Robert Bosch GmbH

Bosch was a our partner at the IAA MOBILITY 2023, challenging the teams with a soft- and hardware challenge around sensor utilization in robots.

The diverse jury team around Niklas Appel, Head of Sales Non-Automotive & New Business bei Robert Bosch GmbH, saw fascinating performances with on-site robots and online code reviews. The jury’s overall conclusion: „Clearly exceeded expectations!“

What was the Bosch challenge about?

After initial contact on the IAA TRANSPORTATION last year, Bosch approached us with a challenge that’s also a first for us: The team wanted to combine both hard- and software in their innovation competition. The challenge was to design and develop an ROS based software for delivery robots that utilizes radar and ultrasonic sensor technology to evidently enhance its obstacle detection, avoidance, safety, and emergency handling capabilities.

Sensor innovation for diverse environments

The sensors should certainly enable the robot to operate safely and efficiently in various sub-/urban environments. Bosch produces a large variety of high-quality and well-functioning sensor systems for the automotive sector. Hence, with prototype.club, Bosch wanted to explore their usage in further industry fields.

How was the process of the IAA.prototype.club 2023?

With the virtual kick-off two weeks before the presentation day, the teams also received a set of components including Bosch’s ultrasonic and radar sensor. Together with the information on data, software and evaluation criteria, the startups and talents started coding, connecting, building and innovating.

Showcasing Innovation at IAA MOBILITY 2023

With the ongoing support of the Bosch team via our virtual platform, the teams achieved incredible progress within those 14 days. At the IAA MOBILITY 2023, some of them really showed running robots with functioning software to operate the sensors. To proof their ability, the robots had to run an obstacle course at the prototype.club booth. In the evening, the big announcement of the winning team happened on the official IAA MOBILITY Blue Stage.

What was the winning solution?

While various teams presented impressive solutions, the decision for the winning team was relatively clear in the end. The startup DRAIVE with their concept of a return bot as a delivery robot won the Bosch challenge. The success in functionally integrating both sensors and programming an according software was unique.

DRAIVE’s technological marvel

DRAIVE usually develops real-time sensor fusion software. Their software stack runs on multiple platforms and OS. It is currently being used in projects for advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving. For the IAA MOBILITY 2023 they showed the audience their adorable prototype with outstanding technical refinement.

How was the demo day for you?

It was a ton of fun. Learning how different you approach these challenges than we would traditionally do. It was really exciting, seeing all these different approaches, different ways of integrating, but also showing your ideas and your approaches that you have in your day to day business was really informative and interesting for us.

So it was super fun. It was super intensive, but a great day. Especeally the last two weeks were really exciting for us, also having the teams here physically today, meeting with you guys. It was really cool to see how you went about this endeavor, how you took on the challenge.

What do you think about the format?

prototype.club approached us with the idea of a hackathon. For us as a large corporation, clearly it is difficult to go outside of the box. Hence, I think the hackathon in the form of the IAA.prototype.club was the perfect endeavor for us to go out there, reach out and see how other companies go about these challenges that we are presented with on a day to day basis.

We were just joking earlier that within that time frame, we usually probably would only get an invoice done. So  it was more than impressive what startups can do within 14 days.

How did you choose DRAIVE as the winner?

Clearly, they showed impressively how they brought in both radar as well as ultrasounds into your robot. They clearly showed how they were thinking about adding additional functionality, how to take it to the next step.

Also they demonstrated what is between the real world, which is going to come later, and what’s the mock up. And again, impressive what they were able to do within the short amount of time that we only gave and therefore really happy to go with them as the winner.