Service provider expands Bosch roadside assistance in the United States and Canada
- Roadside Protect, Inc. is a strong provider of towing and roadside administration services in the U.S. and Canada.
- The acquisition gives Bosch Service Solutions access to more than 12,000 towing partners in North America.
- In the future, car manufacturers and fleet companies will benefit from a complete breakdown service solution and extended mobility services.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The U.S. market is the world’s biggest market for mobility services – one of five passenger cars worldwide is sold in the United States. The demand for car-related services like roadside assistance is rising due to the aging vehicle fleet, which leads to more repairs and breakdowns. Additionally, the complexity of new car technologies requires professional handling, driving the need for expert support in the event of issues.
Bosch Service Solutions plans to further expand its mobility service business in the U.S. by acquiring Roadside Protect, Inc., headquartered in Itasca, Illinois. The company employs around 200 people. Bosch and Roadside Protect signed contracts for the acquisition on January 31st, 2025 after having received approval by antitrust authorities. The amount of the purchase price was agreed not to be disclosed.
Founded in 2002, Roadside Protect is a strong provider of towing and roadside administration services along with motor club products in North America to fleets, automotive manufacturers, aftermarket, and insurance clients. It handles breakdowns, recall administrations, claims processing and other services for passenger cars up to heavy duty vehicles. “The acquisition is a strategic component for further expanding the services we offer in the North American market. Roadside Protect operates a digital platform through which it manages its partner network of more than 12,000 towing companies in the U.S. and Canada,” says Henning von Boxberg, president of Bosch Service Solutions. “With this acquisition, we are combining our global customer network and our expertise in breakdown service with the North American towing industry.”
Unique strengths complement each other
Roadside Protect and Bosch Service Solutions both have proprietary digital platforms which enable them to process service requests efficiently, transparently, and with highest quality. By connecting both platforms, Roadside Protect’s deep regional industry knowledge is brought together with Bosch’s technology and service expertise and global service setup. With real-time connected vehicle information for example, Bosch provides valuable information to dispatchers, which effectively helps to resolve breakdowns on site without the need for a tow. Vince Sommer, chief sales officer of Roadside Protect: “By bringing these companies together, we will bring the capabilities and quality of breakdown services in North America to a new level. Innovative technologies, personal service and very good regional coverage help us to address the breakdowns for our clients as quickly as possible and supports drivers in these stressful situations with seamless and effective customer service.”
Holistic use of innovative technologies
As a strong provider of mobility services, Bosch Service Solutions has been managing connected services for more than 20 automotive manufacturers and numerous other providers of mobility services worldwide since 2012. A special feature of these services is that they work with connected vehicle data and mobile devices. For a high-quality and efficient breakdown service, Bosch also relies on other innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence. For example, AI-based speech recognition is already being used in North America. For its holistic use of AI and automation, the service provider recently received the 2024 Frost & Sullivan: Technology Innovation Leadership Award for the European Intelligent Automation Industry.
Press photos and infocharts are available on the Bosch Media Service at www.bosch-press.com.
Press contact:
Bosch in North America
Tim Wieland
E-mail: tim.wieland@us.bosch.com
Bosch Service Solutions is a leading international provider of technology-based services with nearly 10,000 associates worldwide (as of July 2024). Since 1985, the Bosch division has been developing high-quality, integrated service solutions for companies in the automotive, logistics, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, as well as communications technology. Bosch Service Solutions provides its services in 53 countries and in more than 40 languages. The company aims to make life safer, more comfortable and more efficient. In addition to individual service by qualified employees, the service provider relies on the latest technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and automation. It also has extensive expertise in alarm and emergency call management and offers services that meet the highest safety and quality standards.
More information: www.boschservicesolutions.com; www.Bosch-eCall.de; www.Bosch-Secure-Truck-Parking.de; www.bosch-elevatorcloud.de
About Bosch
Having established a presence in North America in 1906, today the Bosch Group employs more than 41,000 associates in more than 100 locations in the North American region (as of Dec. 31, 2024). According to preliminary figures, Bosch generated consolidated sales of $17.4 billion in the U.S., Mexico and Canada in 2023. For more information visit www.bosch.us, www.bosch.mx and www.bosch.ca.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 417,900 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2024). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 90.5 billion euros in 2024. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. With its business activities, the company aims to use technology to help shape universal trends such as automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and an orientation to sustainability. In this context, Bosch’s broad diversification across regions and industries strengthens its innovativeness and robustness. Bosch uses its proven expertise in sensor technology, software, and services to offer customers cross-domain solutions from a single source. It also applies its expertise in connectivity and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture user-friendly, sustainable products. With technology that is “Invented for life,” Bosch wants to help improve quality of life and conserve natural resources. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 470 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. Bosch’s innovative strength is key to the company’s further development. At 136 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 86,900 associates in research and development, of which nearly 48,000 are software engineers.
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861–1942) as “Workshop
for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of
Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making
it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-four percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The remaining shares are held by Robert Bosch GmbH and by a corporation owned by the Bosch family.
The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG. It is entrusted with the task of safeguarding the company’s long-term existence and in particular its financial independence – in line with the mission handed down in the will of the company’s founder, Robert Bosch.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com.
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