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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- As consumers seek solutions
to energy challenges, many of the vehicle technologies with the potential to
lead us from a world of energy scarcity to a world of energy abundance are
known and their development should be accelerated, said Peter Marks, chairman,
president and CEO of Robert Bosch LLC, while speaking at the Management
Briefing Seminars today.
"Turbulence caused by external factors is changing the automotive industry
like never before, and energy has become a major point of concern, since it
touches virtually every aspect of our lives," Marks said. "The global growth
in demand for oil is outpacing its availability, which will ultimately result
in energy scarcity, likely before we develop advanced energy technologies that
will be enough to close the gap to the world's energy demand."
The magnitude of energy scarcity will depend in part on the speed with
which the automotive industry moves toward utilizing alternative energy
sources, such as electricity, while at the same time also improving existing
powertrain technologies, including diesel systems, gasoline direction
injection and hybrids to reduce energy use, he said.
Marks explained that current fuel prices, for instance, have already
created changes in consumer attitude and behavior that is causing significant
industry challenges including dropping vehicle sales and production, and
changing vehicle mix. These realities will create future change that the
industry must be prepared to address.
In a world of energy abundance, Marks painted a much brighter picture of
the planet: "Imagine we have developed advanced technologies for solar, wind,
hydro-energy and its storage, sufficient enough to close the gap to the
world's energy demand."
"We need to improve our industry's readiness for upcoming change," Marks
said. "If we do this right, my deep belief is that this industry can go beyond
that and be the leaders in developing the right solutions to address these
complex energy and mobility challenges.
"As an industry we need to prepare differently for our collective future.
And, now more than ever, make the right decisions about energy use and
technology development."
For a copy of Peter Marks' speech, please go to
www.bosch-press.com/tbwebdb/bosch-usa/
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services.
In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and
building technology, some 271,000 associates generated sales of over 46.3
billion euros (over $63 billion) in fiscal 2007. The Bosch Group comprises
Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in
roughly 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales
network is the foundation for further growth. Each year, Bosch spends more
than 3 billion euros for research and development, and applies for over 3,000
patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch
(1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering."
In North America, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive
original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial automation and mobile
products, power tools and accessories, security technology, thermo-technology,
packaging equipment and household appliances. Bosch employs approximately
25,000 associates in more than 70 locations throughout the U.S., Canada and
Mexico, with reported sales of $9.5 billion in fiscal 2007. For more
information on the company, visit www.boschusa.com .
SOURCE The Bosch Group
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