BOXBERG, Germany — Robert Bosch, the world's largest auto supplier, wants to get even bigger.
Like its automaker customers, Bosch must fend off new competitors such as Waymo and Apple and attract new customers in an era of autonomous vehicles, electric drive and shared mobility.
The company laid out its strategy earlier this month at a press event here, showcasing two electric-drive technologies that it says could enable small manufacturers to speed vehicles to market. It also detailed partnerships that could give Bosch a boost in new products and services.
Bosch's mobility technologies are already selling well — sales in its mobility division hit $50.1 billion in 2016, and the company expects sales to grow 7 percent this year. Automated driving and advanced driver assistance systems have contributed to the sector's success. In 2017, the supplier expects sales of its radar sensors to rise 60 percent and revenue from its video sensors to grow 80 percent.
But Bosch's competition is getting stiffer as large tech companies and new startups join the sector. As electrified powertrains gain attention, traditional suppliers such as Delphi and BorgWarner have reorganized in anticipation of growing demand.
Bosch is hedging its bets, relying on new customers and nontraditional partners in a new transportation future.
"We are evolving into a provider of services for road users," said Rolf Bulander, chairman of Bosch Mobility Solutions. "To come up with new concepts for mobility, we are also revising our conception of Bosch."