At the 2018 international CES in Las Vegas, USA, Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions will announce the Telematics eCall Plug (TEP), a retrofit plug-in sensor device. It delivers precise event data such as driving behavior and crash detection for telematics, fleet management and insurance applications. The smart sensor device easily plugs into a standard 12V car cigarette lighter socket.
Data from the TEP enables innovative usage-based business models, e.g. for insurance purposes, however, it is also setup to be adopted by fleet operators and automobile clubs. The device’s eCall function registers car crash severity and can help to save lives by enabling faster emergency response times.
Data-based insurance
The TEP intelligently utilizes its built-in sensors and microcontroller to reliably and accurately track driving behavior parameters such as acceleration, braking and cornering forces, then transmits this data to the driver's smartphone via Bluetooth. Bosch's long-term expertise in crash detection and airbag controllers guarantees high quality data, while the cost-efficiency of this new device makes it a very viable alternative to standard ‘black box’ or OBD-dongle solutions.
The collected data can be used to help improve safety by identifying aggressive driving behavior and enables more personalized behavior-based insurance, by rewarding safe drivers with discounts on premiums. The data can also help insurers to identify and reduce fraudulent claims. The device can build closer customer relationships through gamification and more frequent customer contact.
Fleet operators can use the acquired data for monitoring driving behavior.
Improving automotive safety
The TEP’s eCall function uses acceleration sensors and intelligent embedded algorithms to detect car accident events and their severity. It communicates with the driver’s smartphone via Bluetooth. Accident alerts are sent to a call center via smartphone.
The call center can subsequently automatically and quickly contact the emergency response services – speeding up response times, potentially saving lives. In less extreme situations, the call center can trigger roadside assistance.
Flexible and easy to implement
The TEP has three configurations: the eCall function only, the driving behavior data only, or both functions. It neatly plugs into the standard 12V DC car outlet, making its retrofit installation quick and easy in any type of car. There is no connection to the car’s IT infrastructure, where any risk of hacking is eliminated.
Bosch also offers a Software Development Kit (SDK) for the TEP, which contains everything a Service Partner needs for the development of a retrofit automotive telematics solution. The SDK supports both Android and iOS operating systems, and makes communications between a smartphone app and the TEP straightforward, utilizing the benefits of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) platform.
Bosch at CES 2018:
- PRESS CONFERENCE: In Ballrooms B, C, and D, Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas South Convention Center, Level 2, from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. local time on Monday, January 8, 2018.
- BOOTH: Tuesday to Friday, January 9–12, 2018, in the Central Hall, booth #14028
- FOLLOW the Bosch CES 2018 highlights on Twitter: #BoschCES
- PANELS WITH BOSCH EXPERTS:
- Tuesday, January 9, 1:30 – 3:15 p.m. (local time)
“Connect2Car: Next-Gen Automobility” session with Kay Stepper, Vice President of Bosch in North America, head of driver assistance and automated driving,
Las Vegas, Convention Center, North Hall, N256 - Wednesday, January 10, 2018, 1:45–2:30 p.m. (local time)
“Connected Vehicles in Connected Ecosystems” session with Mike Mansuetti, President Bosch North America,
Smart Cities Conference, Westgate. - Thursday, January 11, 2018, 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. (local time)
“The Future of Robots at Work and Home” session with Phil Roan, Senior Engineer Robotics, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH,
Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, N258
- Tuesday, January 9, 1:30 – 3:15 p.m. (local time)
Press Contact
Press who would like to meet with Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions may contact Embedded PR, Anja-Maria Hastenrath, phone: +49 89 64913634-11, email: ah[at]embedded-pr.de.
Contact persons for press inquiries:
Melita Delic +49 711 811-48617,
Agnes Grill +49 711 811-38140,
Trix Böhne +49 30 32788-561,
Annett Fischer +49 711 811-6286,
Briela Jahn +49 711 811-6285
Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions GmbH was founded in 2013 and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH. The company was set up to design, develop and market innovative connected devices and tailor-made solutions for the Internet of Things. Our competency in electronics, sensor technology and software enable new business models for global markets. Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions is headquartered in Reutlingen, Germany. In 2015 Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions opened offices in Chicago, USA and Shanghai, China, in 2016 a sales office in Singapore was opened.
For more information, go to www.bosch-connectivity.com
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 400,500 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2017). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 78 billion euros in 2017. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected industry. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life, and to improve quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 450 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 125 locations across the globe, Bosch employs 62,500 associates in research and development.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPresse.