Bosch developing cloud-based service to help prolong battery life

In an attempt to prolong EV battery life, Bosch is developing new cloud services that supplement individual vehicles’ battery-management systems. The company calls the new service Battery in the Cloud. Its first customer is DiDi, a gargantuan Chinese mobility provider, which is equipping a pilot vehicle fleet with Bosch battery services in the city of Xiamen.

Rapid battery charging, high numbers of charge cycles, an overly sporty driving style, and extremely high or low ambient temperatures are all sources of stress for batteries. Bosch’s cloud-based services are designed to recognize and counter these stress triggers.

All battery-relevant data, such as ambient temperature and charging habits, is first transmitted in real time to the cloud, where machine-learning algorithms evaluate the data. The cloud services use this real-time data to optimize the recharging process and to provide drivers with driving tips on how to conserve battery power. Bosch says these measures can reduce the wear and tear on the battery by as much as 20%.

The smart software also uses the swarm principle, in which algorithms use data gathered from an entire fleet, not just from individual vehicles, to analyze battery performance and health. Bosch say swarm intelligence is the key to identifying more of the stress factors for vehicle batteries, and to identifying them more quickly.

Bosch says Battery in the Cloud also optimizes the recharging process itself. The software can calculate an individual charge curve for each recharging process, regardless of whether it takes place at home or elsewhere. This allows the charger to recharge the battery to the optimum level. The solution optimizes for both fast and slow charging and controls electricity and voltage levels during the recharging process.

“Bosch is connecting EV batteries with the cloud,” said Bosch Board Member Markus Heyn. “Its data-based services mean we can substantially improve batteries’ performance and extend their service life.”