Bosch to acquire stake in augmented reality specialist Reflekt GmbH

Bosch, which has been closely cooperating with Reflekt GmbH in the development of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for production, service, training and marketing applications, now plans to extend this partnership by taking a minority stake in the AR specialist. Contracts to that effect were signed on December 16, 2015.

Since its foundation in 2012, Reflekt has evolved into one of the most renowned companies in the area of industrial AR solutions. Its international team in Munich (Germany) consists of more than 25 employees.

“In the future, Augmented Reality applications will be used in many areas of our lives. In the industrial sector and the automotive aftermarket, AR applications will save time and reduce costs,” said Dr. Eng. Hans-Peter Meyen, Member of the Divisional Board of the Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division.

Reflekt CEO Wolfgang Stelzle added: “We are convinced our long-term partnership with Bosch will be strengthened by this investment. The reputation and market position of Bosch will accelerate our international expansion and product development.”

Augmented Reality applications enhance the perception of reality by combining reality with augmented information. Once the user points his smartphone or tablet camera onto a specific area, additional digital information such as explanations, 3D objects or videos are shown on the display of the device. In automotive workshops, for instance, Augmented Reality allows technicians to see components true to scale and in their correct location, even though they may not be visible on the product without disassembly. Work instructions, error codes and the required tools are displayed as well.