Bosch to Cut Thousands of Jobs Amid Stagnant Car Sales and Slow Transition to Electric Vehicles
Bosch, the German technology and services giant, announced on Friday that it plans to cut up to 5,500 jobs in its automotive division over the coming years, reflecting ongoing challenges in both the German and global auto industries.
The company attributed the job cuts to sluggish global car sales, excess production capacity in the auto sector, and a slower-than-expected shift toward electric vehicles and software-controlled automotive technologies.
Approximately 3,500 positions will be eliminated by the end of 2027, with a significant portion of these cuts affecting teams working on advanced driver assistance systems, automated driving technologies, and centralized vehicle software. Around half of the affected jobs will be based in Germany.
“The automotive industry is facing considerable overcapacity,” Bosch said in a statement. “Furthermore, the market for future technologies is not developing as anticipated. Currently, many automakers are delaying or canceling projects in this sector.”
In addition to the reductions in its automotive division, Bosch will also cut 750 jobs at its Hildesheim plant by the end of 2032, with 600 of those cuts expected by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, about 1,300 jobs will be lost at the Schwaebisch Gmund plant between 2027 and 2030.
The job reductions are still in the planning phase, with final numbers subject to negotiation with employee representatives. Bosch has committed to implementing the cuts in a socially responsible manner. The company also noted that a jobs pact, which protects against layoffs in Germany until 2027 for many employees and until 2029 in some cases, will remain in effect.
Bosch’s mobility division employs around 230,000 people globally, part of the company’s overall workforce of 429,000. Alongside its automotive supply business, Bosch also manufactures factory and building equipment, software, industrial boilers, waste-heat recovery systems, video security systems, and power tools.
