Happenings

Bosch Automotive Carnival 2011

BY Krado Low

Find out what drew more than 1,000 people to this year's event!

Bigger is better! This year's event found itself at the Playground @ Big Splash in East Coast Park last the weekend. With the theme being “Caring for your Car, the Environment and the Community with Bosch”, it also aims to educate drivers of the significant automotive technologies developed by Bosch. This event coincided with the company’s 125th anniversary and its 88th year in Singapore, the Asia Pacific headquarters for the Automotive Aftermarket division.

Despite the scorching weather, more than 1,000 enthusiasts flocked to the event with their families in tow. Mihai Boldijar, Regional Director, Automotive Aftermarket (Southeast Asia) of Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd said, “this year, we are taking the opportunity to do something meaningful for the community, coinciding with the celebration of the 125th anniversary of Bosch and continuing our 88 years of presence in Singapore.”

To educate drivers on the importance of maintaining their cars, there were free car inspections were held at the by the professionals from Bosch Car Service Workshop. Further more, they were given useful tips about caring for their vehicles through the Auto-Guru car maintenance sessions. Bosch's partners were at the show too, offering deals such as wiper blades at up to 50 percent off.

Bosch were also showcasing their latest range of workshop equipment which ranges from battery testers to highly advanced 3D wheel alignment machines and engine analysers. Autovox is one of the Bosch Car Service workshops in Singapore, offering affordable and quality car maintenance services.

More than just workshop equipment, Bosch is the also world's largest supplier of automotive parts and systems as well. Did you know that Bosch was the first to introduce the fuel injection system for engines? Today, Bosch manufactures 80 million fuel injectors annually, featuring the latest innovations such as rapid switching piezo injectors – alongside Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and antilock braking systems (ABS).

“Singaporeans love their cars, and we are here to educate and raise awareness of the benefits of using good quality parts and service centres,” said Michael Goh, Country Manager, Automotive Aftermarket of Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd. “We strive to listen to what our customers want, and refine our products and services to meet their needs. Visitors to the Bosch Automotive Carnival will understand how to take better care of their cars, the environment and the community, while having fun!”

The event also showcased Bosch's latest development in environmentally friendly products – a “live” charging station for electrical vehicles. Last year, Bosch was picked to design, develop, deploy, operate and maintain Singapore's electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Using its eMobility software solution, this is a step forward in the development of an ecologically sustainable transportation ecosystem.

To commemorate the company's 125th anniversary, more than 40 Bosch employee attempt to set a new record in the Singapore Book of Records for the “Longest distance run on a treadmill in 6 hours”. Achieving a record-breaking 53.8 kilometres, the runners also clocked a total distance of 138 kilometres. This challenge also raised funds for the Students Care Service (SCS) through pledges secured from the runners and staff of Bosch in Singapore.

Other activities for the fund-raising initiative included balloon sculpting, henna tattooing and massage services. Several members of the public also experienced having their cars washed without water with Gecko Wash's eco friendly car care products. Bosch matched dollar-for-dollar the funds raised during the day, bringing the total amount to S$21,000.

Morene Sim, Executive Director of SCS said, “I would like to thank Bosch for selecting SCS as the beneficiary for their Automotive CARnival. The funds raised will go towards supporting the work that we do to provide casework and family counselling, educational psychology services and guidance programs to help children and youths from underprivileged homes in Singapore.”