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Bosch to unveil high-tech cost cutting concept at IAA

Sep 20, 2016 Bosch, Logistics, Trucks, Trucking, IAA, HeavyDuty, CommercialVehicles


For freight forwarders, everything comes down to total cost of ownership, or TCO. Every cent counts when you are running large fleets of vehicles covering huge numbers of kilometers, so a TCO analysis is required for each and every investment. With competition becoming increasingly fierce, finding ways to reduce costs over a vehicle’s entire lifetime is a top priority for forwarding companies. “The success of new technology for commercial vehicles rests on its ability to boost profitability and efficiency,” says Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. Key considerations for freight forwarders include cutting fuel costs – which represent almost a quarter of their total spend – and eliminating unprofitable downtime. The VisionX concept study Bosch will be presenting at the IAA includes strategies to tackle both these issues. This visionary study shows how connected information and innovative solutions can be used to drive fuel consumption down even further and significantly improve cost efficiency and TCO.

Diesel engines are an efficient and reliable option for long-haul transport

Bosch has already introduced numerous innovations that have boosted the efficiency of diesel engines in commercial vehicles. Common-rail injection and the Denoxtronic exhaust-gas treatment system are just two of the technical milestones the company has achieved. Helmut Weißbeck, senior vice president for commercial vehicle and engine sales in Bosch’s commercial vehicle and off-road business unit, is confident about what lies ahead: “The diesel engine will continue to be a major pillar of heavy-duty truck transport for the foreseeable future.” In fact, the diesel engine has the potential to become even more efficient in the future with the help of new Bosch technologies. Trucks of the future will include electrified auxiliary systems, such as water and hydraulic pumps, which will further improve the diesel engine’s overall efficiency. Powertrain hybridization – in other words, incorporating electric motors for specific driving situations – will also play a key role, cutting the fuel consumption of heavy trucks by up to 6 percent and thus reducing the TCO even further.

Platooning cuts fuel consumption and risk of accident

Automated driving has many aspects. One solution specifically aimed at trucks is platooning, where multiple trucks travel along freeways in a caravan following a lead vehicle. This approach offers a number of technical advantages: as soon as the lead vehicle starts leading the convoy, the connected vehicle technology regulates the movements of the following trucks accordingly, allowing them to drive in a highly automated fashion. If the lead truck has to brake, the trucks behind immediately receive the message to apply their brakes, too. This significantly improves safety while allowing vehicles to drive closer together. “Platooning takes the strain off drivers and reduces freight forwarders’ costs,” explains Heyn. In fact, automated slipstream driving in convoys can cut fuel consumption by up to 10 percent, making a major contribution to reducing a vehicle’s TCO. And platooning offers other benefits, too: lower accident rates reduce accident-related costs and vehicle downtime.

Optimizing costs with a connected fleet

The trucks of the future will provide forwarders with encrypted access to vehicle data at all times. This transparency will allow operators to use their fleets even more efficiently. By connecting trucks to the Bosch IoT Cloud, dispatchers can obtain information on a truck’s current position, the route it will follow, and the planned destination of its cargo. This will provide greater flexibility when it comes to planning and routing new shipments – a key step in avoiding the problem of empty runs. Other benefits include the ability to maximize tonnage and capacity utilization.

Cargo monitoring improves security

Connecting vehicles and forwarding companies together also makes moving goods by road safer and more secure. Cargo theft from parked trucks costs the industry more than 16 billion euros a year in Europe. But using the Bosch IoT Cloud to monitor a truck’s cargo hold puts a stop to criminal activities. “Every time the cargo hold is opened, a sensor box logs and reports it. If that happens at an unscheduled time, the system raises the alarm by notifying the driver and the forwarding company,” says Dr. Johannes-Jörg Rüger, president of the commercial vehicle and off-road organization at Bosch, in describing the benefits of the trailer control unit. “Senders, recipients, and forwarding agents can all use this same technology to track cargo shipments.” Users can access information on the type, location, and condition of the goods at any time. Examples include the temperature of the cargo hold and any shocks or vibrations that occur – in short, just about anything that could affect the condition and quality of the freight. Starting in 2017, Bosch will also be offering its TraQ solution, which provides more detailed tracking on an individual pallet level. These connected solutions create far more transparency in the logistics chain, speed up deliveries, and boost flexibility in the event of unexpected incidents.

Reducing downtime with predictive maintenance

Freight forwarders do not make any money when their trucks are standing idle. One way to minimize the time trucks spend off the road for servicing and repairs is by taking advantage of predictive maintenance. This solution involves the continuous, encrypted transmission of all relevant vehicle data to a computer center, including data such as mileage and the status of all the vehicle’s key parameters. The computer center evaluates this data and sends a report to the forwarding company. If a truck is due for servicing, the dispatcher can plan its schedule so that the service fits into it neatly. This also cuts the risk of unexpected damage, which typically results in costly downtime.


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