back to article Data science before algorithms, declares Bosch's new top techie

Take risks, be first, launch something as the minimum viable product when it's 80 per cent ready – such is the philosophy of the head of Bosch's new Connected Mobility Services division, Bernd Heinrichs. Bosch announced the newly created division at its Connected World conference in Berlin. As its first head, Heinrichs …

  1. BebopWeBop
    WTF?

    Take risks, be first, launch something as the minimum viable product when it's 80 per cent ready

    Learning from the 'best of them' - but while it is generally just a nuisance on my fondleslab, I might be a little more concerned if I was driving one!

    1. Ian Michael Gumby
      Boffin

      @Bebop

      Abso-fucking-loutley !!!

      Its that type of mentality that should not be present in anyone running projects that have to deal with safety and could put human lives at risk.

      1. Zog_but_not_the_first
        Devil

        Re: @Bebop

        But the money! Just think of the money.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: @Bebop

        > Its that type of mentality that should not be present in anyone running projects that have to deal with safety and could put human lives at risk.

        That's exactly what I do for a living.

        I am not sure what "type of mentality" you refer to. The "push out the door when we've got 80% of the way there"? What exactly makes you think that the SoL stuff is dealt with as the last 20% of a project? Is that the way you would run a project?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Take risks - instead of being stuck in the outlook of the conservative German manufacturing behemoth.

      Be first - to market instead of constantly following the trend and playing catch-up.

      Launch something as minimum viable product - instead of taking longer to come up with a gold-plated, all singing product at launch where that last 20% of functionality will be used by 2% of the people buying the product.

      Not sure they're talking about cutting corners or risking anyone's health here. It looks much more like an attempt to change the ethos by being quicker and more 'agile' within the market place.

    3. Mark 65

      Take risks, be first, launch something as the minimum viable product when it's 80 per cent ready

      Is that what they did with the engine emissions control sub-system they made for VW?

  2. Pascal Monett Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    "operate it in a more agile way"

    Yeah, bang up some shitty code and let the customers debug it.

    Congratulations, Bosch, you've just made my "Never Buy Version 1.0" list.

    And you're not far from my "Never Buy At All" list either.

    As for your stance on security, I think I'll be hearing a lot more about Bosch in the future in these columns.

  3. tiggity Silver badge

    I wonder

    How much cash is being burned based on ludicrously optimistic estimates of when self driving vehicles will be viable for general use (e.g. M-Way driving relatively easy, urban driving esp with UK pedestrians where no such thing as jay walking and people cross roads willy nilly with a bit of eye contact with driver (if driver is lucky) ), and I look forward to AI negotiating who takes what turn on a 2 way road reduced to 1 car width by parked cars that people manage easily with (depending on scenario) facial expressions, hand gestures, use of lights.

    1. Tom 7

      Re: I wonder

      So you think AI is special in turning into reduced width streets? Round here its humans and cheap sat-navs that require the local farmer to come out and try and tow the buggers out of trouble.

      However I would imagine co-operative AI will do a lot better job than the BMW drivers who have forced me to leave my car and walk away in situations like you mention where they could reverse three or four car lengths but seem to think I should reverse 40 or so after having claimed right of way long before they entered the restriction. I frequently reverse far more than that down here in Devon largely because I know I can and townies are fucking hopeless during the holiday season though sometimes people just take the piss and at 6'4" inches and twenty stone dont expect me to always feel like I cant be arsed to wait for you to learn how to use your wing mirrors.

    2. getHandle

      Re: I wonder

      I generally reserve the hand gestures for the 5th and following sods who "just slip through as you're stopped anyway"...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ugh.

    "I think to build a separate entity – no, that's wrong, it sounds like a silo – but building this entity helps us to operate it in a more agile way than some of the more traditional entities of Bosch,"

    OUR MORE AGILE ENTITY WILL ASSIMILATE ALL OTHER LESS AGILE ENTITIES. DO NOT RESIST.

    Sorry, I could not resist.

  5. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "Heinrichs joined Bosch four months ago"

    He seems to be an ideal fit with the company that brought us the S/W for "Dieselgate".

  6. Omgwtfbbqtime
    Big Brother

    Potentially promising...

    "Security starts in the production of the product, it has to be an inherent part of the product,"

    Provided of course, that this is not weasel words(TM) for "Security by Obscurity".

  7. Korev Silver badge
    Boffin

    Bosch culture

    We had a meeting with some Bosch people a few years ago. They all turned up in blue suits, white shirts, red ties and each wore a little Bosch badge; they also referred to each other as {Mr,Dr} $SURNAME. It was quite interesting to see their culture in action.

    1. Zog_but_not_the_first

      Re: Bosch culture

      Nah! that's just typical of German professionals.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bosch culture

      > they also referred to each other as {Mr,Dr} $SURNAME.

      As said above, that is how Germans refer to each other in a professional setting.

      What is more, if you speak both languages, you may find yourself switching between addressing the same person as "Michael" or as "Herr Dr.-Ing. Wagner" in the same conversation, depending on language used.

      The suits in company colours are not unusual either.

  8. el kabong

    Bosch, assistant and mentor in Diesel emissions fraud

    VW would never be able to pull it off without Bosch's assistance and mentorship.

  9. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    NEUKlearer HyperRadioProACTive AIBombe Specifications for an ESPecial Device Driver ....

    .... and AIMaster Pilot.

    He even jokes – half seriously – about selling Bosch's connected services "to IT integrators".

    They'd be certainly willing, ready and able to Trial and Trail their Bosch Offering with Customary Teutonic Precision the Name of a Greater IntelAIgent Game Play ..... For Believed to Be Absolute AIMastery of All Possible Configurations in AI Provided Virtual Reality Promotions ..... Extra Terrestrial Presentation of Future Media Operations in urSCADASystems.

  10. Outer mongolian custard monster from outer space (honest)

    In this thread, a surprisingly depressing sight. AManFromMars making more sense than some new talking head making a PR release.

    FIrst thoughts on reading the statement, "and this guy wants me to share road space with products designed by people he's given this advice to???"

    1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

      Adjust your Quality Control, Feel and Command the Bandwidth

      In this thread, a surprisingly depressing sight. AManFromMars making more sense than some new talking head making a PR release. ...... Outer mongolian custard monster from outer space (honest)

      A surprisingly depressing sight, Outer mongolian custard monster from outer space (honest)? You aint doing IT right. Honest.

  11. Ken Moorhouse Silver badge

    connected vehicles... Cloud... mushrooming...

    Could "connecting" with a bicycle cause a chain reaction?

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Whether or not it outpaces British R&D efforts in the same areas"

    British R&D efforts such as...?

  13. sitta_europea Silver badge

    I always thought Bosch was a good name in power tools, so when my sister asked me for ideas for Christmas presents I suggested a Bosch cordless drill.

    I took it to France to fit a new kitchen in my home there, up in the Pyrenees, 40 miles from the nearest DIY store. I had just over 450 screws to drive in.

    The fucking drill motor magnets started going round inside the casing after the first twenty screws.

    I'm talking 3/4" number 6 into chipboard with a pilot hole pre-drilled at the factory.

    Not exactly taxing for any power tool.

    Rather than drive an 80 mile round trip to get another drill from Perpignan I put the rest of the screws in the old-fashioned way, with a screwdriver.

    That was in January 2011, and I still have the tennis elbow I got as a result of that crappy bit of Bosch kit.

    I'll never buy *anything* made by Bosch ever again.

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