Acquisitions

-In 2009, SB LiMotive, a joint venture with Samsung SDI, acquired Cobasys LLC that manufactures nickel metal hybrid batteries for use in HEV.

-In 2008, Bosch North America acquired Morse Automotive's brake friction business that manufactures brake pads and shoes.

Divestitures

-In 2009, the Company transfer part of its brake business in North America (foundation brake business,) to Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd.

Contracts

-Ford's EcoBoost engine powered by the Company's gasoline direct injection (GDI) technologies, debuted on the 2010 "Lincoln MKT" luxury crossover vehicle.

-In 2008, the associates at the Company's plant in Anderson, S.C., are celebrating the production of 200 million oxygen sensors at the site since first manufacturing the product in 1988. (From a press release on Apr. 23, 2008)

-In Nov. 2008, the Company announced that it will supply diesel common rail system and piezo-electric injectors for Volkswagen of America's 2009 Jetta TDI. 2.0L turbocharged direct injection (TDI) engine installed in the car uses the latest generation of its diesel common rail system capable of up to 1800 bar and up to five injections through piezo-electric injectors. Additional vehicle content from the Company includes the high-pressure pump, engine electronic control unit, diesel particulate filter, low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation pressure sensors, cam sensors, lambda sensors and the hot film air mass sensor, and glow timing electronic control unit. (From a press release on Nov. 20, 2008)

-In 2007, the Company was awarded business for the first ABplus system in North America. ABplus is a new Restraint Control Module with integrated ESP sensors that communicate information to the ESC system. Bosch is supporting Ford Motor Company in pioneering this new technology, scheduled to launch in 2009.

R&D Facilities

-The Company established Bosch Research Technology Center North America (RTC) as its first North American operation devoted exclusively to research and development in 1999. Today, 80 associates are engaging in research and development and the Company has 3 locations in USA.

• Palo Alto, California
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Cambridge, Massachusetts

 

R&D Activities

-In 2010, the Company announced it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to lead a project that will be partially funded by a 12 million dollars grant. The grant will support the ACCESS project (Advanced Combustion Controls – Enabling Systems and Solutions for High Efficiency Light-Duty Vehicles), through which the Company and its partners are developing a high compression, turbocharged engine that will achieve up to 30 percent efficiency improvement in gasoline light-duty vehicles while meeting future emission standards, without compromising performance. The 12 million dollars grant, which the Company and its partners, including AVL, Emitec, the University of Michigan and Stanford University are matching, is part of a DOE program devoted to boosting the fuel economy of engines by 25 to 40 percent by 2015. (From a press release on January 18, 2010)

-In 2009, the Company helped Ford develop its first in-house designed diesel engine. Ford's commercial vehicle portfolio now features a completely new 6.7 liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel engine, which is heralded as the medium-duty benchmark for all diesel engines.

-In 2009, the Company partnered with Nissan to develop a low-cost navigation system, currently available on the 2010 Nissan "Sentra" and 2010 Nissan "Versa". In addition to determining the fastest or shortest route, the system also offers an "eco-route" option, which calculates the most effective path to conserve fuel, helping reduce CO2 emissions.

-In 2007, with respect to biofuels, Bosch Gasoline Systems (specifically E85), along with Ricardo Inc. and the University of Michigan, received a grant from the US Department of Energy for a project to develop advanced powertrain systems that combine the performance efficiency of direct injection systems with the use of renewable E85 fuels.