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A major financial hub in Southeast Asia; breathtaking structures as odes to its rich culture – Malaysia’s charm belies a tragedy: that of road accidents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the rate of road traffic fatalities in Malaysia is the third highest in the ASEAN countries. With local authorities recording a total of 6,167 fatal road accidents in 2019 alone, this problem penetrates all sectors of the Malaysian society.

Viewing this as a broad and holistic challenge that encompasses education, policy, behaviour and technology, Bosch is partnering with MIROS (Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research) for the ASEAN Road Safety Week, where the company will present how its innovative technologies make roads in Malaysia safer. “Bosch continues to make substantial research and development investments, focusing on creating technologies that save lives. This includes inventing products and solutions that make roads and vehicles safer,” said Klaus Landhaeusser, managing director of Bosch Malaysia.

Highlights at the Bosch presentation:

Accident-free mobility with driver assistance systems

Around 90 per cent of accidents can be attributed to human error, for example, where risks are not detected or situations are not judged correctly, and the driver reacts too slowly or incorrectly. Using knowledge gained from various accident researches, Bosch has been developing driver assistance systems that include intelligent features, like automatic emergency braking (AEB), that help drivers in confusing or critical driving situations. These systems cover a wide range of everyday driving situations and are an important step in realising a future of accident-free and stress-free mobility.

Safer driving with automatic emergency braking (AEB)

High traffic volumes increase the risk of rear-end collisions. Automatic emergency braking (AEB), based on a network of sensors in the ESP, helps to mitigate this situation. Continuously analysing traffic ahead and detecting critical proximity to a moving or stationary vehicle, AEB also initiates partial braking to reduce vehicle speed. If the driver fails to respond, AEB will apply full braking to avoid rear-end collisions. In cases where collision is unavoidable, the intervention can at least minimise impact to the vehicles, and injury to the driver and passenger. Accident research by Bosch conducted in Germany reveals that if all vehicles were equipped with AEB, up to 70 per cent of all relevant rear-end collisions with personal injuries could be avoided.

A key player in driver assistance technology is the front radar sensor, which supports various safety functions, not only for AEB, but also for adaptive cruise control (ACC), Bosch driving assist, and road signature. The front radar sensor facilitates fast, precise, and resilient object detection and tracking, making it ideally suited to complex traffic scenarios. This is attributed to its long detection range, wide field of view, outstanding angle separability, and a new chirp-sequence modulation feature.

The multi-purpose camera also plays a critical role in AEB. It enables vehicles to reliably detect objects and people at all times by combining classic image-processing algorithms and artificial intelligence methods. This also makes them fit for future applications involving video-based driver assistance systems, such as automated driving.

Effective skid prevention with ESP (electronic stability program)

Using smart sensors, ESP compares 25 times per second whether the car is actually moving in the direction that the driver is steering it in. If the measured values do not match, the anti-skid system intervenes, initially reducing engine torque. If that is not sufficient, it additionally brakes individual wheels, generating the counterforce needed to keep a vehicle safely on course. If all vehicles were equipped with ESP, up to 80 per cent of all skidding accidents could be prevented. Since November 1, 2014, ESP has been made mandatory within the European Union (EU) for all newly registered cars and light commercial vehicles weighing up to 3.5 metric tons. In addition to the EU, the anti-skid system is also either legally mandated or a self-imposed commitment in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, and the United States. In ASEAN, Malaysia is the first country to mandate ESP beginning 2018. Bosch has continuously improved its anti-skid system, and produced more than 250 million ESP systems to date. Modern cars are inconceivable without this electronic guardian angel. Worldwide, 82 per cent of all new vehicles are equipped with ESP.

Dynamic braking with iBooster

The iBooster can build up the required braking pressure three times faster compared with typical ESP systems, and is adjusted with much greater accuracy through the electronic control system. This fast pressure build-up enables short stopping distances for automatic emergency braking. In combination with the ESP from Bosch, the iBooster provides the braking system redundancy required by automated vehicles for safety reasons.

The iBooster can be used with all drivetrain configurations and is particularly suited for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Bosch has been actively working closely with MIROS (Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research) with the vision of reducing road fatalities and injuries through the introduction of vehicle safety technologies. The ASEAN Road Safety Week 2021 is one such avenue of cooperation where both parties, together with other players in the automotive industry, are able to reach out to various groups about technology that will help realise the vision of reducing road fatalities. Bosch calls for a more active discussion and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to seize the advantage of today’s technologies to make roads safer for everyone.

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