Bosch to launch ABS for two-wheelers next year

New product is under test stage, will be commercially launched early next year

There is a clarification at the end of this article

Bosch, a supplier of automotive components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), is readying its next revolutionary product for automotive applications in India. The company is set to launch ABS (anti-lock braking system) for two-wheelers and three-wheelers early next year through OEMs in Indian market.

Currently, ABS is used only in passenger cars in the country and for the first time, Bosch is set to supply an ABS for two-wheelers exclusively developed for OEMs. The new product is under the test stage and will be commercially launched early next year, a top company official said.

“We have developed an anti-lock braking system for India, which is more economical than a similar product currently used in Europe. Bosch has a single competence centre for two-wheeler research in Japan and the product has been developed there,” Steffen Berns, managing director, Bosch Limited said.

He said the ABS for two-wheelers and three-wheelers will be manufactured at Bosch’s unit in Chakan in Maharashtra and supplied to OEMs. However, he did not divulge the name of first launch customer for the new product.

Currently, two-wheelers fitted with ABS are used in Europe extensively. The antilock braking systems for motorcycles came onto the market in 1988, ten years after ABS was introduced for passenger vehicles. In 1994, Bosch started series production of the first antilock braking system.

On the possibility of acceptance of new product by two-wheeler users in India, Berns said, “As long as people in India do not wear helmets when driving a motorcycle, the willingness to buy ABS may also be limited. In Europe, a new legislation is being introduced to make use of ABS compulsory in two-wheelers. We have developed a new version of ABS, which is economical.”

Electronic stability programme (ESP) is the next step for two-wheelers the Bosch is working on, he said without giving the details of the automobile companies that will launch this feature.

“Road safety is a major concern for India. There is one accident every minute and one fatal accident every seven minutes. About 140,000 people lose their lives annually in road accidents. India is far behind worldwide in the introduction of ABS for two-wheelers,” he added.

Berns said Bosch is also working on several new products for the Indian automobile OEMs. “We are working on several upgrades on our existing products and adding new generation pumps and new control functions for diesel and gasoline versions,” he said.

Bosch is also working on new products in the areas of emission, fuel economy, driver support functions, collusion warning and avoidance systems among others, he added.

Clarification

The article wrongly states that ABS is currently used only in passenger cars in the country. It is, in fact, being used in two-wheelers as well. The error is regretted.