Bosch looks for more business as Chrysler starts to build Fiats

Bosch has long been a major supplier of many different automotive components to Fiat, and the company is hoping to leverage that association with the new Chrysler. Bosch provides a higher proportion of the parts and systems that go into the Italian cars than they ever have had at Chrysler. However, as new upcoming Chrysler vehicles move to Fiat-based platforms (and, presumably, powertrains), Bosch parts may further infiltrate Auburn Hills.

Bosch also hopes some of its newer endeavors help it to capture more market share for technologies to improve fuel efficiency. Bosch is now building motors for hybrid and electric drive vehicles and recently announced a joint venture for lithium ion batteries. The massive German supplier will also start to build turbochargers in 2011 as more automakers move to downsized and boosted engines to reduce fuel consumption.

With car sales unlikely to return to their previous peaks in the foreseeable future, the only way for Bosch to grow its business is to get into areas it has not previously been involved in. The company is also trying to drive down costs by standardizing more components and reducing the number of proprietary designs it produces for different automakers.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]