According to Michael Bolle, Bosch board of management member, “AIoT offers enormous potential. We are already unlocking this potential and plan to expand our efforts in the future.” Under the tagline “Sustainable #LikeABosch,” the company presented intelligent, sustainable solutions for health, living, and mobility at the virtual tech trade fair CES 2021.

Among the innovations Bosch introduced at the tech show is the world’s first self-learning AI sensor for wearables and hearables in fitness tracking. Since the AI runs on the sensor itself (edge AI), there’s no longer any need for an internet connection during an exercise session – this improves energy efficiency and data privacy. The company also presented a sensor that measures factors such as air quality and relative humidity. This delivers information about aerosols’ concentration in the air – data that has become especially important in the fight against the coronavirus. Bosch security cameras help in the battle against the virus. AI makes it possible for them to execute a wide array of customer-specific applications. For example, a new camera solution with integrated intelligent video analysis measures body temperature contactless, anonymously, and with high precision – with a maximum deviation of half a degree. Moreover, using a software solution for the open camera platform of the Bosch startup Security and Safety Things, these cameras can detect whether the number of people in a shop complies with the prevailing coronavirus restrictions. This platform was designated a 2021 CES Innovation Award Honoree, making it one of four Bosch solutions singled out this year. Another premiere was a portable haemoglobin monitor that can detect anaemia by means of a finger scan. The device is particularly well suited for regions that have insufficient access to medical care. Equipped with AI, the haemoglobin monitor delivers a result within 30 seconds – no lab test or blood draw necessary.

Sustainable #LikeABosch: Bosch as a pioneer in climate action

A study recently published in Germany indicated that AIoT could go beyond health applications to support climate action as well. The study found that comprehensive digitalisation in mobility, manufacturing, and building technology could help get the country nearly halfway to achieving the Paris Agreement emissions targets (source: Accenture).

Here is where Bosch takes a hand: its tagline for this year’s CES – “Sustainable #LikeABosch” – expresses one aspect of the company’s entrepreneurial responsibility. The #LikeABosch image campaign’s sequel highlights how everyone can do their part to protect the environment with sustainable products. Bosch itself is leading by example: according to in-house calculations, all the company’s 400 locations worldwide have been carbon neutral since 2020. Bosch is the first globally operating industrial enterprise to achieve net-zero carbon emissions regarding its energy and energy sources externally. “The next step for Bosch is to address emissions along the entire value chain, from procurement to product use,” Bolle says. In that vein, Bosch is the first automotive supplier to join the Science Based Targets initiative with a specific and ambitious goal: by 2030, to cut upstream and downstream CO2 emissions by 15 percent. The Group’s achievements in climate action have won recognition outside the company as well: the non-profit Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has added Bosch to its A List.

Through its advisory company Bosch Climate Solutions, founded last year, Bosch shares its experience as a climate action pioneer with other companies. The Bosch startup markets several solutions, including the cloud-based energy platform, which applies intelligent algorithms to reduce machines’ energy consumption and thus increase production processes’ efficiency. The company has already deployed the platform at more than 100 locations, making a major contribution to improving energy efficiency – the main lever in the company’s efforts to go carbon neutral.

Digital, Sustainable

As this example shows, digitalisation is paving the way for sustainability. “We want to be the leading AIoT company in every area that we operate in,” Bolle explains. Trust in AI is the most important prerequisite for it to become established to improve people’s lives and help limit climate change. To this end, Bosch relies on industrial AI, which explains the physical world to machines – instead of teaching them how to behave like people. Nonetheless, this requires ethical guidelines. To set them, Bosch has drawn up an AI code of ethics that centres on the idea that humans always retain control.

In addition to improving energy efficiency in manufacturing, the company is systematically adding connectivity to its products for buildings and mobility to help consumers save energy. One of these products is an energy manager that the company offers for use in private homes. When combined with a heat pump and photovoltaic system, the manager can cut energy consumption by up to 60 percent. In the mobility sphere, drivers of electric vehicles can benefit from services such as Battery in the Cloud, which uses smart software analysis to reduce battery wear by up to 20 percent.

In general, the combination of electrified and automated driving with personalised and connected services will open up a broad field for software applications. Vehicle computers are central to Bosch’s efforts to extend its leading role in software-intensive electronic systems.

To meet this demand, the new Cross- Domain Computing Systems division and its 17,000 associates started operations at the beginning of the year. In this unit, Bosch combines its capabilities in hardware and software engineering for vehicle computers, sensors, and control units for all vehicle domains. This reduces complexity in vehicle development and will get new functions on the road significantly faster.

On The Moon

From earthbound roads to activities in space: whereas last year’s CES saw the premiere of the SoundSee AI sensor system for the International Space Station, this time Bosch set its sights on the moon. As part of NASA’s Tipping Point programme, it is joining forces with the companies Astrobotic and WiBotic as well as the University of Washington to develop smart, autonomous navigation and wireless charging technologies for robots that explore the lunar surface. Starting in 2023, these shoebox-sized lunar robots, called CubeRovers, should be able to move autonomously across the moon and also find their way back to their docking stations. Bosch researchers working on Pittsburgh and Silicon Valley projects are contributing their expertise in AI-based intelligent data analysis and wireless connectivity solutions. The resulting findings will flow into the further development of Bosch AIoT solutions back on earth.

All this clearly shows how much potential AIoT offers, as well as the key role sustainability, plays in it. “Only companies that pursue sustainability today and unlock the enormous potential of AIoT, will be successful tomorrow,” Bolle added. (MT)

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Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) has introduced DEP AIWorks, an engineering platform designed to integrate machine learning with physics-based simulation. The launch follows the conclusion of a five-city industry conclave held across Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai.

DEP AIWorks is built as a physics-agnostic and tool-agnostic environment, allowing it to function across various datasets and engineering domains. The platform combines neural networks and physics-informed models with computer-aided engineering (CAE) solvers to provide predictive and generative capabilities within the product development lifecycle.

Core features of the platform include modular architecture, operational speed and ecosystem compatibility.

The platform is intended for use in the automotive, aerospace, energy, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. It supports various stages of development, from early design exploration to manufacturing validation. By utilising data-driven learning alongside physics-based validation, the system aims to improve engineering productivity and accelerate decision-making cycles.

Radha Krishnan, President & Founder, DEP, said, “DEP AIWorks reflects the next step in how engineering organisations will adopt AI, not as a standalone tool, but as an integrated part of the product development lifecycle. By combining decades of simulation expertise with advances in AI, we are enabling teams to move faster while maintaining engineering rigor and reliability.”

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German tier 1 supplier ZF has introduced SolarBoost, a retrofittable solar panel system designed to support the 24-volt on-board electrical systems of city buses and coaches. The technology generates electricity during vehicle operation to recharge batteries, intended to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance requirements for fleet operators.

The system reduces the load on the drive engine by providing an alternative power source for on-board systems, which are traditionally supplied by the alternator. According to ZF, the additional energy can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3.5 percent, depending on weather conditions and application profiles.

The company states that key benefits for operators include battery longevity, as continuous recharging extends battery life. ZF reports potential savings equivalent to one battery per vehicle per year.

Furthermore, it enhances uptime by reduced requirement for stationary battery recharges and lower maintenance frequency. The system includes Bluetooth connectivity, allowing operators to track energy generation in real-time via a mobile application.

SolarBoost utilises a plug-and-play architecture designed for installation in an operator's own workshop using standard tools. The process does not require drilling into the vehicle structure or extensive rewiring, allowing for fleet-wide scaling with minimal disruption to service.

The hardware is engineered to withstand vibrations and weather conditions associated with heavy-duty transit. ZF provides a 5-year warranty and repair kits to support the long-term durability of the flexible panels.

The product is positioned as a scalable solution for bus operators to meet environmental targets. By utilizing renewable energy for electrical loads, the system assists in reducing the carbon footprint of intercity and urban transport fleets. It aligns with ZF’s broader strategy to deliver innovations that improve vehicle efficiency while supporting climate-friendly mobility.

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Recyclekaro, an e-waste and lithium-ion battery recycling firm, has been cleared for eligibility under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Mines under the National Critical Minerals Mission.

The company has committed an investment of approximately INR 3 billion to expand its operations. This brownfield expansion aims to increase total processing capacity to 50,000 metric tonnes.

Its targeted waste streams for mineral recovery include spent lithium-ion batteries, electronic circuit e-waste, rare earth magnets and spent catalytic converters.

The project is designed to increase the domestic recovery of lithium and rare earth elements, reducing reliance on mineral imports for the electric mobility and renewable energy sectors.

Recyclekaro plans to invest over INR 5 billion over the next five years into a research and development facility. This centre will focus on technologies for the recovery of rare earth and critical minerals. The objective of the expansion is to align with national resource security and circular economy targets.

Rajesh Gupta, Founder and Managing Director, Recyclekaro, said, “We are proud to have secured eligibility under the Government of India’s Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme and sincerely commend the Ministry of Mines for instituting a visionary and robust framework under the National Critical Minerals Mission. This marks a decisive step toward strengthening India’s energy security that relies on securing critical minerals domestically. This will support India’s net zero goals. Over the past 15 years, we have built world-class in-house technologies, conducted thousands of pilot-scale experiments, and are now investing over INR 5 billion next 5 years in our newly developed R&D facility. It is going to be amongst the biggest privately owned facilities in India dedicated to rare earth and critical mineral recovery. At Recyclekaro, we remain deeply committed to this national movement and invite researchers, innovators, and technology partners to collaborate in accelerating India’s clean energy and circular economy transition.”

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Kochi-headquartered deep-tech company RoshAi has raised INR 220 million in funding, which was led by IAN Alpha Fund, part of the IAN Group.

The capital is designated for product development, expansion of deployments and scaling operations across international industrial markets.

RoshAi develops autonomy solutions that can be retrofitted to existing heavy vehicles in sectors such as ports, mining and logistics. This approach allows operators to implement driverless operations without the requirement for new fleet investments.

The technology stack comprises three primary components:

Retrofit Hardware: Physical kits to enable autonomous control of conventional vehicles.

In-Vehicle Autonomy System: AI-powered software and sensors for navigation and obstacle detection.

Cloud-Based Fleet Management: A platform for remote monitoring and operational coordination.

The company reports that its systems have completed over 100,000 km of testing with no safety incidents.

The global industrial autonomous vehicle market is projected to reach USD 162.8 billion by 2030, up from USD 47.6 billion in 2024. RoshAi aims to capture this growth by targeting the United States, Australia and Southeast Asia. It currently collaborates with Tier 1 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and industrial operators on pilot projects.

Sarika Saxena, Managing Partner, IAN Alpha Fund, said, “RoshAi is solving industrial autonomy through a retrofit-first approach, enabling operators to upgrade existing fleets rather than invest in new infrastructure. With strong early validation, repeat customer engagement, and a scalable autonomy platform, the company is well-positioned to build a globally relevant deep-tech business from India.”

Roshy John, Founder & CEO, RoshAi, added, “Our focus is to make industrial operations safer and more efficient by enabling existing fleets to operate autonomously. This investment allows us to accelerate product development, scale deployments across global markets, and continue building a robust autonomy platform for industrial use cases. We are glad to have IAN’s support as we move into this next phase.”

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