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24/08/2006
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Winners of the Automechanika Innovation Award chosen
Innovation Award goes to 13 outstanding new developments
The winners of this year's Innovation Award have been chosen: the jury met on Tuesday, 22 August, and decided on a total of 13 outstanding new developments in eight product categories. There were many entries: altogether over 100 innovations were submitted from 15 countries and this is clear evidence of the international significance of the Award. Comprising leading representatives from the scientific world, the associations and the media, the jury selected the following companies as prize winners: Beru, Adolf Würth, Valeo, BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik, Audi, Hella, Beissbarth, Volkswagen, AuDaCon, GL, SATA, Birchmeier and WashTec. The criteria for giving the Award were originality, functionality, quality and environmental compatibility. The awards will be presented during the opening ceremony of the Automechanika trade fair in Frankfurt at 10 a.m. on 12 September. Additionally, all products entered will be on show in the foyer of Hall 4.1 throughout the Automechanika from 12 to 17 September.
The 'Parts' product category was won by PSG Glühkerze with its integrated combustion-chamber sensor from 'Beru'. This innovation makes not only a contribution to fuel-consumption reduction but also helps cut emissions. A sensor measures the pressure in the combustion chamber and permits the use of closed-loop controls in series production.
In the 'Systems' category, the jury singled out the Würth Vario 'safe + easy' Primer by Würth and die Power Line Communication from Valeo. The Valeo system enables a step to be taken towards a vehicle with even more electronic components. Power Line Communication is a new technology that reduces the complexity of electrical systems and, at the same time, permits the integration of new equipment.
In the 'Tuning' segment, BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik came out top with its Air Inside Technology. In accordance with bionics, hollows in the rim increase the volume of air in the wheel. This results in better damping properties, lower noise levels and, in particular, a weight reduction of almost 22 kg per set of wheels.
The Innovation Award for 'Accessories' goes to Audi for the idea of an audio instruction manual and to Hella for the Ford Focus Upgrade Headlamp with Dyna Beam corning light. The audio instruction manual impressed the jury with its user friendliness. Hella's new development of a corning light makes nighttime driving easier because corners are automatically illuminated. This phenomenon has been achieved by swivelling a bi-halogen module, which is controlled by an autonomous sensor.
Awards were also given for two new developments in the 'Repair/Diagnostics' segment. The 'touchless' vehicle-measuring system from Beissbarth is a wheel-alignment system that requires absolutely no contact with the vehicle so that both setting up and cabling are unnecessary. The ASAM-UDS implementation for Volkswagen VAS 5005X diagnosis systems makes a contribution to the standardisation of diagnosis data. ASAM e.V. is the Working Group for the Standardisation of Diagnose and Flash Programming, which has achieved a standardised transfer protocol under UDS.
With its AIS Online software, AuDaCon was the only company to be selected in the 'Repair/Services' category. The database-aided AIS Online system enables workshops to access technical information and repair data via the internet.
Two awards were made in the 'Body Repair / Maintenance' segment, for systems that simplify working procedures in the workshop. The laser-welding seam cutter from GL permits fast, safe and clean cuts to be made in laser-welded bodies and avoids weakening the materials. With SATA RPS, SATA offers a shaker system with fast paint preparation time, little cleaning work on the spray pistol and improved environmental friendliness, as well as an appropriate cost-cutting potential.
That systems do not have to be complex to win an Innovation Award is shown by the McProper Plus hand-spray unit from Birchmeier in the 'Service Station/Car Wash' category. The hand-spray unit can spray or foam in any position: slanted, vertically or overhead. Also singled out was the 3D vehicle-identification system for WashTec car washes. This system scans the vehicle in three dimensions and, on this basis, calculates the best wash programme for the vehicle concerned.
The Innovation Award jury was made up of high-calibre personalities from the scientific world, the media and the associations.
Prof. Wilfried Bockelmann,former Head of Development at VW
Professor Henning Wallentowitz, Director, Institute for Automotive Engineering at RWTH University, Aachen
Ingo Meyer, General Manager, Federation of the German Automobile Trade (Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe)
Helmut Kluger, publisher, Crain Communications
Ralph Meunzel, Editor-in-Chief, 'Autohaus', Springer Transportmedia GmbH
Wolfgang Michel, Editor-in-Chief, 'kfz-Betrieb', Vogel Auto Medien
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(Fonte de informação: Frankfurt Messe)
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