Another narrow escape: a cyclist appears out of nowhere and suddenly crosses the road. Distracted by the search for somewhere to park, the driver is powerless to avert what appears to be an inevitable disaster. With new innovations from Bosch, the car’s emergency braking system with cyclist detection prevents any serious consequences, automatically bringing the car to a full stop from 40 kph.
As soon as the emergency braking system’s radar or video sensor detects an imminent collision, the Bosch iBooster initiates full braking in just 190 milliseconds – less time than it takes to blink twice.
“Driver assistance systems are the next step along the path toward accident-free driving,” said Dr. Dirk Hoheisel, Bosch board of management member. “These electronic assistants are always vigilant and, in emergencies, they respond more quickly than people can. They provide support just where drivers need it – in busy city traffic.”
Emergency braking systems are one of the most useful assistance systems, particularly when it comes to responding to cyclists and pedestrians, according to the company.
“Driver assistance systems are always vigilant and, in emergencies, they respond more quickly than people can,” said Hoheisel.
Electronic assistants growing in popularity
In light of rising volumes of road traffic, driver assistance systems offer the full package – and hold the key to increased road safety. They keep cars in their lanes, warn of obstacles in the blind spot when changing lanes, provide support for pulling into and out of parking spots, and help maintain following distance, to name just a few examples.
Bosch aims to constantly hone the technology behind these driver assistance systems: sensors supply increasingly precise images of the car’s surroundings, and their interaction with actuators, such as braking and steering, is steadily becoming faster and more efficient. In this way, driver assistance systems are not only preparing the path toward automated driving, but are already delivering stress-free and relaxed driving, according to Bosch.
A Bosch survey found that half of all new cars (52 percent) in Germany have at least one driver assistance system on board. The trend is toward consolidating multiple assistance functions on one sensor, as demonstrated by car exit warning – a new function developed by Bosch.
