Безплатни обучения за дигитализация и иновации: Какво е de minimis?

EDIH-NWACB, Industry News

Повишете конкурентоспособността на Вашата компания Automotive & Mobility EDIH Bulgaria е Европейски цифров иновационен хъб (ЕЦИХ), който подпомага малки, средни и големи компании от автомобилния и производствения сектор в процеса на дигитална трансформация и внедряване на иновации. В рамките на проекта предлагаме безплатни обучения с практическа насоченост.   Какво означава участие чрез държавна помощ de minimis Обученията са напълно безплатни за компанията благодарение на държавната помощ de minimis. Помощта може да се предоставя до 300 000 EUR на предприятие, като лимитът се прилага за период от три последователни финансови години, след което се възстановява. Повечето компании не достигат този праг, което позволява лесно и безпроблемно включване. 📄 Какво е необходимо за участие/Защо са нужни документите В тази връзка е необходимо попълването на стандартна документация, изисквана за всички бенефициенти на de minimis помощ в ЕС. Това не представлява проверка или контрол на дейността на компанията, а задължителна административна процедура. Допълнително се изисква набавяне на следните документи: Свидетелство за съдимост на управителя Удостоверение от НАП за наличие/липса на задължения Удостоверения за задължения към съответните общини Документ от ИА „Главна инспекция по труда“   Всички документи се издават онлайн от името на законния представител на компанията само за няколко дни. Нашият екип предоставя пълно съдействие и инструкции стъпка по стъпка. Обучения на място Предлагаме възможност обученията да се провеждат директно във Вашата фирма, което е особено подходящо за големите компании. Това позволява да се обучат повече служители с еднократно попълване на документацията, оптимизирайки административното усилие. Каква е ползата за Вас Обученията са безплатни и с пазарна стойност от няколко хиляди евро – без никакви финансови или административни задължения за Вас. Вашият екип придобива практическите умения, които директно повишават ефективността и конкурентоспособността на компанията. Свържете се с нас При интерес ще се радваме да Ви предоставим допълнителна информация и да Ви съдействаме при включването. https://automotive.bg/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Какво-е-De-minimis-1.mp4 Q&A 1.Мога ли да се включа в обученията като физическо лице? ❌ Обученията са предназначени за юридически лица (МСП, Mid-caps, големи предприятия), тъй като се предоставят в рамките на държавна помощ de minimis. В обученията участват служители и представители на компании, но документацията се подава от името на предстваляващия фирмата 2. Къде мога да проверя дали компанията ми е използвала de minimis помощ? ✅Информация за използвана държавна помощ de minimis може да бъде проверена чрез публичния Регистър на минималните помощи. 3. Компанията ми няма данни за използвана de minimis помощ. Какво означава това? ✅Това означава, че компанията най-вероятно не е използвала или не е достигнала лимита по de minimis, което е най-често срещаният случай. В такава ситуация няма пречка за участие в обученията и процедурата протича бързо и без усложнения. 4. Регистрирах се за обучение. Мога ли аз да подпиша документите? ❌Документите и декларациите трябва да бъдат подписани от законния представител на компанията (управител, изпълнителен директор и др.) или от упълномощено лице с изрично пълномощно. Участието в обучението обаче не е задължително за самия управител. 5. Сложна ли е процедурата и колко време отнема? Процедурата е стандартна и изцяло онлайн. Повечето документи се издават в рамките на няколко дни, а нашият екип предоставя пълно съдействие, за да се сведе административното усилие до минимум. 6. Имаме ли последващи задължения след обучението? ❌Не. След приключване на обучението няма финансови, отчетни или административни задължения за компанията. ✅Получавате знания и практически умения без допълнителни ангажименти. 7. Подходящи ли са обученията за големи компании? ✅Да. За големите предприятия предлагаме обучения на място в компанията, което позволява обучението на повече служители с еднократно попълване на документацията, с максимум ефект и минимум административната тежест.

Innovation’s Day: Autonomous Systems & Defence

EDIH-NWACB, Industry News

Automotive and Mobility EDIH are pleased to invite you to a free event on: Innovation’s Day: Autonomous Systems & Defence The event will be held in Bulgarian 🗓 Date: 25.02⏰Time: 09:00-13:30🔗 Registration link:Innovations Day – Autonomous Systems & Defense · Luma On February 25, 2026, Sofia Tech Park – The Venue Hall, Incubator will host Innovations Day: Autonomous Systems & Defense, an expert-level event dedicated to the advancement of autonomous unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and airspace protection technologies. The forum will bring together approximately 50 participants, including security and defense experts, engineers, industry representatives, and members of the innovation ecosystem. Leading Experts from the Technology and Defense Ecosystem Throughout the event, prominent speakers from Bulgaria’s technology and defense sectors will present cutting-edge solutions and real-world applications in autonomous systems and security. Among the speakers: Tihomir Nedev, Co-founder and CEO of Fadron, will discuss the role of artificial intelligence and edge computing in achieving full autonomy in unmanned platforms. Ivo Karaneshev, Autonomous Systems Control Engineer at Grand Tour Tech, will present integrated Counter-UAS solutions for airspace protection, with a focus on civilian applications. AI-powered drone technologies and intelligent security systems will be explored by Ivan Ivanov, Software Architect, CEO, and Co-founder of Autonomous Monitoring Systems. Dimitar Nedov, CTO and Co-founder of SpearX, will showcase solutions for countermeasure systems and the protection of critical infrastructure and defense assets. He will demonstrate how autonomous drone platforms equipped with integrated Edge AI and computer vision enable real-time threat detection, monitoring, and protection of strategic facilities. A regulatory perspective on dual-use technologies and related challenges will be presented by Tomas Dimitrov, Deputy Executive Director at Logos and expert in European space policy, defense, and security. Format and Focus The event format is designed to encourage in-depth discussions, practical insights, and direct exchange between speakers and participants. Start time: 09:00 AM Organizer The event is organized by Automotive & Mobility EDIH Bulgaria, a European Digital Innovation Hub supporting the digital transformation of the automotive and manufacturing sectors through Industry 4.0 technologies, artificial intelligence, and sustainable innovation. EDIH NWACB represents a partnership initiative based on long-term cooperation with leading organizations from the region and nationally significant partners who work on the development and digital transformation of the automotive and manufacturing sector in Bulgaria.

Technical University of Sofia Announces Admissions to the Master’s Programme “Technologies and Applications of AI” in English

Industry News

The Technical University of Sofia announces admissions for the Master’s programme “Technologies and Applications of Artificial Intelligence” for the 2025/2026 academic year. The education was created as a response to the dynamically changing technological environment and was developed in collaboration with leading international companies Bosch and IBM. The programme is modern, engineering-oriented, and practice-driven, developed in response to the rapid pace of digital transformation, automation, and the widespread adoption of intelligent systems across industry and society. It is designed for professionals seeking to reskill or upskill and deepen their expertise in Artificial Intelligence through a strong engineering foundation. The programme is developed with the active involvement of Bosch Engineering Center Sofia and IBM experts, ensuring strong alignment with real industry needs. Practice-Oriented Structure and Curriculum The programme has a duration of one year and leads to the award of a Master’s degree and the professional qualification “Master Engineer.” The curriculum covers key areas of contemporary Artificial Intelligence, including: fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence and data-driven approaches; Machine Learning and Deep Learning; Computer Vision; processing and analysis of text, images, and multimedia data; concepts of Language Models (LLMs); design, evaluation, and integration of AI applications. From the first semester, students begin working on a real-world AI project, which is further developed in the second semester and can be directly applied in a professional or industrial environment. Career Opportunities Graduates of the programme are well prepared for professional careers as AI engineers and specialists, capable of designing, developing, and deploying intelligent solutions across a wide range of economic and societal sectors. The acquired knowledge and practical skills enable career development in industrial enterprises – intelligent manufacturing, automation, and robotics; engineering and design companies; the information technology and services sector – AI solutions, intelligent systems, machine-learning-based software; rapidly digitalising sectors such as energy, transport, healthcare, construction, agriculture, defence, and space technologies, among others. Student Mobility Opportunities The Master’s programme provides an excellent foundation for international student mobility, as its content is fully aligned with leading European and global trends in engineering and AI education. Students have opportunities to: participate in international exchange programmes and academic partnerships; undertake training or project work in an international environment; collaborate with companies and organizations operating globally; and build professional networks with academics, researchers, and industry experts from different countries. Student mobility enhances academic experience, supports the development of a global professional profile, and helps establish valuable international connections that often serve as a basis for a successful international career. Who Is the Programme For? The Master’s programme is suitable for: ICT professionals and software engineers; engineers from various technical disciplines; and professionals with an interest in engineering and information technologies seeking career development in Artificial Intelligence. Eligible applicants must hold a higher education degree in one of the fields such as: Technical Sciences; Mathematics as well as Informatics and Computer Science Key dates and fees The application deadline is February 24th 2026. More information about the key dates and application details can be found here: https://tu-sofia.bg/specialties/preview/943 Through its partnership with the Technical University of Sofia and its support for the “Technologies and Applications of Artificial Intelligence” Master’s program, Bosch Engineering Center Sofia reaffirms its long-term commitment to advancing educational ecosystem. This collaboration actively contributes to creating an innovative learning environment and preparing the next generation of highly qualified specialists. Irena Raycheva-UdrevaCorporate Communications This content has been automatically generated from the original source. Please note that the original source may have been modified since the content was generated.

Bosch has set a course for the future in the difficult 2025 financial year

Industry News

Stuttgart, Germany – Bosch, the supplier of technology and services, can look back on 2025 as an incredibly challenging financial year. According to preliminary figures1, sales revenue was up slightly on the previous year’s level at 91 billion euros (2024: 90.3 billion euros). After adjusting for exchange-rate effects, sales revenue grew by 4.2 percent. At around 2 percent, the EBIT margin from operations was below expectations (2024: 3.5 percent). “The economic reality is reflected in our results – 2025 was a difficult and sometimes painful year for Bosch,” said Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, referring to the company’s published preliminary business figures. “In an unfavorable environment, we are continuing to work systematically on our growth strategy, which also requires us to strengthen our competitiveness. We are now setting our course for the future.” According to Hartung, Bosch plans to continue to benefit from its global presence, its strong brand, and its technological expertise. However, the company anticipates increasingly intense competition under adverse economic conditions. Bosch does not expect to see significant improvements in individual markets until 2027. The main reasons for the sluggish growth in the past financial year were the weak economic environment and the increasingly challenging market conditions. Result was negatively impacted by the lack of margins due to lower sales, as well as by increased tariffs and considerable provisions for necessary structural adjustments and the associated personnel measures. The aim of this restructuring is to ensure that the company remains economically robust, financially independent, and secure for the long term. To achieve this, Bosch still needs to generate annual sales growth of 6 to 8 percent with a margin of at least 7 percent. Given the current environment, the company now assumes that it will begin achieving its target margin of 7 percent in 2027 at the earliest, instead of in 2026. Competitiveness: Narrow the cost gap, strengthen investment capacity Bosch continued to systematically pursue its long-term Strategy 2030 over the past year. In addition to achieving the target margin, the strategy stipulates that the company must be one of the three leading providers in its key markets in all regions of the world. This currently requires competitive cost levels and demand-oriented capacities in particular. “We are working hard on our material costs, we are making even more intensive use of AI to increase our productivity, and we are weighing up every investment even more carefully than before,” Hartung said. “And yet, to secure our competitiveness and investment capacity in the long term, we need to do much more to reduce our personnel expenses and streamline our organization.” Above all, the structural shift toward electromobility and the extremely high price and competitive pressure in the global automotive industry is resulting in an annual cost gap of around 2.5 billion euros worldwide in the Mobility business sector alone – in relation to the target margin for the business. As a result, last year Bosch announced it needed to cut about another 13,000 jobs. Hartung emphasized that the board of management was aware of the implications of these decisions and was taking associates’ concerns seriously. “But even a foundation-owned company has to keep an eye on securing its existence and cannot ignore business realities.” He went on to say that Bosch aims to implement these unavoidable measures in close consultation with employee representatives and in as socially acceptable a manner as possible, even if that initially incurs high costs. Strategy 2030: Innovations and acquisitions will create business opportunities Despite the adverse environment, Bosch sees great opportunities for a business revival in many market segments. “We assume that market momentum in the crucial field of software-driven mobility will initially be restrained, but will then accelerate significantly, especially in the coming decade,” Hartung explained. The Vehicle Motion Management software for the central control of brakes, steering, powertrain, and chassis is already being very well received on the market, Hartung said. Last year, the supplier of technology and services was able to win customer orders for solutions for automated driving, the requisite sensor technology, and central vehicle computers worth 10 billion euros, and thus hold its own in global competition. The ongoing integration of the newly acquired areas in the HVAC solutions business ensures strong growth prospects: Bosch Home Comfort aims to nearly double its sales revenue to 8 billion euros in the medium term and is now one of the world’s largest suppliers in the market for heating, ventilation, and cooling in residential and light commercial buildings. The Power Tools division has accelerated its product development processes, thereby reducing time to market by an average of two months. As part of an innovation offensive, Power Tools plans to launch around 2,000 new products by 2027. Bosch is also systematically expanding the use of AI in all divisions. At the recent U.S. electronics trade show CES, it presented an AI-enabled high-performance computer for making the AI-controlled car cockpit a reality. By the end of 2027, the company plans to have invested a total of 2.5 billion euros in AI, which is already in use throughout the company. Europe as a business location: Technological skepticism jeopardizes prosperity When it comes to regional competitiveness, Bosch believes Europe has tremendous potential – provided policymakers and society can overcome the existing skepticism toward technological progress. Hartung expressed his concern regarding the latest results of the Bosch Tech Compass, a survey that reports on how people in key industrialized countries feel about new technologies. According to the survey, less than two-thirds of Germans believe that technological progress has a positive impact, and in France, the figures are even lower. “This is highly alarming,” Hartung said. “The only way a country, a society, can survive in global competition is if there is at least sufficient will to make technological progress.” To achieve this, businesses, society, and policymakers need to actively engage with new fields of technology such as hydrogen and AI with greater courage and decisiveness. As one of the…

EU-wide new electric car registrations rise by 30%

Industry News

According to the industry association ACEA, a total of 1,880,370 electric cars were newly registered in the EU in 2025. That is an increase of 29.9 per cent compared to 2024. Electrified drivetrains now account for more than half of the market. With 1.88 million new battery-electric cars registered in EU markets, pure electric vehicles accounted for 17.4 per cent of all new registrations, according to the latest publication from the ACEA. In 2024, this figure stood at 13.6 per cent. With a 29.9 per cent increase in new registrations, electric cars grew significantly more than the overall market, which expanded by just 1.8 per cent in 2025—and remains below pre-Covid pandemic levels, as the industry association notes. In its report on the 2025 annual figures, the ACEA reiterates its well-known stance that there is still room for growth in electric vehicles. “The battery-electric car market share reached 17.4%, in line with projections for the year, yet still a level that leaves room for growth to stay on track with the transition,” the statement reads. “Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular power type choice among buyers, with plug-in hybrids consolidating their position in the market.” Plug-in hybrids achieved a market share of 9.4 per cent, surpassing pure diesel vehicles (8.9 per cent). Combined with battery-electric vehicles, this means 26.8 per cent of all new registrations featured a charging connection. The aforementioned hybrids, classified as Hybrid Electric Vehicles, hold a dominant 34.5 per cent share. However, the ACEA groups all hybridisation levels except plug-in hybrids into this category—without distinguishing between 48-volt mild hybrids and full hybrids capable of short electric-only distances. Image: ACEA Despite the decline in internal combustion engine registrations—petrol vehicles fell by 18.7 per cent and diesel by 26.6 per cent—the ACEA data does not allow for a reliable conclusion as to whether customers are truly shifting towards electric mobility. This is because a 48-volt mild hybrid with a small electric motor assisting the drivetrain still relies entirely on its combustion engine—yet it is counted as a hybrid in ACEA statistics, not as a pure ICE vehicle. The actual share of ‘true’ combustion engines is therefore higher than the 26.6 per cent market share for petrol or the 8.9 per cent for diesel. A closer look at pure electric cars reveals that the four largest EU markets, which together account for a substantial 62 per cent of the market, all recorded significant growth in 2025. In Germany, BEV registrations rose by 43.2 per cent, while the Netherlands saw an 18.1 per cent increase, Belgium 12.6 per cent, and France 12.5 per cent. Denmark also entered the six-figure range with 126,542 new electric cars (+42.0 per cent), as did Spain with 101,627 new electric vehicles (+77.1 per cent). Sweden narrowly missed the 100,000 mark with 99,723 electric cars (+5.7 per cent). The highest growth was recorded in Poland, where registrations more than doubled with a 161.5 per cent increase—from 16,564 electric cars in 2024 to 43,311 units. Overall, only five EU markets experienced a decline, most of which are smaller markets such as Croatia, Estonia, or Malta. In these cases, one-off effects—such as an incentive programme or a manufacturer’s discount campaign for a few hundred vehicles—can have a relatively significant impact. Battery-electric cars have also seen across-the-board growth in non-EU European markets. Among EFTA countries, Norway, the poster child for electric vehicles, leads with over 172,000 vehicles (+50.6 per cent), though Iceland achieved the highest growth rate at 125 per cent—albeit from a smaller base, increasing from 2,661 to 5,988 electric cars. The United Kingdom recorded a 23.9 per cent rise, with 473,348 new BEVs registered. In a pan-European comparison, the UK ranks second, behind Germany but ahead of France. When combining the EU, EFTA, and the UK, the ACEA recorded 2,585,187 new electric cars and a 19.5 per cent market share. In the manufacturer statistics, the ACEA does not differentiate further by drivetrain type. Thus, this analysis of battery-electric vehicle sales performance only provides insights for Tesla, as a pure electric car manufacturer, since all other manufacturers include plug-in hybrids or combustion engine vehicles in their figures. In December, Tesla achieved 21,485 new registrations in the EU, corresponding to a 2.2 per cent market share—but this represents a 31.9 per cent decline compared to the 31,567 Teslas registered in December 2024. For the full year 2025, Tesla registered 150,504 new vehicles in EU markets, a 37.9 per cent drop from the previous year. In 2024, Tesla had achieved 242,436 registrations and a 2.3 per cent market share, but this has now fallen to 1.4 per cent—on par with Suzuki. BYD, with its mixed portfolio of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, recorded 128,827 EU registrations and a 1.2 per cent market share, but saw a 227.8 per cent increase. In 2026, BYD is likely to overtake Tesla in the EU—though it remains unclear from this data whether this will be achieved solely with its electric cars or what share plug-in hybrids will contribute. acea.auto (PDF) This content has been automatically generated from the original source. Please note that the original source may have been modified since the content was generated.

AI assistants in HR: from the first interview to daily communication

ACB News, Industry News

🔗 Registration: register.gotowebinar.com/#register/4873768261887805783?source=automotive+cluster The event will be held in Bulgarian Automotive Cluster Bulgaria, together with Konica Minolta Bulgaria, is organizing an online webinar focused on the practical application of AI assistants in HR processes. The webinar is part of the annual events program of the Automotive Cluster Bulgaria HR Working Group. The event will take place on February 12 at 10:00 a.m. via the GoTo Webinar platform. In the context of staff shortages, increasingly dynamic teams, and rising efficiency requirements, HR processes in manufacturing and engineering companies are under growing pressure. During the webinar, participants will explore real-life use cases demonstrating how AI assistants can support HR and management teams in their day-to-day activities. Key topics will include the initial screening of candidates using an AI voice assistant, onboarding of new employees through chat or voice assistants, and the delivery of training and instructions with improved clarity, consistency, and traceability. The session will also showcase how these AI solutions can be integrated into a broader digital HR ecosystem, including electronic employee records and leave management. The webinar will be led by Dimitar Sotirov, IT Solutions Team Leader at Konica Minolta Bulgaria. The event is intended for HR managers, recruitment specialists, operations and plant managers, as well as team leaders from manufacturing and engineering organizations.

Innovation’s Day: Webinar AI & Industrial Automation

EDIH-NWACB, Industry News

  Automotive and Mobility EDIH are pleased to invite you to a free webinar on: “AI and Industrial Process Automation: A Practical Implementation Framework” 🗓 Date: 28.01⏰Time: 15:00 The webinar is highly practical, with a strong focus on the following key topics: Selecting the right AI use case: How to identify processes with the highest potential for automation and fast return on investment (ROI). Data as the foundation: What data is required, where it comes from (ERP, MES, IoT), and how to ensure its quality. Implementation methodology: The journey from Proof of Concept (PoC), through a pilot project, to full-scale deployment across the organization. Measuring success: Key metrics and performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the impact of implemented AI solutions. Preventing failure: Analysis of common pitfalls in industrial automation and how to avoid them. Case studies: Review of real-world automation scenarios and their measurable business outcomes. Speakers: Radoslav Geshev – 15+ years of experience in technology, with a focus on AI strategy, business process automation, and digital transformation.Specialized in the development and implementation of AI solutions that optimize operations and accelerate company growth.Has led numerous successful projects, with expertise in turning strategic visions into measurable results through intelligent automation. Toma Tomov  – 10+ years of experience in technology, with the last 2 years fully focused on AI automation and the implementation of intelligent business solutions.Specializes in AI integrations, process automation, and transforming traditional operations through artificial intelligence.Leads projects achieving up to 70% reduction in manual work and 30–50% cost savings. Holds 5+ AI certifications and works with OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, and leading automation platforms. 🔗 Registration link:https://forms.gle/TRAG43U3Af3tMp438 📩 After registration, you will receive a confirmation email with the link to join the online meeting. EDIH NWACB represents a partnership initiative based on long-term cooperation with leading organizations from the region and nationally significant partners who work on the development and digital transformation of the automotive and manufacturing sector in Bulgaria.

Visteon and TomTom launch ‘world first’ in-car local AI navigation system

Industry News

Companies say they are establishing a new industry standard for ‘privacy-first’, locally-processed AI navigation – without reliance on cloud connectivity. Visteon has announced a strategic collaboration with TomTom, a specialist in mapping and location technology, to deliver what it says is the world’s first in-car local AI conversational navigation assistant. Through this partnership, Visteon’s cognitoAI platform integrates TomTom’s Automotive Navigation Application to create a ‘privacy-first navigation experience’. By combining Visteon’s fine-tuned multimodal Vision Language Model (VLM), which enables local processing for speed, privacy, and reliability without reliance on cloud connectivity, with TomTom’s Automotive Navigation Application that supports a hybrid connectivity for navigation, the partnership ‘delivers natural voice interaction and a seamless balance of performance and flexibility’. “Privacy shouldn’t be a compromise in the age of AI,” said Sivakumar Yeddanapudi, Global Vice President – Digital Cockpit and Connected Services at Visteon. “We’ve solved one of the automotive industry’s biggest AI challenges. Now, working with TomTom, we’ve proven that the most advanced conversational navigation can run entirely on vehicle hardware. Local processing means faster response times, reliable operation without connectivity, and an intelligent, high performance navigation experience.” Visteon’s cognitoAI is built on a hybrid architecture that it says seamlessly switches between offline and online modes, ensuring continuous operation in all driving conditions. Drivers interact using natural language rather than rigid commands, with the system accurately interpreting conversational and imprecise requests through fuzzy search. Queries such as finding nearby destinations, specific categories, or points of interest along a planned route are handled intuitively, with results dynamically adjusted to avoid traffic congestion and road hazards while incorporating real-time traffic and weather data. Visteon’s platform supports natural conversation across multiple languages, enabling contextually relevant assistance for global markets. Leveraging TomTom’s advanced location intelligence, it optimises charging station recommendations for electric vehicle drivers based on route, battery state, and preferred networks, while its deep integration with vehicle systems enables proactive alerts and personalized guidance that evolve with individual driving patterns and habits. “We are proud to partner with Visteon on this milestone. TomTom’s Automotive Navigation Application was purpose-built to deliver an intuitive driver experience and accelerate the path to production for our partners.” said Manuela Locarno Ajayi, SVP for Product Engineering, TomTom. “By leveraging TomTom Automotive Navigation Application’s robust architecture, Visteon was able to quickly embed their innovative cognitoAI engine, bringing a truly privacy-first, conversational, and highly personalized experience to drivers faster than ever before.” The partnership leverages Visteon’s expertise in automotive AI and in-car computing alongside TomTom’s decades of expertise in location technology. Together, the companies say they are establishing a new industry standard for privacy-first, locally-processed AI navigation. This content has been automatically generated from the original source. Please note that the original source may have been modified since the content was generated.

Bosch to present AI in the cockpit at CES 2026

Industry News

Bosch says new AI-powered cockpit enables existing cockpit systems to be quickly and easily upgraded with advanced AI functions. Bosch says it is significantly advancing AI in vehicles through working with partners Microsoft and NVIDIA. The company maintains that the new ‘AI extension platform’ quickly and easily expands current cockpit systems with AI functions – and will be demonstrated at the CES in Las Vegas next month. Features of Bosch’s AI-powered cockpit include an AI voice assistant that anticipates needs, comprehensive scene understanding of the vehicle interior, precise navigation, and extensive entertainment options. For instance, a simple statement like, “I’m feeling cold,” can trigger multiple coordinated actions, such as activating the seat heating while simultaneously adjusting the cabin temperature. “Bosch’s new AI-powered cockpit enables both drivers and car manufacturers to fully leverage the capabilities of modern automotive software. Thanks to the ‘AI extension platform,’ new functions can be implemented in the vehicle much faster in the future,” says Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH and chairman of Bosch Mobility. Bosch says a key application is turning unproductive downtime in the car into productive work time. Together with Microsoft, Bosch says it is transforming the car into a mobile office without compromising on driver safety. By integrating Microsoft Foundry and specialized features for the cockpit, the solution ‘provides seamless access to the Microsoft 365 productivity suite’. Moreover, Bosch maintains that Microsoft 365 applications can be intelligently connected with other vehicle domains to prioritize safety and minimize distraction. For example, a driver can use an intuitive voice command to join a Microsoft Teams call, which in turn prompts the system to proactively activate adaptive cruise control. Bosch says its new “AI extension platform” allows today’s vehicles to be quickly and easily retrofitted without changes to existing hardware or system architecture. At its core, the platform leverages the powerful “NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin system-on-chip” (SoC), which forms the foundation for complex AI applications in the cockpit. It builds on the “NVIDIA CUDA” platform, allowing automakers to integrate their own AI models and agents. Offering 150 to 200 tera operations per second (TOPS) of additional compute power, the compact unit connects via simple power and Ethernet interfaces and is supported by flexible active air or liquid cooling options. To accelerate the development and deployment of complex AI features, Bosch also utilises NVIDIA’s software suites, including the “NVIDIA NeMo framework” for managing the end-to-end AI lifecycle. This, it says, enables seamless integration of advanced in-cabin applications such as real-time sensor processing and vision-language models (VLMs). In addition, core reasoning and speech capabilities powered by “NVIDIA Nemotron models” deliver contextual understanding, multi-step reasoning, and natural, conversational user interactions. Furthermore, using Microsoft Foundry, Bosch designs and manages the in-vehicle AI, ensuring a scalable, always up-to-date AI assistant experience in the cockpit. Bosch will demonstrate the AI-powered cockpit and the AI extension platform for the first time at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January. This content has been automatically generated from the original source. Please note that the original source may have been modified since the content was generated.

EU prepares new compact EV class in push to cut costs

Industry News

The European Union (EU) is preparing to introduce a new category for compact electric cars, with lighter technical standards than existing battery‑powered models, according to a Nikkei Asia report. The move comes as part of an effort to reduce manufacturing costs and sharpen price competition with Chinese brands. The European Commission is expected to publish a draft framework shortly for the “E car” category. The new class would come into force in the next few years once it has been approved by key institutions. Under the emerging proposal, the category would be defined using criteria such as vehicle dimensions, weight and motor displacement. Member states are also due to discuss how national vehicle tax exemptions might apply to these models. Current EU regulations require electric cars to be fitted with features including driver drowsiness monitoring, lane‑keeping systems and emergency stop signalling. These rules were designed around longer‑range vehicles and have added to production costs for smaller EVs. Industry price expectations cited in the report suggest that models falling under the new compact EV class could sell for 10-20% less than comparable current offerings, bringing list prices into the region of €15,000-€20,000 ($17,500 to $23,200). The EU has already moved to raise tariffs on Chinese‑built electric cars, with duties now reaching as high as 45.3%. The new classification is intended to help European manufacturers to better compete on price. The framework is viewed as particularly relevant for European groups developing compact battery cars, including Volkswagen, Stellantis and Renault. The report says incentives tied to the E car class – such as development support and tax incentives – are expected to depend on vehicles being built within the EU. On that basis, BYD, which has a manufacturing facility in Hungary, would be the only Chinese carmaker currently positioned to qualify for such support. In Japan, Kei models are defined by limits on factors such as size and emissions, and accounted for 35% of new light vehicle registrations in Japan in 2024. The EU has previously criticised Japan’s kei regulations, describing them as a form of non‑tariff barrier. The bloc’s own compact EV classification is now poised to affect the strategies of Japanese manufacturers that specialise in kei cars. Some of their models could be sold in Europe without needing any changes to their specifications. This content has been automatically generated from the original source. Please note that the original source may have been modified since the content was generated.