Coming in April: Automotive Steering Technology 2013 EPS applications, market adaptions and current challenges | Steering system development for different vehicle types: Rally cars, high performance cars & commercial vehicles | Steering systems in a networked chassis 22nd – 23rd April 2013 / STEIGENBERGER HOTEL BERLIN / Germany http://automotive-steering.we-conect.com/en

1. Matthias Hell, CEO, Bozzio AG
We’re just at the beginning of a shift in the steering community. Steer-by-
wire, for a long time viewed as an interesting research topic only, is enter-
ing serial production. We.Conect spoke with Matthias Hell, CEO of Bozzio,
a company offering steer-by-wire technology for years already.
Prior to the Automotive Steering Technology 2013, we spoke Matthias Hell,
CEO of Bozzio about his company’s role in the steering industry and the main
challenges he sees for the near future.
we.CONECT: Please describe which cannot be offered with replace it with a joystick. We
briefly the industry and mar- an “of the shelve product”. The are well aware, that this mis-
ket in which your company is lot size is “1”. The main trends sion is an almost impossible
operating? are: We showed to the market, challenge. Even when driving
that a drive-by-wire system with the joystick feels better
Matthias Hell: needs an active force feedback and has many advantages (e.g.
The core business of the Bozzio to gain a safe driving feel. safety in case of a crash); most
AG is the development and Competitors are catching up drivers will not change their
production of safety-related with mechanical solutions mind. The steering wheel was
electronic applications. now, but not with electronical invented more than 100 years
The Bozzio AG has consolidat- solutions. Further trends are: ago. A paradigm change could
ed knowledge in the fields of the need to reduce the size only be accepted by young and
electronics, mechanics, safety and to ease installation. new drivers.
related software, safe data
communication. we.CONECT: How is your we.CONECT: What do you like
Bozzio AG is the producer of company reacting to this? most at your job?
the drive by wire solution Which implication does this
joysteer® (www.joysteer.ch). have for your work? Matthias Hell:
joysteer® is an electronic driv- As we are acting in a niche
ing system for people with Matthias Hell: market, we can communicate
severe physical disabilities Bozzio AG is forced to fur and act directly between cus-
which are not able to handle a ther develop its product range tomers, dealers, and produc-
steering wheel. Joysteer pro- and invest up to 30% of the TO ers. No big politics and long
vides a reliable and easy to in R&D. New product genera- decision chains are to be ex-
operate driving solution for a tions have to be offered to the pected.
wide range of disabilities. market almost every 2 years. The product is a meaningful
This investment keeps our answer to a very clear custom-
we.CONECT: In your opinion- company “on the top edge” er need: Mobility.
what are the main current and also gains production costs
challenges and trends your without transferring the pro- Seeing people driving with our
company has to face? duction into the Far East. product and regaining their
mobility is the most rewarding
Matthias Hell: we.CONECT: What are your part of our work.
The main challenges are: plans within the field of steer-
Offer this high level technolog- ing wheel technology for the we.CONECT: Last but not
ical product in a niche market. future? What are the next least: What expectations do
Investments are enormous steps? you have for the Automotive
compared to the sales volume. Steering Technology 2013?
Matthias Hell: Which outcome and benefit
Each driver is individual with Our clear mission is to get rid do you expect from the ex-
very special requirements of the steering wheel and

2. change with participating Thanks a lot for this interview!
companies? Interview Partners: Dr. Klaudia
Malowitz und Matthias Hell.
Matthias Hell:
We would like to encourage
the audience to develop and
offer “real new stuff” into the
automotive market.
We expect to get a higher
visibility of our product / com-
pany in the steering industry;
eventually we can offer our
services / product to third
parties.
Matthias Hell is CEO of the spin-off company Bozzio AG in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. He has been leading the
project “joysteer” from the university state to market introduction. Before his work for Bozzio he had been
working on different leading projects in the automotive industry for key customers like BMW (Air-bag, Body).
He also was involved in the pre-development for dash board applications with Piezo-motor drive and the de-
velopment of a safe steering column with Thyssen Krupp Presta.
Automotive Steering Technology 2013 is a global automotive conference that discusses latest developments in
the steering industry: EPS applications, market adaptions and current challenges, steering system development
and new technologies such as steer-by-wire. http://automotive-steering.we-conect.com/en
Contact:
Dr. Klaudia Malowitz I Senior Product Manager I we.CONECT Global Leaders GmbH
Email: klaudia.malowitz@we-conect.com
Phone: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 - 48 | Fax: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 - 30