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Bosch and Robert Wickens Debut Hand Control Braking System in Indianapolis

Braking expertise from Bosch and racing experience of world-renowned driver combine on the track

  • The system will debut in competition at one of the most iconic racetracks in the U.S. – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  • Robert Wickens has utilized hand controls full-time since 2022; new system offers enhancements including response rate and diagnostics
  • Bosch used its Electronic Brake System (EBS) to help advance accessibility for drivers
Tim Wieland

Tim Wieland

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Tim Wieland

Tim Wieland
Director, Corporate Communications, North America, and Contact for Bosch Mobility and Bosch in North America

INDIANAPOLIS – Redefining electronics to solve new challenges is in the DNA of Bosch, including on the racetrack. The Bosch Motorsport team utilized expertise in braking technology and vehicle controls to develop a modern solution to braking using hand controls instead of foot pedals. The system will debut this weekend at the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Battle on the Bricks event in Indianapolis.

The system will be piloted by Robert Wickens, 2023 Michelin Challenge TCR (Touring Car class) Champion and former IndyCar driver. Wickens co-drives the Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) and Hyundai Motor America #33 Elantra N TCR race car. In 2018, an IndyCar accident left Wickens paralyzed. He returned to racing full-time in 2022 with IMSA and BHA using a hand control system. While he has excelled in every car since his return, his controls were not advancing at the same rate that his driving required. Leading Wickens to turn to Bosch Motorsport for potential solutions.

“The collaboration with Bosch marks a new stage in my career and I can't wait to see what lies on the horizon for myself and other drivers looking to compete at the highest levels of motorsport,” Wickens said.

For the redesign of Wickens' hand-controlled braking system, Bosch utilized its existing electronic brake system (EBS) module from the Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) class with its trusted controls platform and display to provide a more robust solution. The added technology allows Wickens to have more consistency across the application of brakes, faster response rate and advanced diagnostics for safety.

“This innovation project came to us as a need in the sport that our technology could solve, and we didn't look back,” said Jacob Bergenske, director of Bosch Motorsport in North America. “Robert Wickens is a standout driver with a bright future and we look forward to seeing how our collaboration will support him for years to come.”

After extensive testing, Wickens will race for the first time using the new system in Indianapolis. For a full broadcast schedule of ways to view the race, visit www.imsa.com/events/2024-indianapolis-motor-speedway.

Tags: brake control systems, #LikeABosch

Contact:

Brooke Bond

email: Brooke.Bond@us.bosch.com

Tim Wieland

phone: +1 248 876-7708

email: Tim.Wieland@us.bosch.com

About Bosch

Having established a presence in North America in 1906, today the Bosch Group employs 42,000 associates in more than 100 locations in the North American region (as of Dec. 31, 2023). Bosch generated consolidated sales of $16.5 billion in the U.S., Mexico and Canada in 2023. For more information visit www.bosch.us, www.bosch.mx and www.bosch.ca.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 429,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2023). The company generated sales of $99 billion in 2023. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. With its business activities, the company aims to use technology to help shape universal trends such as automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and an orientation to sustainability. In this context, Bosch’s broad diversification across regions and industries strengthens its innovativeness and robustness. Bosch uses its proven expertise in sensor technology, software, and services to offer customers cross-domain solutions from a single source. It also applies its expertise in connectivity and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture user-friendly, sustainable products. With technology that is “Invented for life,” Bosch wants to help improve quality of life and conserve natural resources. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 470 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. Bosch’s innovative strength is key to the company’s further development. At 136 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 90,000 associates in research and development, of which nearly 48,000 are software engineers.

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861–1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-four percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The remaining shares are held by Robert Bosch GmbH and by a corporation owned by the Bosch family. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG. It is entrusted with the task of safeguarding the company’s long-term existence and in particular its financial independence – in line with the mission handed down in the will of the company’s founder, Robert Bosch.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com.

Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.0818

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