Bosch opens new wafer fabrication in Reutlingen, Germany

Bosch invested €600m for a new wafer fabrication in Reutlingen. Worldwide it is the biggest such investment for the Bosch Group. The new facility is capable of 200 millimetre semiconductors (current limitation is 150) predominantly for use in airbag controls, ABS, EPS, motor management and driver assistance.

Bosch is responding to the trend that the $300 worth of semiconductors in the average vehicle will continue to grow in the future.

The new plant is capable of churning out 1000 silicon wafers a day.

It is expected that by 2012, 800 new jobs will be created in the area.

Hector Fratty

Hector Fratty, DrivingVisionNews President and Founder has been for his entire career in automotive lighting. From 1995 to 2006, he was Valeo Lighting Systems’ chief of R&D, managing a staff of 650 engineers and technicians and a budget of over €70m. He holds 20 patents worldwide. In 2008, after 2 years’ consultancy, he initiated the launch of Driving Vision News, a news pipeline dedicated to keeping the lighting and driver assistance community informed of the latest progress and development in the industry. Hector Fratty presides over the highly‐regarded biennial VISION Congress international automotive lighting and driver assistance symposium. Hector Fratty is also a member of the ISAL steering committees.