Bosch and Plus announced a collaboration to make software-defined commercial trucks a reality. Through a new technology agreement, Plus is offering its PlusDrive solution with the integrated steering system from Bosch featuring hardware and software to deliver driver assistance and partially automated features to commercial vehicles. The announcement was made recently at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California.
PlusDrive-enabled L2++ vehicles are equipped with a predictive 360-degree surround perception system and provide partial automation by continuously helping drivers with acceleration, braking and steering. The PlusDrive software-based system and the Bosch hardware plus software steering solution work together to enable assisted driving and automated functions, the companies say.
PlusDrive provides traffic jam assist, merge handling, driver initiated and suggested lane change, over-the-air updates, lane nudge, sensor self-calibration, driver attentiveness detection, and other highly automated driving features. When combined with Bosch’s steering system for lateral control, its benefits include driver retention, fuel economy savings and assistance capabilities to help reduce accidents, according to the company.
“New mobility solutions require new, enhanced collaboration,” said Paul Thomas, executive vice president of Mobility Solutions, Americas for Bosch. “Our agreement with Plus complements existing Bosch portfolio elements and is one of multiple ways we can work together to support our customers.”
“Plus’s underlying next-generation safety solution enabled by our open autonomy platform, combined with Bosch’s steering software system, will help to prevent accidents in commercial vehicles and make roads safer. The proven commercial readiness of our highly automated Plus system accelerates the deployment for our partners and improves the safety and sustainability for the trucking industry,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and co-founder, Plus.
