Motorola Solutions and mm-lab drive safety and efficiency at Bosch’s automotive proving ground in Boxberg, Germany

Motorola Solutions and its partner mm-lab equip Bosch’s automotive proving ground in Boxberg, Germany, with the mm-lab Proving Ground Management System (PGMS) and Motorola’s LEX L10 Mission Critical LTE Handheld devices. The future-proof system integrates all proving ground management processes at Bosch for improving the safety and efficiency on the test tracks of the world’s largest supplier of automotive components.

The rugged Motorola LEX L10 LTE handhelds provide best-in-class audio quality, voice clarity and echo cancellation for enabling secure and reliable voice notification in the test vehicle as well as clear communication between ground operators and test drivers on the track. As soon as test drivers log on to the Android On-board Unit (OBU), they are identified by the mobile telephony service and added to all relevant user groups. The Motorola LEX L10 also connects the ground operators and test drivers to the private LTE network at Bosch’s proving grounds using high-performance broadband technology.

“We see a growing demand for customised mobile applications that support companies like Bosch that are looking to meet highly dynamic requirements, where reliable communication through broadband networks is key,” said Mark Schmidl, corporate vice president of sales for Motorola Solutions in Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Our Motorola LEX L10 Mission Critical LTE handhelds together with mm-lab’s Proving Ground Management System enable Bosch to communicate with their test drivers on the proving ground at any time, thus optimising the test results for their customers and enhancing their own technology evolutions.”

The mm-lab PGMS telematics solution monitors tracks, analyses all vehicle movements, and increases proving ground safety by providing audio-visual warning signals, for instance when one of the text drivers is driving in the wrong direction. The system also increases the efficiency of management processes used in administrative services, integrating text and voice communications and adding multiple applications such as access control for test tracks and the reception system at proving grounds.

“With our PGMS telematics solution and the Motorola LEX L10 handhelds we provide Bosch with a future-leading system, which fulfils all requirements of the world’s leading automotive supplier,” said Michael Meiser, managing director at mm-lab. “The system can be adjusted to the individual needs of the different Bosch proving grounds worldwide, and is fully integrated into the existing infrastructure – from the barrier control to the accounting system.”

In total, Bosch operates nine proving grounds on four continents, covering all climate requirements for efficient testing and precision tuning of its customers’ vehicles. This includes a multitude of test tracks for all speeds, every incline, various amounts of tractions and the simulation of land or ice. Bosch’s proving ground at Boxberg, Germany, offers facilities including a high-speed oval, a driving-dynamics area, brake-measurement tracks and handling courses for testing different driving conditions and driver assistance systems (such as: brake tests on various road surfaces, driving on rural roads, climbing/downhill tracks with high gradients).

“We were looking for an integrated system that supports all operations on our proving grounds”, said Michael Gromig, managing director of the Bosch Test Center Boxberg. “Thanks to the new Proving Ground Management System provided by mm-lab and Motorola Solutions, we have implemented a state-of-the-art solution that increases the safety of our test drivers, reduces administration and accelerates the smooth realisation of our processes. Customers and operators alike benefit from the new integrated system.”