drivers expanded rapidly world-wide, numbering 2,750 by as early as 1930. These also used the Bosch armature as a trademark. Bosch made some minor adjustments to the armature in 1931, making the lines more prominent. During a small celebration to mark the trademarks 25th anniversary, the companys chairman Hans Walz stressed: Our trademark has also become a symbol of unrivaled quality the world over. The celebration took place in 1943, right in the middle of the second world war. At the end of his speech, Hans Walz called on all associates to pull together even more as a Bosch family, despite what was going on in the world outside. By now, the Bosch armature had the ability to make people feel connected.

Established on the marketThere were few changes to the Bosch identity after the second world war. The symbol remained, as did the BOSCH lettering. However, there were minimal adjustments, with the brushstroke script used since 1925 appearing less and less often. Yet there were still no fixed regulations governing the use of the trademark. Anyone wanting to buy household appliances or power tools had to look out for the five capital letters spelling BOSCH, while automotive equipment was associated more with the arma-ture. The bigger the product portfolio became, the more important it was to combine the logotype and symbol. The plan was to create a single entity that customers would recognize immediately, hopefully as a symbol of quality and innovation.

Bosch drew closer to this goal in 1981 with the reworked corporate logo. The symbol was redesigned by Stuttgart-based graphic designer Anton Stankowski, the man behind the Deutsche Bank logo. He worked out the details carefully and pre-cisely, transforming the armature into the version we know today, with thick, curved lines. From that point on, all divisions worldwide were to use the symbol alongside the logo-type. The name reworked corporate logo reflected the continuous devel-opment of the brand to ensure it could keep fulfilling constantly

Right: Inspiration for a trademark: cross-section of a magneto ignition system, 1918

Left: The father of the logo: Bosch head of development Gottlob Honold (1876-1923)

An advertisement designed by artist Lucian Bernhard aimed to make the Bosch armature a familiar sight, 1921.


changing requirements. Even so, the changes were minimal after all, the Bosch name had to remain recog-nizable. As stated in the brochure describing the reworked corporate logo, it had become established on the market as the company symbol/logotype. The task now was to consolidate and expand this excep-tional position. For Bosch, the importance of the trademark had long exceeded the advertising value alone.

Bringing together what belongs togetherThe millennium brought more changes for the symbol. Globalization and the development of the internet posed new challenges for Bosch. In the growing online sector in particular,

a dynamic, innovative trademark was needed. The trademark is the most crucial element on the global market and one of our most precious corpo-rate values, emphasized Hermann Scholl, the then-chairman of the board of management. That had to be reflected visually. The redesigned logo created in cooperation with Dusseldorf-based design agency Hesse was now silver rather than black and, for the first time, it was three dimensional.

The most recent change to the sym-bol/logotype came in 2004 with the revised corporate design. To find out what generated the best response from customers, the advertising de-partment launched a global survey that delivered an important insight.

The most-preferred version finally bound together the elements that had always belonged together, but hadnt always appeared side by side the symbol and logotype. Wolfgang Chur, the board of management member responsible for the initiative, explained that the armature and logotype would in the future be shown in a way that clearly illus-trates the relationship between them. Ultimately, we aim to make even better use of our strong, powerful brand and thus ensure we are well positioned for the global market. And Uta-Michaela Drig, the long-standing head of Corporate Commu-nications, Brand Management, and Sustainability, added: Externally, our logo makes our brand unmistakable and sets us apart from the rest. Internally, our logo and emotional brand presentation strengthen our

pride in our corporate identity and the way it binds us together. Particu-larly in a company thats continuing to grow globally, thats incredibly important.

The new relationship between sym-bol and logotype was complemented by the slogan Invented for life. The new slogan and the logo combine the quality promise of a brand that is seen worldwide as trustworthy, innovative, and delivering high qual-ity. It is a brand with a strong core that is still able to adapt. Products come and go, and modes of com-munication change. Trust in the brand, however, remains constant. As Robert Bosch said so succinctly back in 1926, it is something in its own right, no embellishment; it is the main point, not an acces-sory.

Left: The armature is present on all Bosch products, including this cable harness for the Denoxtronic exhaust-gas treatment system in truck engines, 2004.

Right: A 1989 advertising campaign high-lighted the key role played by Bosch as a developer of innovative automo-tive technology.

An O hangs in the air the meter-high symbol and logotype are affixed to the parking garage at the Neue Messe exhibition center in Stuttgart, 2007.


Theres a new addition to the Bosch family. At least, thats how it appears at a first glance at the new, fourth business sector Energy and Building Technology, set up on January 1, 2013. The Security Systems and Thermotechnology divisions, the subsidiary Bosch Energy and Building Solutions GmbH, and the former Solar Energy division were brought together in a new business sector. Although this organizational structure may be new, energy and building technology actually has a long tradi-tion at Bosch.

From the very beginningYou could say that Robert Bosch established independent activities in this sector as early as 1886. Alongside his work in the fields of precision mechanics and electrical engineering, he was also fitting state-of-the-art (for the time) electrical systems such as telephone and door-bell units in buildings in and around Stuttgart. He offered customers the

full spectrum of services, from plan-ning and installation to maintenance and, if required, repairs. Gottlob Honold, who went on to become head of development, was an appren-tice at Bosch at that time. He recalled the companys major customers in Stuttgart: We got a lot of work from the Hotel Marquardt, the company Conrad Merz, Dr. Knigshfers eye clinic, and other clients. Bosch was of course still very much a small artisanal operation at that time. However, with rapid developments in automotive technology, this business area declined in importance. In con-trast to the international automotive sector, installation and service activi-ties were limited to Stuttgart and the surrounding area. Robert Bosch tried to build a future for these activities through acquisitions and involvement in regional energy supply, but the prospects were never more than modest. Making organizational changes by setting up an independent subsidiary didnt make any difference

and Bosch eventually abandoned his installation and services business at the start of the 1930s.

Heat and comfortHowever, with Bosch still interested in building technology, this era saw the company venture into thermo-technology. In 1932, Bosch acquired the heating appliances operations of Junkers & Co. in Dessau. Thermotech-nology offered very bright prospects for the future. People were demand-ing increasingly high living standards and soon no one was prepared to do without the comfort of heating and hot water in their homes. Founded in 1895, Junkers was already an estab-lished brand known for innovative, high-quality products. Junkers fitted state-of-the-art gas appliances in the buildings of BauhausDessau in the 1920s, as well as in the Masters Houses designed by world-famous architect and founder of the Bauhaus design school, Walter Gropius. A unique example of Bauhaus

All-rounder for energy efficiencyA short history of energy and building technology at BoschDieter Schmitt

Left: The Junkers Tritherm House in 1977, which used energy from three heat sources

Right: Then, as now, the Bauhaus heritage site is fitted with Junkers heating technology, as shown in this information leaflet.


architecture, the buildings have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. The detached Master House inhabited by Gropius himself and the Moholy-Nagy semi-detached house were rebuilt between 2011 and 2014, and fitted with Junkers heating tech-nology in 2013. A geothermal heat pump and gas condensing boiler supply the houses with efficient, eco-friendly heat and hot water.

Alternative energy sourcesBy the time of the first oil crisis in 1973, if not before, the energy effi-ciency of appliances was becoming more and more crucial. The crisis showed just how much humans had come to rely on fossil fuels and their easy availability. Reduced energy consumption, whether at home or in

the car, was an increasingly impor-tant factor in any purchasing deci-sion. Developers from Junkers were already experimenting with alterna-tive energy sources. At the end of the 1970s, a detached house with state-of-the-art heating technology was built in Wernau near Stuttgart, the location of the Junkers headquarters. The oil central heating was only for cold winter days; otherwise, the rooms and water were heated by a combination of a heat pump using warm air from outside and solar collectors on the roof. Named for these three heat sources, the Tri-therm House demonstrated that visionary research and development at Bosch was not restricted to auto-motive technology. Since then, Bosch Thermotechnology has continuously

expanded its range of efficient, resource-conserving products. In 2011, Bosch installed technology that generates more energy than the inhabitants need in a house in Wetz-lar, known as the Energy Plus Home. If the power generated is not needed for the heat pump or household appliances, it is fed into the grid.

Networking for energy efficiencyDeveloping ever more energy-saving products such as heat pumps and ultra-efficient household appliances is just one aspect of efforts to make buildings more energy efficient. Improving the way systems are net-worked, intelligent management, and careful planning can save a lot of energy in buildings and thus cut costs. This business field has excel-lent potential for growth. With that in mind, Bosch established Bosch Energy and Building Solutions in 2011. The subsidiary aims to opti-

mize customers energy supply and thereby reduce their energy costs over both the short and long term. It works with large and small com-panies, office complexes, hospitals, schools, residential properties, and larger administrative buildings at Bosch locations. Bosch Energy and Building Solutions offers its custom-ers the full spectrum of services, ranging from consultation, planning, and installation, to energy purchasing and a 24/7 on-call service. It also has access to the know-how and products of the Thermotechnology and Security Systems divisions, and of the Bosch Software Innovations subsidiary.

Like Thermotechnology and Bosch Energy and Building Solutions, the Security Systems division is part of the Energy and Building Technology business sector. Its Communication Center business unit operates the

The Energy Plus Home in Wetzlar produces more energy throughout the year than its occupants need.

central service for decentralized combined heat and power plants, among many other things. For instance, the units associates take care of entire business processes for customers, such as air freight and accounting. Security Systems thus puts its broad expertise in the service sector to good use. The division set up its first security operations center in Frankfurt back in 1985, enabling Bosch to offer its customers a full-service package from a single source. In addition to planning, installing, and maintaining fire alarm and security systems, this center also provided surveillance around the clock. It could act prompt-ly and organize assistance in emer-gency situations like fires or break-ins. The opening of the first commu-nication center in Magdeburg in 1997 extended the divisions portfolio. Its still a model for success today.

Examples of energy-saving potential from a Bosch Energy and Building Solutions brochure


Eyewitnesses

Eyewitnesses | 15

With their decisions, people shape the course of history and give it a human face.

They witness events, and frequently also have a hand in them, and are, therefore, part

of our companys collective memory. The Eyewitnesses section lets these people

have their say. Their firsthand accounts bring the companys history to life.

Learn to be sensitive to others Intercultural skills in a globalized company

There was a relaxed mood at the Berlin 1830 soire in 1969, where German associates and representatives from France engaged in some cultural exchange in period costumes.

Travel always broadens the horizons. This certainly applies to Max Rall and all the others who have left or come to Germany in the service of Bosch. Rall, the very first Bosch associate to be sent abroad, left Stuttgart in 1900 to go to the French branch office in Paris. At that time, he could speak English but no French and was nonetheless very successful. In 1912, the technician Friedrich Reiser trav-eled to Japan for Bosch and quickly realized that it was better to commu-nicate in fluent English rather than broken Japanese. He therefore made even more of an effort to learn the

Japanese way of working, as their business practices are not immedi-ately transparent to a newcomer from Europe.

No bad intentions Verbal communication is one thing. However, its far more important to get to know the other persons men-tality and understand the way he or she behaves and negotiates. In Ger-many, for example, people in a meet-ing generally get straight to the point. In China, on the other hand, the approach can be summed up with the proverb, If you want to reach

your destination quickly, best take a detour. This can easily result in misunderstandings. As a result, all business partners need to be open to other cultures, just like German associate Karl Zehender who went to work in Japan for Bosch in 1925. In an internal evaluation, the HR depart-ment later gave him top marks for his intercultural sensitivity: His under-standing of Vlkerpsychologie [an early form of cultural psychology] and his empathy were of great benefit. (...) He developed a sense for when to wait, when to listen, and when to get down to business.

Dr. Kathrin Fastnacht

16 | Journal of Bosch History Eyewitnesses | 17

Training for globalizationHowever, not everyone shows the same intuition. An awareness of just how important cultural training is for assignments to other countries devel-oped only gradually. At the beginning of the 1980s, Bosch began offering seminars to prepare associates for their role as outsiders in an unfamil-iar culture. Intercultural training has been an integral part of executive education since 1990. The removal of barriers to eastern Europe and rapid economic development in parts of Asia were particularly instrumental in giving a new boost to globalization at Bosch. This greatly increased contact with fellow associates and business partners worldwide.

Germany as a temporary home This development wasnt just a one-way street. Bosch sent associates from Germany to other countries (expatriates) and brought associ-ates from other countries to Germany

(inbounds). Two-day integration workshops have been held here since 1992 to reflect on initial experiences. Since 2003, there has also been an orientation day, held as soon as possible after arrival. Among other things, the HR department provides information about dealing with offi-cial bodies and authorities. Today, most of the associates coming to Germany are from India, with China some distance behind in second place.

The enigma of garbage separationTheres still a lot for both sides to learn. Andrew Jenkinson, who works in HR, recounts his experience at the end of the 1990s: Some Americans simply couldnt imagine living in a small German apartment without a garden and swimming pool. A lot of Indians arrived later on, followed by Japanese and Koreans. Without adequate language skills, they found it difficult to get a place to live. Thats

why we purchased a house near the cemetery in Ditzingen to house inter-national colleagues. But Japanese associates never wanted to live there. Eventually we realized that, in Japan, a view of a cemetery is an absolute no-no.

On the flip side, there are also some German customs that definitely take a bit of getting used to. For many nationalities, the rules of garbage separation in Germany are a com-plete enigma. But it is the differing approaches to friendships that can make living together particularly tricky. People from India and other Asian countries are often irritated at how long it takes to make friends in Germany.

Small things make it easier to get alongAbove all, its crucial to be clear about cultural differences. Helene Schloter, a hydraulic control technol-

Left: Business meals have always offered opportunities to experience other cultures idiosyncrasies. Here, German and Japanese associates including Karl Zehender, a Bosch associate who had been sent to the far east sit together in Japan, 1934.

Right: In the 1960s, the first wave of migrant workers from many different countries were employed by Bosch in Germany. Interpreters were employed to trans-late instructions and signs, and some intercultural assistance was also required.

ogy engineer at Bosch Rexroth in Lohr, comments: We French tend to interrupt people. For us, this shows were paying attention yes, Im listening to you. Germans, however, find this very rude. I explained this to my boss and, since then, hes found it easier to understand that its just one of my French ways. Roland Schmid, who went to Africa in 1964 to run the Bosch sales office in Sierra Leone, also had a simple formula: You should never forget that youre just a guest in the country youve been sent to. And Gerd Zimmermann, execu-tive vice president in Singapore in the 1980s, points out: If you lose face or, worse still, cause your business partner to lose face, its very difficult to make amends.

Strength in unityNowadays, intercultural skills are a core qualification for many associates working on international projects. Real understanding only comes

when youve lived abroad, under-stand the culture, (...) and notice where problems arise, sums up Eleonore von Arx, an industrial clerk from Switzerland. You need to learn to be sensitive to others, otherwise youll never get close to people and be fully accepted.

Statistics show that more and more Bosch associates are taking the opportunity to gain first-hand experi-ence of other countries. Around 400 ventured abroad in 1990; today, around 5,700 associates go to coun-tries all across the globe. Cultural diversity is one of the Bosch values, but its also valuable from a business perspective. Thats one of the rea-sons why it is part of the companys diversity campaign launched in 2011. Cooperation can only be successful if differences are seen as enriching our work.

During the first intercultural training for Russia in 1996, participants used role play to practice the custom of asking business partners about their families and toasting repeatedly with vodka.


Be open to everything... Four associates on working abroad

Andrew Jenkinson from Australia had worked at the Bosch location in Clayton for nine years before being trans-ferred to Germany in 1997. He liked the country and the pro-fessional opportunities it offered so much that he decided to make it his permanent home. Jenkinson currently works in the HR department of the Diesel Systems division. Prior to this, he supervised associates who, like him, had come to Germany from other countries.

Christine Dittrich from Germany had been working at Bosch for five years before she went to China in 2010. She stayed there for around two years. From her base in China, she coordinated corporate communications in the Asia Pacific region. Today shes back at corporate headquarters and is responsible for the international management of Bosch Corporate Communications.

Why did you want to work in Germany?I had spent time in Germany before on a trip to Europe with my wife. For Australians, traveling the world is just part of life. Thats why we were open to the idea of an assignment abroad to prepare me for a future role in Aus-tralia.

How did you prepare for life in a foreign country?Thanks to my boss in Clayton, there was already language training offered at the location. All the executives there were expected to have at least some knowledge of German. We met for early-morning courses, in which we ate breakfast, practiced German, and even sang German songs. Once my assignment to Germany was confirmed, I studied the language a couple of mornings a week. On top of that, I also asked the German interns at our location what Stuttgart was like.

Why did you want to work in China?Even before my most recent period abroad, my working life was already 50 percent in Germany and 50 per-cent abroad. Immediately after com-pleting my studies, I began working in corporate communications in the financial services division of a Ger-man automaker. After a further two years at the automakers headquar-ters in Stuttgart, I spent a great four years as the companys marketing director in Australia. Spending time abroad helped me gain intercultural experience and progress rapidly on a professional level, and I also found all the experiences and challenges very enriching on a personal level. Thats why I didnt hesitate to accept this most recent assignment abroad for Bosch, particularly as I had never lived in Asia before. I was particularly interested in China due to the fast-paced approach to work and innova-tions, and the level of flexibility.

How did you prepare for life in a foreign country?With the seminars offered by the company and a lot of books. That was

What was the hardest aspect of the foreign culture to adapt to?Basically, no one in Australia learned languages at that time. When I started studying German in my early 30s, it was a real intellectual challenge for me. When the time came to leave, I thought I was at least halfway ready. However, the early days here were a real shock. I had to tackle often tricky content straight away. After a while I could conduct full contract negotia-tions in my specialist area in German, but I was lost when it came to shop-ping in the supermarket.

Were things different to what you had imagined?The separation of private life and work. I knew it existed, but sticking to it wasnt easy, especially at the start. Because of this, you shouldnt neces-sarily try to form friendships with co-workers. In Australia, the work-place is the main opportunity for making friends. Thats much rarer here. For Australians, its normal to poke fun at yourself and be self-

deprecating. I had to learn really, really fast that people dont do that in Germany. From an intercultural perspective, humor is extremely dangerous. I also had to get used to the level of formality in the office, such as using peoples surnames Im used to being on first-name terms. Thats why Im a bit more stiff and formal here than I ever would be in my own culture. Ive had to adapt my behavior and, to some extent, my personality.

What was the easiest thing? Making the move to Germany wasnt that major since the Bosch culture and German culture are similar in many respects. I got to know both of these when I started at Bosch in Clayton. I think the same applies to more or less every location.

a good way to get an initial impres-sion, but there were a lot of clichs, unfortunately. My actual experience in the country put a lot of things in a different light. In hindsight, I would have prepared less and just gone with the flow with fewer preconceptions. You have to experience things for yourself once you get there and be very open to everything at the start. If you do that, youll always be pleas-antly surprised. Whats more, encountering a different culture teaches you more about yourself and your home country and affects the way you see things. Inevitably, you become an ambassador between two different worlds. Friends and family become curious about other cultures and understand a lot of things much better. I was pleased about that because the image Germans have of China doesnt really reflect reality.

What was the hardest aspect of the foreign culture to adapt to?The German focus on structures and processes doesnt translate to China. Sometimes its frustrating not being understood particularly when

youve grown up speaking two lan-guages (German and English) and havent experienced this problem.

Were things different to what you had imagined?I was often surprised by what were for me unorthodox solutions and how well they actually worked. Net-working is everything and key details often depend on it. And you simply cannot imagine the speed at which everything happens in Asia you have to experience it for yourself.

What was the easiest thing? Getting to know people despite the language barrier and having them respond to you with such warmth and openness. The commitment shown by my colleagues and associates open-ness and willingness to learn were enormous; that got lots of things moving and made virtually anything possible.


Eleonore von Arx from Switzerland trained as an industrial clerk at Bosch before spending a year in the U.K. in the customer service department of the Power Tools division. After that, she worked at Bosch in Spain for 17 years, followed by six years at a Spanish Bosch Car Service. She is now responsible for marketing at Power Tools in Switzerland.

While studying for her degree, Giuliene-Suely Marioto from Brazil completed an internship in the Chassis Systems division in Abstatt, Germany. She has been working at Automotive Electronics in Reutlingen since 2004.

Why did you want to work abroad?The international side of things appealed to me from the beginning of my career. I trained as an industrial clerk in Switzerland and always said that, after my training, I wanted to learn languages and use them in the relevant countries. I was really think-ing of French and English. Then I got the chance to spend a year in the customer service department of Power Tools at Bosch in the U.K. I really enjoyed it and they were keen to keep me on, but I wanted to learn more languages. I applied to Bosch in France, but they turned me down. Then I remembered a colleague telling me that in terms of languages, Spanish offered better prospects. My Swiss co-workers made inquiries at Bosch in Spain and they agreed to take me on. I received a lot of support in furthering my career and was faced with a constant stream of new chal-lenges, and as a result ended up staying at Bosch in Spain for 17 years. The 1980s were an extremely exciting time in Spain.

How did you prepare for life in a foreign country?There was no preparation. I was just thrown in at the deep end in the U.K., but I didnt really mind. I tend to be quite reserved; I observe everything and then adapt somehow. It was exactly the same in Spain.

What was the hardest aspect of the foreign culture to adapt to?Instead of communicating something specifically in one sentence, people tend to skirt around the point. Span-ish people are more circumspect the German directness was missing.

Were things different to what you had imagined?The fundamentally positive attitude to life in Spain was a surprise. Its about enjoying the moment and not worrying so much. Spanish people integrate a lot more quality time into the day by going somewhere nice at lunchtime, for example. We could learn a lot from that. In terms of the position of women, Spain was always

a role model for me. There were a lot of women in positions of responsibil-ity, both at Bosch and in the govern-ment. Even 10 to 15 years ago, half of the government ministers were female.

What was the easiest thing? I found it relatively easy to get used to life in Spain. In many respects, I acted as a translator between the Spanish, Swiss, and German cultures. I was a very good intermediary it never even occurred to me that it might be difficult. Basically, Im a positive person and I know I can rely on myself Im very independent and always wanted to immerse myself fully. Whats more, I had a Spanish contract that featured no special terms such as a better salary. I was always given new challenges and immense support in furthering my career. All in all, I ended up spending 17 years at Bosch in Spain. I also lived like a Spanish person and people really appreciated that.

Why did you want to work abroad?My university had a partnership with a university of applied sciences in Offenburg in Germany. We were able to do a sort of exchange at the end of our studies. My professor told me I should spend three months at the university, then apply for a three-month internship to gain experience in a company. He said that would be good for my career and would improve my job prospects in Brazil.

How did you prepare for life in a foreign country?Having decided to do an internship at Bosch in Germany, I did a relatively short language course, run by a Ger-man woman living in Brazil. I didnt learn much German, but she did tell me a lot about the country. Reading up on things is always an option. As my German teacher was familiar with Brazilian ways, she could tell me what wouldnt go down so well in Germany.

What was the hardest aspect of this foreign culture to adapt to?If Im being honest, I would have to say communication. The directness. For example, I was used to my boss saying: Could you do that for me, please? And in Germany, he said: Please deal with it! Very direct. I found that very, very disconcerting to begin with and I had a dreadful feeling that he had something against me. I took a lot of things personally and worried about it for weeks. I eventually realized that this partic-ular individual used that tone with everyone. And at some point I noticed that almost everybody here talks like that, not just him.

Were things different to what you had imagined?I came to Abstatt because I studied electrical engineering and felt I abso-lutely had to go to Germany because the technology here is so incredibly good the cars, for instance. And then, when I started my internship, my boss arrived at work on his bicy-

cle! Lots of people here ride bikes, hike, and go into the forests thats very different to Brazil. I dont think I know anyone in Brazil who has a bike; even if you only have to travel 100 meters to work, you take the car. I didnt expect Germans to be so attuned to the natural world. Theres a lot of technology, but also a lot of nature.

What was the easiest thing? The easiest thing is that everything is so organized, so structured, and labeled. Its very easy to find things. I think its the same all over Germany. Whether on the street or in the super-market, everything is structured in a logical way, so you can make sense of it even if you cant read or understand the language. In Brazil its chaos. As a foreigner in my country, I would have no idea how to find anything.

22 | Journal of Bosch History Milestones | 23

Milestones

The car owned by Russias last tsar. Not only was this luxury Delaunay-Belleville model fitted with lighting and ignition systems from Bosch, but a new electric starter was also installed on site in Stuttgart in 1914.

The origins of groundbreaking developments in the company whether in production,

organization, or the structure of the company can always be traced back to a certain

point in history. In Milestones, we track these specific dates and commemorate their

125th, 100th, 75th, 50th, and 25th anniversaries.

100 years of the electric starterA push button instead of a crankDietrich Kuhlgatz

Who still remembers the kick starter? It wasnt so long ago that motorcy-cles had to be started with a strong kick. Thats still the case with small scooters. The kick makes the crank-shaft rotate and the engine spring to life.

The laborious starting ritualIts unimaginable today, but drivers 100 years ago had to start their vehicles using pure muscle power. It takes a lot of strength to get a large, heavy car engine running, so it was a real workout!

So what exactly did they need to do? Below the radiator at the front there was a pin connected to the crank-shaft. The driver connected a strong steel crank with a wooden grip to this and turned it. After several rotations and with a bit of luck, the engine sprang to life and was cranked. An overrunning clutch prevented the crank rotating further so the driver could remove it.

Invented for life even in 1914However, cranking an engine could be a dangerous business. Motorists were sometimes injured when the engine

failed to start and instead rotated in reverse, causing the crank to kick back and strike the driver. This dan-ger had to be eliminated. After all, it had the potential to seriously damage the reputation of the car in an era when its advantages and disadvan-tages were still the subject of much debate. However, it wasnt just dan-gerous; it was also inconvenient and tiring. Most car owners were rich and were increasingly getting behind the wheel themselves rather than being driven by chauffeurs. They demanded greater comfort.


Left: Advertisement by artist Lucian Bernhard, dating back to 1916. The lighting system with generator and battery is shown in red, the starter in green.

Right: An x-ray view under the hood of a modern car. The picture shows the components of a start-stop system, which enables fuel savings of up to 8 percent in urban traffic.

View of a Fiat engine made in 1914. Right is the generator, which is powered by the engine and generates electricity; on the left is the starter, which sets the engine running.

Honold gets involvedDuring this period, Gottlob Honold, the chief engineer at Bosch, struck upon the idea of using an electric motor to start the engine. Other manufacturers had already experi-mented with this. The first electric starter was presented at the 1905 Paris Motor Show by French company Pellorce. It was functional, but com-pletely unsuitable for day-to-day use. At the London Motor Show in 1912, manufacturers Delco and Scott-Cros-ley displayed electric starters that were far closer to the series produc-tion stage. Bosch now had to work quickly to develop a starter that was better than any previous models.

The road to series productionThe Bosch design completed in 1913 still suffered from some fundamental weaknesses, so Honold acquired the manufacturing rights for a starter

designed by U.S. company Rushmore. However, the Rushmore starter wasnt free from error either. Indeed, Adolf Krauss, the head of testing at Bosch, ended up stranded in a test vehicle on the busy road in front of Stuttgarts train station when the engines starter pinion jammed. Unaware of who was in the car, passersby recommended that Krauss send for a specialist from Bosch...

The pedal starterBosch finally reached the series production stage for the new starter in March 1914. The electrical power needed for the starter came from the cars battery. As that battery was charged by a generator during the journey, there was still enough power left even after the vehicle had been left standing for a while to start the car using a starter delivering around 1 HP.

To begin with, Boschs starter was activated by stepping firmly on a foot pedal. In the second generation of starters, the switch was relocated to the starter itself. Now, the driver could start the vehicle simply by pressing a button on the dashboard connected to the starter switch. Today, after decades of turning igni-tion keys, we are increasingly revert-ing to this push-button method.

Success takes timeSales figures were modest to begin with. By 1927, Bosch had sold just 11,000 starters. Things then started to improve, with the number increas-ing to nearly 550,000 by 1933. How-

ever, it wasnt until the 1950s that the starter crank completely disap-peared from the picture.

The success of the starter Today, the term starter has been adopted in German and other lan-guages worldwide. Even after 100 years, its still a best-seller that no vehicle can do without. At the same time, its a building block for innova-tive technologies, such as the start-stop system which in the future will switch the engine off while the vehi-cle is still running, leaving it to coast. Consequently, the starter helps to reduce fuel consumption and con-serve natural resources.


75 years of manufacturing in Japan On land, in the water, and in the air

Dietrich Kuhlgatz

Due to their economy, diesel engines were particularly popular in trucks in Japan during the 1930s. However, there was no local manufacturer able to supply the pumps in a satisfactory quality. For Japanese truck manufac-turers, importing Bosch diesel fuel injection pumps from Europe was extremely laborious, and expensive to boot. A better solution had to be found. With that in mind, in 1936, a representative of diesel engine manu-facturer Jidosha Kogyo decided to explore the possibility of manufactur-ing Bosch injection pumps under license and contacted Erwin Kurz, the head of the Bosch department at general importer Illies & Co. in Japan.

The search for partnersPreliminary talks began in that same year, with Jidosha Kogyo sending diesel expert Torao Aramaki to Stutt-gart. However, negotiations lasted longer than hoped. To ensure quality, Bosch demanded manufacturing facilities that met its own standards. Another condition stated that a sec-ond Japanese engine specialist had to be brought on board. Mitsubishi Industries, the biggest Japanese diesel engine manufacturer, quickly emerged as the ideal partner.

What started off as simple licensing discussions ended up creating a joint venture. The new company Diesel

KiKi Co., Ltd. was launched on July 1, 1939. As detailed in the contract documents, the aim was: Production and sale of diesel engine parts for vehicles on land, in the water, and in the air, and for stationary engines.

Expanding production in the shadow of warIn spring 1939, a site for building a factory became available in Matsu-yama in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo. But preparations faltered. With the outbreak of the second world war, the Japanese experts who were due to study manufacturing processes in Germany found it virtu-ally impossible to travel. The team from Japan experienced a very event-ful round trip that would be worthy of its own chapter. The Japanese manufacturing experts initially set out to travel to Bosch in Germany in August 1939, but were forced to turn back. They eventually made it to Stuttgart in January 1940 after spending 76 days on the road. The return journey was equally full of adventure. In September 1940, they packed up the important manufactur-ing documents and took a ship from Lisbon to Yokohama. It didnt reach Japan until January 1941. With no more time to lose, the experts imme-diately began preparing manufactur-ing operations. But, due to the war, very few diesel injection pumps were ever actually produced.

Bosch technology made in JapanIt wasnt until the economic boom of the 1950s that the diesel sector for

This 1938 brochure shows the many different applications of Bosch diesel injection in cars, watercraft, aircraft, and stationary engines.

Bosch Car Service garage in Kobe, Japan, 1942. The workshop experts were also responsible for maintaining and adjusting diesel injection pumps made under license in Japan.

commercial vehicles started to do well in Japan. Diesel KiKi became Zexel and, with Bosch as majority shareholder since 1999, this subse-quently became part of what is now the Bosch Corporation in Japan.Growing success in the diesel tech-nology sector was followed by other Bosch activities in automotive tech-nology. One example is an agreement for the manufacture of spark plugs under license, concluded in 1953 with Japanese automotive supplier Denso. From the 1970s, joint ven-tures with Japanese partners went far further, seeking also to have Japanese automakers install Bosch products in their vehicles. Examples include the Japan Electronic Control

System Co., Ltd (JECS), founded in 1973 to produce ECUs for gasoline direct injection systems, and, in 1984, Nippon ABS Ltd. for manufac-turing the ABS antilock braking sys-tem.

All of these partnerships have long since become part of what is now the Japanese regional subsidiary. Look-ing back, establishing production activities for automotive technology in Japan 75 years ago was a clever move even though no one could have predicted that the country would eventually become one of the worlds largest car producers. More than 12,000 people work there for Bosch today.


50 years of the Robert Bosch StiftungDedicated to people Dieter Schmitt

Tradition and modernity. In the background, the former residence of Robert Bosch, which now houses the Robert Bosch Stiftung. In the foreground is Bosch Haus Heidehof, the Bosch Groups new management and conference center, 2005.

Who creates partnerships between German and Indian schools, sends German journalists to China and vice versa, presents the German Schools Prize, and runs its own hospital in Stuttgart? The answer is the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the companys chari-table foundation. However, these are just some examples of its work. In 2012 alone, it supported over 700 projects. This diversity is what makes it so difficult to give a brief history of the foundation. No matter what example you choose, there are always other projects equally deserving of mention. All charitable projects and support are financed primarily from the annual dividend of Robert Bosch GmbH. The Robert Bosch Stiftung has been the companys majority shareholder for 50 years.

The alleviation of hardshipThe work carried out by the founda-tion reflects the wishes of Robert Bosch, who deliberately set it a broad mandate. In 1935, he wrote that his aim was, apart from the alleviation of all kinds of hardship, to promote health, education, programs to help the gifted, international reconcilia-tion, and similar objectives. In his will and other documents, he charged his executors with ensuring the com-pany underwent strong and mean-ingful development and continued to

support and provide a solid financial foundation for his charitable activi-ties.

Stable foundation Robert Boschs executors and heirs opted for a solution that has endured to this day. In 1964, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, then still known as Verm-gensverwaltung Bosch, acquired a majority stake in Robert Bosch GmbH from the founders heirs. Voting rights were assigned to what is now Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust which has carried out the entrepreneurial ownership functions ever since. Five years later, Vermgensverwaltung Bosch changed its name to Robert Bosch Stiftung, thus underlining the charitable focus of its activities. Today, the foundation holds 92 percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH. Most of the remaining shares are held by the Bosch family. The remodeled corpo-rate constitution remains the corner-stone and guarantee of the Bosch Groups entrepreneurial freedom and financial independence. The success of the company means the foundation can sustain its charitable commit-ment, financed primarily from the annual dividend. Even in the crisis year of 2009, when Bosch entered the red for the very first time since 1945, the company made scarcely

any reduction in the dividend it paid. The corporate constitution makes Bosch one of the rare businesses that achieves an equilibrium between business and social objectives. Over the past 50 years, the foundation has given out 1.2 billion euros to fund its projects and initiatives. This makes the Robert Bosch Stiftung one of the largest company-affiliated foundations in Europe. In keeping with the wishes of Robert Bosch, it puts people at the heart of its com-mitment to education, healthcare, international relations, society, cul-ture, and science. Perhaps it isnt really that hard to sum up the foun-dations work in just a few words: dedicated to people.

For more information visit www.bosch-stiftung.de


The Bosch dishwasher at 50Taking the toil out of washing dishes Angelika Merkle

Its late evening, the party is over, the guests have gone. The kitchen is full of teetering towers of plates and dishes, and used champagne flutes fight with coffee cups and dessert bowls for the last scraps of space. Its a sight that has driven many hosts to despair including Josephine Cochran. The wealthy widow from Illinois in the U.S. loved throwing parties. However, she didnt want to do the dishes herself and felt that her servants broke too many of them. But Josephine Cochran was a crea-tive woman. She decided to develop a device that could wash dishes automatically. In 1886, she received a patent for her invention, the first woman ever to do so. Her innovation made its breakthrough seven years later at the Worlds Fair in Chicago. The machine consisted of a copper tank with wire baskets for the dishes. A motor in the tank powered a spin-ning wheel which sprayed the dishes with hot soap suds.

For decades, these first dishwashing machines were used only in the restaurant industry or in public insti-tutions like hospitals. For private homes, they were too expensive to buy and repair, as well as too imprac-tical they just didnt make eco-nomic sense.

Until the 1950s, barely any dishwash-ers were sold to private households in Europe. Only when people became more affluent did demand grow for a machine that would take the toil out of washing dishes.

The dishwasher wins over hearts and homesBosch showcased a dishwasher at the Cologne Spring Fair in 1964. Initially made at the Giengen loca-tion, growing demand saw produc-tion operations move to the new dishwasher plant in Dillingen in 1976. Although the appliances became increasingly complex technologically, the principle of automatic washing remained largely unchanged. The key factor in achieving sparkling results has always been the perfect interac-tion between water pressure, tem-perature, time, and detergent.

Safe, clean, economical and quiet as a mouseHowever, there was one problem that kept cropping up water damage, caused by open taps or machine defects. This issue was eventually resolved with the development of a non-power-dependent safety system that acted like an automatic tap. From 1985, it was marketed under the name Aquastop. Bosch developed the worlds first fully automatic dish-washer in 1999. Sensors measure how dirty the dishes are. By carefully controlling cycle times, temperature, and water volume, water and power consumption are reduced. At the end of 2008, Bosch launched another innovation on the market the multi-award winning zeolite drying technol-ogy. The natural mineral zeolite is used to transform moisture into heat, so the drying process consumes only an extremely small amount of energy. As they became more economical, dishwashers also became a lot qui-eter; today, they are virtually silent.

1965

2008

2000

1983

7

14

28

40

Water consumed in a normal washing cycle (liters)

Power consumed in a normal washing cycle (kWh)

0.67

1.05

1.9

2.851965

2008

2000

1983

Efficient energy use Engineers are currently working on another energy- and money-saving system and testing it in field trials for the connected home. The appliances are fitted with a data interface that enables them to communicate with the smart grid, the houses own photovoltaic system, and the internet. They can pick up incoming signals from energy suppliers such as cheaper times to run the dishwasher and switch themselves on accord-ingly. On top of saving energy and protecting the environment, cutting-edge technology is also kinder on the household budget.

Bosch advertising brochure, 1964


25 years of Bosch Korea Ltd.Many activities under one roofDietrich Kuhlgatz

Opening ceremony for the new Bosch headquarters in Yongin, Korea, on October 19, 2007. Korean and German executives from Bosch were present at the event, including the then-chairman of the board of management Franz Fehrenbach (sixth from right), former chairman of the supervisory board Hermann Scholl (fourth from right), and Rudolf Colm (second from right), who was the board of management member responsible for Asia at the time.

In the fall of 1989, Bosch was still in the very early days of its activities in South Korea. The company had opened an office in Seoul as a point of contact for Korean customers in 1985, and was also a minority share-holder in two other companies. In 1986, Bosch achieved some initial successes in the original equipment sector, fitting Bosch injection tech-nology in a car made by Daewoo, for example.

Expansion in ambitious South KoreaThen came a huge opportunity to really gain a foothold in South Korea. KIA Motors, a major South Korean automaker, announced the opening of an automobile plant with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles in 1989, recounts Hansjrg Manger, who was the member of the Bosch board of management respon-sible for Asia at the time. Until that point, Korea had been a largely unknown market on the Bosch world map. No one could have predicted that Hyundai Motors would now be in the same league as Volkswagen, Toyota, and General Motors. How-ever, Manger was also fully aware that South Korean companies set themselves high targets and were confident that they could achieve them.

This provided enough good reasons to create a central hub for Boschs South Korean activities. On Novem-ber 1, 1989, Bosch celebrated the opening of the new regional com-panys headquarters in Seoul. Just two years later, in 1991, Bosch opened the Application Engineering Center, providing a local development site for its regional customers.

New prospects with Korean partnersSouth Koreas economy grew rapidly in the early 1990s and thanks to joint ventures such as Korea Automo-tive Motors Corp., Korea Bosch Mechanics and Electronics Corp. Ltd., and Korean Advanced Diesel Equipment Co. Ltd. so did Bosch. The company benefited from the experience of its Korean partners who, in turn, profited from Bosch know-how in key technologies for the automotive industry.

However, Bosch didnt limit itself to automotive technology. Klaus Jas-pert, who was in charge of Boschs power tools business in Korea from 1996, was given the ambitious task of making Bosch the market leader in this sector. Now retired, industrial engineer Jaspert recalls: Local colleagues all said the same thing: thats impossible! But now that vision is a reality. Weve been num-ber one for three years now, Jaspert says proudly.

Many activities under one roofFrom 1999, Bosch pooled its activi-ties in the automotive technology sector and took over four joint ven-tures entirely. The first manufacturing company of its own, Robert Bosch Korea Diesel Ltd., followed in 2004. The company has been extremely successful in Korea: for example, in January 2013, Bosch manufactured the 20 millionth injector for common-rail diesel-injection systems in the Daejeon plant.

From top to bottomKBME plant in Chonan, 1994 Daejon plant of the joint venture MOST, 1994The Yongin plant, 1997The headquarters of Bosch in Yongin, 2007


25 years of navigation systems The innovation that became a TV starLudger Meyer

Please pull over to the right. The thin-lipped border guard snaps out the order with military brevity. Its September 1, 1989. On this Friday evening, our team from Bosch has just spent a week and a half at the International Radio Exhibition in West Berlin, and now weve been stopped at the Dreilinden checkpoint to com-munist East Germany. None of us could know that, in just a few weeks, the Berlin Wall would fall. For now, were still in the grip of the cold war and fear stalks the borders. What do the soldiers want? They arent opening our suitcases. They examine the wheels, the trunk lid, the dash-board; they scrutinize wheel sensors, compass, and disc drive. What fasci-nates them most is the display. So thats your TravelPilot, one says. At last we know what the border guards are really interested in. And this is the Bosch test car. Their stern faces finally brighten: We saw it on your Tagesschau, referring to the West German news program. We breathe a sigh of relief. After a few minutes were allowed to drive on, still barely able to grasp that the media splash made by the first market-ready navi-gation system from Bosch has man-aged to transcend such boundaries.

When the map flew out through the roof Twenty-five years ago, the TravelPilot was a media hit rather than a com-mercial success. Only a few thousand were sold at that time. And yet the innovation had become a celebrity. The navigation system was extremely telegenic. There were illustrated reports in magazines, test drives on television with the TravelPilot fitted in its test car, Bosch could demon-strate the innovation live. One time, a TV reporter let a folded street map fly out of the sliding roof, comment-ing laconically that drivers didnt need paper any more. Even the nor-mally serious Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper published a lighthearted article based on Monop-oly, explaining how the navigation system could find Schlossallee, the most expensive street in the German version of the game.

However, even though the TravelPilot caused a media furore, it still wasnt making waves on the market. From a technological perspective, it was just an interim measure. Although it contained digital maps, it displayed only current location and destination, not the best way to get from one to

the other. Back then, there was no reliable index of one-way streets and turning restrictions. In fact, in the mid-1990s, Bosch itself compiled an intersection-by-intersection list of all the key traffic signs in large cities. Now it was finally possible to include route planning, and that in turn led to market success.

Fine-tuning the technologyA number of technological quirks also had to be overcome. In 1989, the TravelPilot identified its location not by satellite, but using an on-board gyrocompass. This compass was extremely sensitive, and a truck speeding past could disrupt the magnetic field, for example. The only thing to do was pull over and reset. This was a nerve-wracking process if there was an expectant TV crew along for the ride in the test car. In these situations, it was up to the test driver to make small talk.

Nowadays, the driver can talk directly with the navigation system, almost as freely as he can with his passenger. Bosch has also developed a voice control system. If there were still border guards today, they would be rendered speechless...

Route planning today via cellphone. Bosch has developed a navigation app for the iPhone. Features include a three-dimensional map view and a warning function if approaching a bend too quickly.


25 years since motorcycle ABS premiered Safe braking in scary moments Dietrich Kuhlgatz

Humans find it virtually impossible to resist their reflexes. Motorcyclists know that all too well. They often suffer their first fall when they encounter an unexpected obstacle, brake too sharply, and try to take evasive action. The front wheel locks and skids, or the rear wheel lifts up. In the blink of an eye, the bike loses all its stability.

From car to motorcycleThe ABS antilock braking system comes to the rescue in such situa-tions. This electronic assistant has been available in cars since 1978. To begin with, ABS was only fitted in a few high-end sedans. Over the next ten years, it gradually moved into the

mid-sized segment, too. Right from the very early days, Bosch aimed to develop a version of ABS for motorcy-cles. Here, the primary focus was not on the old European core market, but on Japan, home to four major motor-cycle manufacturers, including the now global market leader Honda.

Japan as market and engineering workshop In 1984, Bosch founded Nippon ABS Ltd., a joint venture with Japanese brake manufacturer Nippon Air Brake Co. Ltd. This formed the ideal link to the Japanese motorcycle industry. Thanks to Nippon ABS, product development and application could now happen in close proximity to

customers. As all four major Japa-nese motorcycle manufacturers carried out development and manu-facturing exclusively in Japan at that time, it was also convenient to have the systems made by Nippon ABS the ECU in the Yokosuka plant and the hydraulic unit in Togichi.The first customer was Kawasaki. In fall 1988, Bosch reached initial agree-ments about supplying ABS in the future. In February 1989, Bosch announced motorcycle ABS officially for the first time. The series-ready system had two braking-pressure controls in two different brake cir-cuits. The front and rear wheel of a motorbike generally brake separately, with the right handlebar grip braking the front wheel and a foot pedal on the right activating the rear wheel brake. This posed plenty of chal-

Development team with a ground-breaking innovation, 2011. ABS 9 was the first antilock braking system designed specifically for motor-cycles. It also formed the basis of the MSC stability control launched by Bosch in 2013.

lenges for the engineers, particularly as it also had to be lightweight and cost effective. Bosch put motorcycle ABS into series production in 1994.

More compact and lightweight than in carsAt that time, motorcycle ABS was based on the corresponding car system and weighed around 4.5 kilograms. However, the engineers managed to reduce the weight with each subsequent generation. Genera-tion 9, launched on the market in 2009, marked a real breakthrough. For the first time, Bosch had devel-oped ABS specifically for motorbikes. Nowadays, the Bosch portfolio even includes a simplified ABS for small two-wheelers that weighs just 700 grams.

Some 100,000 motorcycle ABS units had been produced by 2005, rising to one million by the end of 2013. Customers were impressed by the fact that even when braking hard in unexpected situations, ABS helps the bike brake quickly and keeps it from drifting out of its lane.

Bosch now also offers a world first with its MSC motorcycle stability control. MSC assists motorcyclists not only with braking, but also with negotiating bends and accelerating. This new system still has to establish itself on the market. ABS is already well on its way, and will be compul-sory in all newly registered motorcy-cles in the European Union from 2017. Theres a good reason for that the system can prevent a quarter of all serious and fatal motorcycle acci-dents.

The first functional motorcycle ABS prototype is introduced to the media in February 1989. The test vehicle was a GTR 1000 Kawasaki touring model.

38 | Journal of Bosch History Every picture tells a story | 39

Every picture tells a storyAlleviating all kinds of hardship

Robert Bosch originally constructed the building in Feuerbach, north of Stuttgart, to manufacture automotive equipment. But the outbreak of the first world war in August 1914 changed everything.

Bosch wasted no time in offering the new building as a field hospital for around 400 soldiers with minor injuries. But first the building had to be adapted to its new purpose. Baths were installed, along with an x-ray machine and other medical equipment, all meeting the same high standards of quality that Bosch expected of his products. The hall itself was light and well ventilated.

Bosch personally took care of making the stay in hospital as pleasant as possible for the wounded. He bought bedside rugs from a felt factory so that when getting dressed and undressed, the men dont have to stand on the bare floor. To encourage the convalescents to spend time outside in the fresh air, he also had seeds sown for a lawn in front of the hospital. However, in 1916, Bosch urgently needed the hall for his own work and the hospital closed. Robert Bosch remained dedicated to the wellbeing of his fellow man throughout his life. He expressed this as follows: It is my intention, apart from the alleviation of all kinds of hardship, to promote the moral, physical, and intellectual development of the people. Today, crises like wars and natural disasters require the rapid and flexible provision of donations both monetary and in-kind as well as personal commitment. The principle that drove Robert Bosch throughout his life is now what drives his company.

Veterans in the field hospital in Feuerbach in 1914. The home comforts Robert Bosch provided for the wounded included board games and books.

Left: The Robert Bosch Hospital opened in 1940 was converted to an emergency hospital during the second world war.

Right: Following the natural and nuclear disasters in Japan in 2011, Bosch donated 300 containers to the city of Higashimatsushima for construction of a kindergarten, among other things.

Vera Dendler

magazin 2014 en

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