The latest market research indicates that by 2020, there will be some 250 million connected cars on the world’s roads. Bosch is working at the forefront of this technology with innovations such as its Automotive Cloud Suite opening up a world of possibilities for connected car operation and services.

In March 2018, the eCall automatic emergency call system will be mandatory in the EU. This means that every new car will be connected with digital communication links. With this in mind Bosch recently announced the launch of the Bosch Automotive Cloud Suite, a new platform for mobility services. The Automotive Cloud Suite offers automakers and all mobility service providers a software platform plus a comprehensive toolkit for developing all kinds of services for drivers and for quickly bringing them to a wide market.

The company demonstrated this technology recently at ConnectedWorld 2017 with a Jaguar F-Pace concept. The car has features such as predictive diagnostics designed to prevent unexpected breakdowns by providing notification of parts wear and a community-based parking system that shares data on available spaces and directs the car to a vacant spot. It also features a voice activated personal assistant which can manage appointments, provide information and make adjustments to smart devices both in the car or in the home or office whist driving. This assistant also learns the user’s habits and preferences over time.

The whole system receives automatic software updates from the cloud, which could include new features such as a more efficient driving mode for electric vehicles. All of the updates would take place in vehicle downtime and be encrypted and protected for maximum security.