Germany-based Bosch, a leading technology and services company, has developed assisting technical systems that work on improving safety and comfort in various vehicles.

In a move to making driving safer and more comfortable in the coming years, Bosch is working on improving existing assistance and safety systems while at the same time developing new features and improving sensors, a company statement said.

According to a study by the United Nations, each year 1.3 million people die in road accidents worldwide, and some 50 million are injured. The annual number of road deaths could rise to 1.9 million in the next ten years - this increase will mainly be driven by growing traffic density in emerging countries.

ESP, an electronic stability program, developed by Bosch, provides a technical solution to the deadly problem of skidding. It went into a series production for the first time in 1995 and has since become a mandatory standard feature in a growing number of countries.

Sensors that monitor a vehicle's surroundings and the networking of existing systems already form the basis for high-performing vehicle safety features. These include radar-, ultrasound-, and video-based functions such as the predictive emergency braking system, the side view assist, lane departure warning systems and the night vision system.

Bosch’s products are in line with the goals of the traffic strategies to limit traffic accidents and to reduce the death rate, which is implemented by the traffic administration of the UAE.

In the future, the new Bosch mid-range radar sensor MRR will make such systems even more affordable. The sensor makes it possible for the emergency braking systems and ACC solutions to be used at speeds of around 150 kilo-meters per hour – which makes it feasible for use in the middle and compact classes. Installed in the rear, these features make it possible to fully monitor the blind spot. MRR will be launched at the end of 2012.

Video sensors, an ideal supplement for radars can provide a range of supplementary information. The video sensor “understands” what is happening around the car. So the data can be used to detect not only vehicles and pedestrians, but also the direction in which they are moving.

As for ‘sleeping while driving’, Bosch’s ‘drowsiness detection’ continuously monitors the signals from the steering-angle sensor. If this behavior is detected, the system can warn drivers and urge them to take a break. Drowsiness detection can be produced at a low cost as a software function.

Apart from cars, motorcycles are frequently involved in accidents. In many cases, the antilock braking system offers an effective remedy. Bosch launched a new, more compact generation in 2010. The basic version of the new ABS generation 9 for motorcycles weighs just 700 grams. – TradeArabia News Service