- Bosch put the antilock braking system (ABS) on the market for the first time in 1978
- ABS is meanwhile standard equipment on new cars in the EU
- ABS, TCS and ESP® have been proven to increase traffic safety
- Bosch produces 65 000 systems daily at six locations worldwide
Production anniversary at Bosch: The company will ship the 150 millionth brake control system any day now. The success story began back in 1978 with the production launch of the first electronically controlled antilock braking system (ABS).
In 1986 the traction control system (TCS) followed, and in 1995 the ESP(r) (Electronic Stability Program). All these systems are Bosch developments. The company produces more than 65,000 brake control systems at six locations worldwide every working day. In 2007 the production network will be expanded with a production site in Brazil.
"While in the beginning it was special equipment for luxury-class vehicles, ABS is meanwhile standard in all new vehicles within the European Union and in many parts of the world. ABS has made braking safer, and has therefore made a major contribution to reducing accidents," said Herbert Hemming, Executive Vice President of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control Division, as a summary of this technology's success.
While in 1978 the ABS system introduced still weighed over six kilograms, today the most compact versions weigh in at 1.4 kilograms. In addition, they operate considerably faster, and therefore offer even greater safety.
42 percent of all newly registered passenger cars in the EU even roll off the assembly line with an ESP®. "Bosch is working intensively on networking the ESP(r) with other systems in motor vehicles in order to further increase safety for the driver", said Hemming.
Brake control systems support the driver by controlling the brake pressure on each individual wheel in critical situations. The vehicle remains controllable and follows the steering intentions of the drive. ABS prevents the wheels from locking up during braking. As a result, the car remains steerable even with the brake pedal fully depressed and the driver can avoid obstacles. The traction control system (TCS) prevents the wheels from spinning when starting off or accelerating on snow, ice and wet roads. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) consists of the functions of ABS and TSC and also works to prevent the vehicle from skidding. If the system detects that the vehicle is about to skid, it instantly reduces the engine output and specifically brakes single or several wheels. The result: The vehicle remains on the course desired by the driver.
The benefits of brake control systems, first and foremost ESP®, has meanwhile been demonstrated in a large number of studies. For example, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has determined that the standard equipment of all vehicles with ESP® would prevent over a third of all single-vehicle accidents in the US.
Single-vehicle accidents are those that do not involve any other road users. The NHTSA has therefore passed a provision, the "Federal Motor vehicle safety standard No. 126", in April according to which all passenger cars in the US must be gradually equipped with the active safety system by Model Year 2012 latest. The provision goes into effect in June 2007.
