Bosch Help Connect: an emergency call system in the two-wheel panorama [PHOTO]

Introduced as “a digital guardian angel”, HelpConnect developed by Bosch represents an emergency call system for motorcyclists that optimizes and speeds up the rescue process in the event of an accident, via digital connection.

Research and solutions

Help Connect is a collaboration between the company's development department and accident research. Harald Kroeger, member of the Bosch Board, underlines on this occasion how it is necessary to study the critical aspects before development and, precisely, the evaluation of real data regarding accidents involving motorcyclists is one of the elements that pushes us to innovate on the safety front. An optimization of the automatic emergency call system with 18 specific crash tests, to observe and analyze scenarios and verify their functionality.
Maximizing the safety of motorcyclists has been a central theme for Bosch for several years, starting fromABS introduced on motorcycles already 25 years ago, therefore the Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC) of 2013. But also radar-based assistance innovations, such as theAdaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning and Blind Spot Detection, enrich the picture.

An overview of the system

According to estimates, the risk that motorcyclists could lose their lives in an accident is 20 times higher than that faced by motorists. The aforementioned connected emergency call system is linked to an intelligent algorithm installed within the inertial platform to ascertain possible accidents and, if necessary, is activated automatically. Help Connect is associated with aApp which from the smartphone sends information relating to the motorcyclist and the place of the accident to Bosch Service Center, so this immediately activates the emergency services. According to the indications: “An automatic message of this type halves the arrival time of rescuers at the scene of the accident (Source: EU project Harmonized eCall European Deployment, I_HeERO).”
We therefore highlight the functionality of an inertial sensor of Bosch's Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), which detects acceleration and angular velocity 100 times per second. This can progressively verify the position of the motorcycle and its lean angle. The integrated collision algorithm then allows the sensor to automatically detect the vehicle's involvement in an accident or fall, still taking the information back. The system, as indicated, does not include an additional control unit, simplifying integration. It is connected via Bluetooth to the Bosch emergency app. Other apps can also be integrated. Help Connect, again taking up what has been reported, can send the medical data originally provided by the motorcyclist to the Bosch Service Center, which is especially important for emergency workers and upon request, in the event of an accident, other people can be automatically contacted.
The service will initially be operational from Germany, being able to communicate with the Bosch Service Center in German or English from anywhere in Europe. In the event that the accident is quite serious and the motorcyclist cannot respond, the rescuers will be immediately directed to the scene of the accident, as indicated.

Photo: Bosch