Bosch’s active accelerator pedal can help improve efficiency and prevent accidents
- Active accelerator uses vibration to give the driver safety and efficiency alerts through the pedal
- Haptic feedback in the accelerator could reduce fuel consumption by 7%
- Safety alerts via the pedal could help avoid 800 road traffic accidents each year
Bosch has developed a connected accelerator pedal, which uses haptic feedback to reduce fuel consumption and improve safety. The innovative new system gives gentle vibration alerts through the accelerator pedal, thereby notifying the driver. It is connected with the vehicle’s assistance and navigation systems to warn the driver about potential accidents and fuel consumption.
According to statistics from the Department of Transport (DfT), more than 800 road traffic accidents were caused by drivers travelling the wrong way down a road in 2014. By being connected to the navigation system, the active accelerator pedal uses haptic vibration to warn drivers when they are travelling the wrong way, avoiding a potentially dangerous situation.
With driving style a key contributor to fuel consumption, the system also gives the driver guidance on when to change gear and reduce use of the accelerator pedal. A lighter touch to the accelerator can help drivers reduce fuel consumption by as much as 7% and also reduce CO2emissions in the process.
The active accelerator pedal can also be used in conjunction with start-stop coasting, which is a unique feature of Bosch’s 48-volt hybrid system. The pedal offers haptic feedback to the driver when the vehicle enters coasting mode. Bosch estimates that the engine can be stopped in this way on 30 percent of all journeys. The gas pedal can be set to give an alert as soon as coasting mode makes sense.
This technology follows the development of Bosch’s haptic touchscreen, which received a CES Innovation Award at the end of 2015. The screen is unique in that the keys displayed feel like actual buttons, so drivers can often operate applications in the infotainment system, such as navigation, without having to take their eyes off the road.
For more information on the connected gas pedal visit: www.bosch-gaspedal.com
Press photos: 1-GS-21417, 1-GS-21418
Contact person for press inquiries:
Rianne Ojeh, 01895 838 822, Rianne.Ojeh@uk.bosch.com
Mobility Solutions is the largest Bosch Group business sector. In 2014, its sales came to 33.3 billion euros, or 68 percent of total group sales. This makes the Bosch Group one of the leading automotive suppliers. The Mobility Solutions business sector combines the group’s expertise in three mobility domains – automation, electrification, and connectivity – and offers its customers integrated mobility solutions. Its main areas of activity are injection technology and powertrain peripherals for internal-combustion engines, diverse solutions for powertrain electrification, vehicle safety systems, driver-assistance and automated functions, technology for user-friendly infotainment as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, repair-shop concepts, and technology and services for the automotive aftermarket. Bosch has been responsible for important automotive innovations, such as electronic engine management, the ESP® anti-skid system, and common-rail diesel technology.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of 49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.”
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, http://twitter.com/BoschPresse.
*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.
