Bosch Pushes Ahead with Technologies for Automation and Robotics

Advanced robotics and, in particular, the very dynamic growth of humanoid systems are heralding the next stage of automation. At the Bosch Connected World (BCW) industry event in Berlin, the German tech giant underlined that it is already playing a major role in shaping this development and is actively pushing ahead with key technologies for automation and robotics.

“Sophisticated sensor technology, software, and the efficient conversion of electrical energy into motion aren’t just technologically related to automated mobility – they’re the cornerstones of modern robotics,” said Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Bosch. The company was quick to respond to the growing demand for automation and robotics technologies and is already a sought-after and attractive commercialization partner and component supplier worldwide.

With its comprehensive expertise, it is well positioned to participate in the growth of the robotics market. Bosch sees the potential to develop a business worth billions in this field. The company is putting its faith in synergy effects to achieve this. “We’re combining proven technologies from various business sectors with visionary innovations to drive forward the industrial scaling of robotics – all the way to humanoids,” Hartung said. “We also hope that committing to this course will strengthen Europe as a technology location.” Moreover, Bosch is making targeted use of automation to increase the competitiveness of its German plants compared to the rest of the world as well as to counteract the ever more acute shortage of skilled workers.

“Bosch is moving the future – on wheels and with arms,” said Tanja Rueckert, member of the Board of Management. The company is deploying its cross-domain automation expertise – from the car to the factory to the home – as its decisive advantage in shaping this growth market. Bosch is positioning itself not as a manufacturer of humanoid robots, but as a leading supplier and partner for the “brain and nervous system” of modern automation and robotics. At the heart of these flexible solutions is Bosch’s open ctrlX AUTOMATION platform.

“This makes robotics accessible, modular, and quick to integrate. We’re already enabling our customers to combine driverless transport systems with high-precision robot arms, for example, which can then take over tasks in existing processes in a stable and flexible manner,” Rueckert said. The Bosch Rexroth division is currently implementing several customer projects in this area. To accelerate development in automation and robotics, Bosch is relying on a combination of targeted in-house innovation and an open ecosystem approach. To this end, the company founded Robert Bosch Robotics, a specialized unit that focuses on the development and commercialization of new robotics solutions.

At the same time, Bosch is continuing to drive forward industrial scaling through strategic partnerships. For example, the company is working together with the German startup Neura Robotics to further develop cognitive robots. Thanks to its deep manufacturing expertise, Bosch also acts as a key partner for leading robotics startups from around the world, including Humanoid from the UK, and other US and Chinese partners, and is bringing their prototypes to production scale. The company has pooled its activities in China, in particular in the Bosch Robotics Center China (BROC), which was established at the beginning of the year and is driving forward the development of physical AI and the commercialization of robotics solutions.