‘Driving Innovation’ Road Tour To Showcase Bosch Automotive Technology

Bosch launched  “Driving Innovation,” a dramatic interactive traveling road tour at this year’s Indy 500 to demonstrate Bosch’s leadership in advancing automotive technology. “Driving Innovation,” in a colorful, attention-grabbing 40-foot trailer, carries the message of Bosch products to hundreds of thousands of motorists at events across the U.S. and Canada.

A Bosch-powered Marmon Wasp won the very first Indy 500 in 1911, and this year, as the Indy 500 celebrated its 100th Anniversary, Bosch has unveiled its technological road tour at the race.

Featuring hands-on demonstrations and product-oriented games that involve the visitor, the road tour includes:

• An interactive racing game that pits the “driver” in a Bosch badged race car racing, on-screen, on the track where the “Driving Innovation” vehicle is located. The game includes accurate depictions of major oval and road racing tracks used for stock car and open wheel racing.
• An interactive spark plug kiosk introduces the new Bosch Iridium plug, with graphic demonstrations of the new plug firing, its OE-based technology and construction, and comparisons to competing plugs.
• A graphic demonstration of the superiority of Bosch ICON^TM beam wiper blades, and a hands-on demonstration of the ease with which these blades can be installed.
• A Bosch DistancePlus^TM oil filter kiosk encourages visitors to “become an oil filter and catch the dirt particles” in a fun and challenging interactive game symbolizing the superior contaminant removal capacity of the DistancePlus oil filter.
• An actual 2012 NASCAR fuel-injected engine with Bosch fuel injectors, spark plugs, ignition coils, oxygen sensors, alternator and starter. 2012 marks the first year NASCAR racers will use fuel injection instead of carburetors.

Designed to Treat and Inform Visitors

Utilizing dramatic graphics, videos and exciting user involvement in automotive games, “Driving Innovation” treats visitors to an enjoyable and memorable experience while projecting the quality and reputation of Bosch products and the Bosch image. A 55-inch high-definition monitor on the outside of the road tour display continually plays motorsports images, videos of ICON blades and The Discovery Channel’s “Storm Chasers” studying tornadoes, 2010 drifting champion Vaughn Gittin in action – all meant to draw visitors in to enjoy the show.

Inside, motorsports videos and images, including dramatic scenes featuring drifting champion Vaughn Gittin, reflect the images presented outside and immerse the visitor in the latest in Bosch automotive products. 

“The ‘Driving Innovation’ road tour gives consumers a close look at Bosch, who we are, our involvement in the automotive aftermarket and motorsports, as well as with automobile manufacturers, and the exciting products we bring to them through automotive parts stores and repair shops,” said Pam Krebs, director of advertising and sales promotion for Bosch.  “This one-on-one engagement with consumers will help us conduct fact-based analyses and develop product insights. This will help Bosch better inform consumers about our products and build meaningful relationships to promote our brand.”

Special Rebate for Tour Visitors

“We hope to educate and engage with consumers about our products, ultimately directing them to parts stores or professional service providers that sell or install Bosch quality parts. Specific product rebates are available by visiting the tour in person. The rebates are for $2 on the new Iridium spark plugs, $5 on DistancePlus oil filters, and $10 on a pair of Bosch ICON beam wiper blades, ” Krebs said.

Staffed by Bosch product training specialists, the Bosch “Driving Innovation” road tour gives end-consumer event attendees the opportunity to learn what makes Bosch the world’s original equipment and innovation leader in today’s automotive aftermarket.

For the balance of 2011 and into 2012, the “Driving Innovation” road tour is scheduled to visit a variety of NASCAR races, open wheel races, and other recreational events across the country. The “Driving Innovation” tour schedule can be found on Bosch’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/boschautoparts, or by visiting the Bosch Web site, at www.boschautoparts.com.