Bosch and Veniam ensure seamless vehicle-to-everything connectivity

• Dr. Dirk Hoheisel: “Bosch is taking a multi-standard approach when it
  comes to V2X.”
• All-in-one principle: Bosch connectivity unit communicates using all
  of the world’s popular transmission technologies.
• Smart connection management software from Veniam always selects the
  best communication standard.
• Bosch and Veniam have been selected as CES 2019 Innovation Award
  Honorees.

HILDESHEIM, Germany & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–What is true for people is also true for cars: communication works best
with a common language and a good connection. To enable connected and
automated driving in the future, vehicles must be able to easily
communicate with one another as well as with their surroundings. There
is currently no globally standardized technical basis for this exchange
of data, which is known as vehicle-to-everything communication, or V2X.
Instead, vehicles will in future communicate using the wide variety of
different standards implemented by countries and vehicle manufacturers
around the world. “Bosch is taking a multi-standard approach when it
comes to V2X. We have developed a universal connectivity unit capable of
communicating using all of the transmission standards implemented in
connected automobiles,” says Dr. Dirk Hoheisel, Member of the Board of
Management at Robert Bosch GmbH. The neat thing here is that Bosch has
combined connectivity units and telematics units, which – individually –
are only capable of a single transmission technology, to create an
all-in-one central control unit for V2X data communication. Cars can
then use the Wi-Fi networks available in cities, while elsewhere they
can communicate using, for instance, cellular networks. The complex task
of managing these diverse communication options is handled by a software
solution from the Silicon Valley-based start-up Veniam. It continuously
searches for the best transmission technology that suits the particular
requirements and switches automatically between the available
alternatives. The software therefore maintains continuous and seamless
vehicle connectivity, ensuring cars can, for example, reliably alert one
another to accidents and passengers can enjoy uninterrupted music
streaming.

Bosch develops a connectivity unit for all standards

It is expected that the number of connected vehicles on the roads in
Europe, the United States, and China alone will exceed 470 million by
2025 (source: PwC). Initially, most vehicles will connect directly to
the cloud; but, thanks to V2X, increasing numbers of vehicles will in
future also be able to communicate directly with one another as well as
with traffic signals, road construction sites, pedestrian crossings, and
buildings, etc. They will then be able to alert one another to potential
hazards like the approaching tail end of a traffic jam, accidents, and
icy conditions. Vehicles will also be able to take advantage of the
green wave, because they will know when the next set of traffic lights
is going to turn green. The vehicles can then adjust their speed
accordingly. This ensures the traffic, particularly in cities, flows
more smoothly. There is, however, no globally harmonized standard for
V2X communication currently on the horizon. While China primarily uses
Cellular-V2X technology (C-V2X), which is based on mobile
communications, Europe and the United States are planning to
additionally introduce transmission standards based on Wi-Fi (DSRC and
ITS-G5) alongside C-V2X. A mishmash of standards is therefore emerging
internationally, which may lead to vehicle communication issues.
However, that will not be the case in the future when cars are equipped
with the universal connectivity unit from Bosch. Equipped vehicles will
be able to communicate with one another as well as with their
surroundings regardless of the vehicle make or the country in which they
are used. This will make V2X communication even more secure and
reliable. “Thanks to Bosch’s all-in-one principle for connected
vehicles, as many drivers as possible around the world can benefit from
the added safety, comfort, and convenience provided by V2X,” says Dirk
Hoheisel.

Software ensures the best connection

The software from Veniam is the connection enhancer for the connectivity
unit from Bosch. As well as keeping an eye on which V2X communication
technologies are currently available for use, the software also closely
monitors the costs and data transmission latency of each alternative
connection option, since not every technology is suitable in every
situation. For example, when it comes to alerting a driver to another
vehicle that is about to pull out in front of them from a side street,
every millisecond counts. This kind of critical information must be
communicated in real time using highly reliable technology that is
always ready for use – even if that means the resulting data
transmission costs are greater. Software updates from the cloud or a
navigation system map update, on the other hand, can be put on hold in
that sort of situation until a low-cost stationary Wi-Fi network becomes
available. Large volumes of data can be transmitted via Wi-Fi in a short
space of time, though a downside is that public or home Wi-Fi hotspots
are not always available. Veniam’s software is familiar with the pros
and cons of each of the communication types and always establishes the
optimal connection. “The unique combination of Veniam’s smart networking
software and Bosch’s connectivity unit boosts the vehicle’s
data-handling capacities dramatically, paving the way for innovative
cloud services and much safer future mobility,” says João Barros,
founder and CEO of Veniam. On the occasion of the world’s biggest
consumer electronics trade show, CES 2019 in Las Vegas, Bosch and Veniam
have been selected as CES 2019 Innovation Award Honorees in the “Vehicle
Intelligence and Self-Driving Technology” category for their jointly
developed solution.

Bosch tests V2X in Europe, the United States, and China

In the biggest European field trial to date (simTD, Safe Intelligent
Mobility – Test Field Germany), V2X communication has proven its
suitability for daily use under everyday conditions and in lab
simulations. Bosch has played a significant role in this joint project.
Since February 2017, Bosch, Vodafone, and Huawei have been performing
trials of the V2X communication with the first 5G test modules − the
first companies in Europe to do so. The A9 freeway in Bavaria north of
Munich is the location for the field tests, which focus on real-time
warning systems during lane changing maneuvers on the freeway or in
case the vehicle in front brakes suddenly. V2X will also be able to make
driver assistance functions even more comfortable, like adaptive
cruise control (ACC). In the summer of 2018, Bosch tested secure,
direct communication between vehicles and roadside infrastructure,
cameras, and sensors in Detroit. The test showcased Wi-Fi-based DSRC
technology, where equipped vehicles were provided with in-vehicle
notifications about the status of traffic signals ahead and pedestrians
crossing the street – functions designed to enhance safety in city
traffic. ESCRYPT, a subsidiary in the Bosch Group, provided the
cybersecurity technologies behind these V2X demonstrations. In China,
Bosch is testing ad hoc communication using Wi-Fi as well as cellular
technology. The tests are focusing on alerts that help the driver when
overtaking or negotiating complex intersections.

Press photos: #1713652, #1714739, #1714740, #1713653, #1714753,
#1714754

Bosch at CES 2019

• PRESS CONFERENCE: Monday, January 7, 2019, 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. (local
  time) in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, South Convention Center, Level 2; Mandalay
  Bay Ballrooms B, C, and D
• TRADE SHOW BOOTH: Tuesday to Friday, January 8 – 11, 2019 in
  the Central Hall, booth #14020
• FOLLOW the Bosch CES 2019 highlights on Twitter: #BoschCES

About Bosch:

Mobility Solutions is the largest Bosch Group business sector. In
2017, its sales came to 47.4 billion euros, or 61 percent of total group
sales. This makes the Bosch Group one of the leading automotive
suppliers. The Mobility Solutions business sector pursues a vision of
mobility that is accident-free, emissions-free, and stress-free, and
combines the group’s expertise in the domains of automation,
electrification, and connectivity. For its customers, the outcome is
integrated mobility solutions. The business sector’s 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 is synonymous with 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 402,000 associates worldwide (as of
December 31, 2017). The company generated sales of 78.1 billion euros in
2017. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility
Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and
Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative
solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and
connected manufacturing. It uses its expertise in sensor technology,
software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its
customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The
Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to deliver innovations 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.” The Bosch Group
comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional
companies in 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s
global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every
country in the world. The basis for the company’s future growth is its
innovative strength. At 125 locations across the globe, Bosch employs
some 64,500 associates in research and development.

To learn more, please visit www.bosch.com,
iot.bosch.com,
www.bosch-presse.de,
twitter.com/BoschPresse.

About Veniam:

Veniam is
accelerating future mobility by delivering intelligent networking
software for connected cars and autonomous vehicles. With an IP
portfolio of more than 160 patents, Veniam’s data networking platform
makes the most out of all available networks to improve quality of
service and reduce the costs of moving massive amounts of data between
vehicles and the cloud. Working closely with the world’s largest Auto
OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, Veniam aims to improve the lives of millions
of people by securely managing the data flows of a new and emerging
mobility ecosystem – the Internet of Moving Things – where vehicles move
people and goods efficiently but also expand Internet coverage, deliver
new human experiences and gather valuable data for smart city
applications.

Named by CNBC and NASDAQ as one of the 50 most disruptive companies
in the world, Veniam is a global company with its headquarters
in Mountain View, California, Engineering Center in Porto, Portugal and
sales offices in Detroit, Munich and Tokyo.

Contacts

Contact person for press inquiries:
Tim Wieland, Bosch in
North America
phone: +1 248 876 7708
e-mail: tim.wieland@us.bosch.com
Twitter:
@timwieland

Aline Franco, Veniam Inc.
phone: +1 415 470
3349
e-mail: afranco@veniam.com