Bosch Works On A Predictive Emergency Braking System

Following the new brake assist systems EU regulation which will be applicable to all new vehicles from February 24, 2011, aiming to improve pedestrian safety, Bosch plans to roll out predictive emergency braking system in 2010. According to EU studies, up to 1,100 fatal accidents involving pedestrians could be prevented in Europe each year if all cars were equipped with braking assistance systems.

“In the future, emergency braking systems will be able to interpret the traffic situation and offer drivers intelligent braking support,” Werner Struth, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division, said in a release. “In the years to come, these systems will be featured in a growing number of vehicle models. In 2010, a Bosch system is set to go into series production for the first time at Audi.”

Braking assistance systems not only reduce the risk of injury for pedestrians, they also help prevent rear-end collisions. The Bosch predictive emergency braking system provides drivers support on three levels. The system’s collision warning function detects potential obstacles and warns the driver, first with an acoustic or visual warning, then by briefly jerking the brakes.

If the driver then reacts and hits the brakes, the system uses the emergency braking assistant to increase braking pressure so that the car does not hit the obstacle. However, if the driver does not respond and a collision can no longer be avoided, the system brakes at maximum force shortly before impact.

The EU directive to improve “protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users” will make the ESP system mandatory for all vehicles by November 2014. Moreover, from November 2015 commercial vehicles will also have to be equipped with advanced emergency braking systems as well as lane departure warning systems.