• ＃Tech Note
• Management Message
• Vehicle Motion Division (VM)

The Vehicle Motion Division (VM Division) is one of the backbones supporting Bosch. The development of braking systems that ensure the safety and security of automobiles is particularly important, and the role of software control has become extremely important in recent years. We asked Yuji Tokumasu, who heads the Engineering Software Department, to talk about the importance of software development at Bosch, and the expectations for software engineers in the future.

Leveraging Bosch's unique platform to expand software development

Please tell us about the role of engineers in the Vehicle Motion Division's Engineering Brake Systems Department, technology unique to Bosch, and the importance of software technology in particular.

The VM Division is responsible for ESP® (Electronic Stability Program, anti-skid device), ABS (anti-lock braking system, technology to ensure vehicle safety during sudden braking, etc.), iBooster (electro-mechanical brake booster), airbags, and on-board sensors.

The Software Engineering Department comprehensively conducts project management in software development, function development from specification analysis, software architecture design, network communication, integration, software testing, and so on. My department mainly develops software for braking systems.

In recent years, the importance of software technology has increased. Hardware is an extremely important factor in ensuring the safety of a car. However, since there is a limit to the speed with which technology can be updated and improved, the trend of doing it with software will become stronger and stronger in the future.

Our customers also have a vision for the future in which technical improvements will be provided not as hardware, but as software in their central units.

Can you give us an example of software development in the VM Division? For example, what is the process by which ESP is developed?

At Bosch, a software foundation called a platform is basically developed in Germany. Various software components are prepared based on a common standard software architecture for automotive electronic control units, such as AUTOSAR, and they are the core part that support all customers.

Based on that, we listen directly to the requirements of the automobile manufacturers, who are our customers, and finalize the specifications. The actual software development follows a development style in which Japan is the center, and each base in Germany, India, Vietnam, France, and the United States shares the work.

Can customer-specific requirements be fulfilled by software or hardware, or does it need to be implemented as a system? First of all, it is necessary for the project management team to determine the requirements and coordinate accordingly.

Once we have decided on the specifications, we can leverage the platform to design the software, code, test, and so on. Since software consists of various components, we integrate the components and conduct system tests, including tests on vehicles, before releasing it to the customer.

So it is based on a platform that is developed in Germany.

The software, called the mainstream of the platform, contains the components required for the product.

For example, it provides the components, control and network technologies, and algorithms and interfaces for individual software, etc. that are required to run ESP. In other words, the know-how about how to control and move the vehicle is consolidated. We customize it by incorporating customer-specific specifications.

Our Japan team's customers are Japanese automobile manufacturers. Since development tailored to the needs of customers is carried out in Japan, it is necessary to proceed with development with a thorough understanding of the details. Therefore, direct communication in Japanese is very important. Instead of just responding to detailed requests from customers, Bosch also often makes proposals.

Similarly, Bosch is able to adopt a development system that is close to customers on a global scale. The development for German automobile manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Daimler is handled by Bosch's German headquarters, and the Bosch North American team handles development for U.S. automobile manufacturers such as Ford, GM, and Tesla.

The role of Japan in the development of braking systems and cybersecurity measures is increasing in importance

Please tell us about the role of Japan in software development.

The technology of Japanese automobile manufacturers is highly regarded around the world, and I think it is no exaggeration to say that Bosch's technological capabilities that support them are also world-leading.

For platforms located in Germany, the decision-making power remains with the German headquarters. However, as the number of orders from Japanese OEMs has increased, Japan's influence has also increased. In fact, even from a global perspective, the number of personnel in Japan's software development team is high. In the future, I would like to be more involved in the core of platform development.

In recent years, the demand from Japanese automobile manufacturers for software has been increasing, and the demands from each manufacturer are expanding and becoming more detailed. Since the brake control specifications differ for each car model, we have to respond to each company's individual requirements.

In addition, the fact that automobiles are connected to networks has also made them vulnerable to the threat of cyberattacks. Vehicle safety cannot be ensured if software-controlled parts are hacked via a network. Cyberattacks on brake control products are a threat to safety, and cybersecurity requires software-based responses that comply with laws and regulations and the latest technology, so the software development team plays an important role.

Not only vehicle manufacturers but also suppliers are protecting the safety. Software in particular is evolving quickly, and there are issues such as security measures, yet at the same time it is a very rewarding job.

Bosch is the third company I have worked for, probably because I used to get bored easily. However, I never get tired of Bosch's work. I am constantly being given new missions, such as work to create the future of automated driving using AI. Accordingly, development methods are constantly changing, such as adopting agile practices in software development. I never get bored because the changes are so drastic.

Communication in English with overseas bases and the enjoyment of learning about different cultures

The role that software will play in automated driving technology in the future will also be important. What is your vision for the Engineering Brake Systems Department?

The first step is to respond to new technological concepts for automated driving. This is one of the things that makes my job interesting. On the other hand, it is necessary to ascertain the direction in which each vehicle manufacturer will go. Therefore, Bosch has adopted a strategy that can respond in any direction by presenting various portfolios.

In addition, in order to create the automobiles of the future in cooperation with manufacturers, rather than from the standpoint of a supplier, the viewpoint of DevOps, which promotes development and operations flexibly and speedily, will become important in the future.

How do you proceed with product management in terms of setting the specifications on the Japanese side and proceeding with development while sharing the work with bases in India and elsewhere?

In one project team, people are organized according to the concept, regardless of nationality, such as Japanese or Indian.

Communication with engineers at overseas bases is basically in English. Despite that, software terminology is basically the same all over the world, so once you learn it, there is no problem. Moreover, the engineers from each country are all Bosch colleagues and have high technical capabilities, so you can rest assured.

In the past two years, due to the coronavirus pandemic, online communication has become the mainstay, although before that, I often traveled to Bengaluru, our base in India. I enjoy discussing with overseas members. Even though we are all Bosch associates, we have different cultures and perspectives, and we enjoy each other's differences.

There are a number of excellent suppliers in Japan, however what are the technical differences?

In many cases, the entire Bosch Group works closely with a single customer and develops software for that customer. For example, at present, the advanced initiatives we are carrying out in development with Tesla have been accumulated on a global scale, and each base can propose the essence of it to local customers and provide information. I think this is one of the strengths of Bosch as it expands globally.

Anticipating changes in mobility and having a vision and ideas for the future

What do you expect from software personnel in the VM Division in the future?

Our software is basically embedded software, so the standard language used in development is C, and the automation of business and data processing parts are Python, etc. Of course, it is desirable to have a basic knowledge of these languages.

It would be better if you have a basic understanding of how software is structured and what software architecture is.

Experience with embedded software is not required. Whether it is application development, web systems, or image processing technology, the door is open to anyone who finds software development interesting.

Some people may shy away from vehicle control software because it requires knowledge of hardware and physics, but the bar is not that high. I think that there is no problem as long as people think that it would be enjoyable to develop software to run a vehicle.

From now on, mobility itself will change. If you have a wealth of visions and ideas of your own and want to try them out, I think you can grow at Bosch.

Abundant training programs help inexperienced engineers to grow

Finally, please tell us what is appealing about working as a software engineer at Bosch.

Bosch products not only make driving fun, they also keep people safe. That's why we take great pride and responsibility in our safety standards and software quality. Of course, you may not have that mindset from the beginning, however you will acquire it naturally through actual work and education.

The Bosch education system includes not only training provided by the company, but also self-study. Since there are plenty of opportunities to learn, there are many people who will grow after joining the company. Bosch is a European company, so it has a very rational organizational culture compared to Japan. I feel that the training system is also very systematic.

The training curriculum is diverse, and you can freely choose subjects that interest you, even if they are not necessarily directly related to your work. For me personally, the leadership training curriculum was the most useful for my career advancement. Through this, I think I was able to learn how to think as a leader and manager.

This culture applies not only to education, but also to career choices. In addition to work where you can improve the skills in which you are strongest, there also are many opportunities to take the initiative if there is a job that you want to challenge.

There are many different jobs, so I think that the fact that there are plenty of opportunities for self-improvement is part of the culture of Bosch as a whole. If you have the flexibility to absorb and the ability to learn, you have a good chance of becoming an engineer even if you do not have any experience in the automotive industry.