Bosch remains bullish on India's two-wheeler industry, readies BS VI and EV solutions

Bosch’s Two-Wheeler & Powersports Business Unit is continuing the ride towards the global target of one billion euros of sales in 2020, generated by assistance, powertrain, electrification, and connectivity systems. Bosch’s vision is to make the mobility of the future accident-free, stress-free, and nearly emissions-free – and this goes for the continuously growing motorcycle market as well.

The global demand for two wheelers is forecasted to grow annually by more than 4% from 2017 to 2022, reaching 122 million bikes by 2022. Of this the major growth of the Two-Wheeler & Powersports business is expected to come from India where Bosch supplies market-specific motorcycle safety and powertrain solutions to comply with regulations as well as local market trends. 

“The two-wheeler landscape today is undergoing many changes as industry players look to innovate their service offerings. As a key player in the two-wheeler space, Bosch has always endeavored to provide services that integrate cutting-edge technology with the company’s inherent focus on functionality and efficiency,” says Geoff Liersch, Head of Two-Wheeler & Powersports Business Unit.

Safety solutions for assistance systems
Safety is one of the most pressing trends on the motorcycle market. According to a report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, up to 34% of road fatalities in India are riders of two wheelers. Bosch says it is tackling this challenge with a comprehensive three-step safety concept towards accident-free mobility. Firstly, by keeping the bike stable in braking situations and acceleration with systems like ABS or motorcycle stability control (MSC); secondly, by realising predictive safety and comfort functions with innovative surround-sensing such as advanced rider assistance systems; and thirdly, by connecting the bike with its environment through motorcycle-to-vehicle communication.

After the successful introduction of ABS and MSC technologies, Bosch has introduced its first advanced rider assistance systems for motorcycles, comprising adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and blind-spot detection. These electronic assistants are always vigilant and, in emergencies, they respond faster than people can. According to Bosch accident research estimates, these radar-based assistance systems could prevent one in seven motorcycle accidents. The technology underpinning these systems is a combination of radar sensor, brake system, engine management, and human machine interface. This system will go to market with Ducati and KTM as soon as 2020.

Powertrain solutions to meet Bharat Stage VI norms
Reducing emissions is a key objective of the Indian government in order to provide a sustainable mobility environment for the future. On April 1, 2020 India will introduce Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) which is similar to Euro-6 in Europe. Bosch is offering scalable powertrain solutions with electronic engine management systems for internal combustion bikes as well as integrated electrification systems to support vehicle manufacturers in India to comply with BS-6 emission standards and meet India’s unique driving pattern.

Electronic engine management systems are the core of efficient and economical technology for internal combustion vehicles. In combination with highly developed sensor technology, engine management systems have shown considerable increases in efficiency compared to conventional carburetor systems and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 16% (depending on the situation).

Another approach to reduce emissions and to build up an all-electric fleet by 2030 in India is the launch of a Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) program by the central government which is announced to go into phase 2 by April 2019. To be able to contribute in achieving this impending target Bosch provides solutions such as an integrated electrification system including motor, control unit, battery, charger, display and app that can power light two-, three- and four-wheel electric vehicles with up to 20kW -- the powertrain of the future will be a mix of electromobility and combustion engines. 

“We at Bosch are working towards ensuring a smooth transition to the new emission norms with a tailored product portfolio for the Indian market supporting vehicle manufacturers with local engineering competence,  aiming towards realising the vision of nearly emissions-free mobility," said Prabhu Panduranga, Regional President Two-Wheeler & Powersports Business Unit, Bosch India.