Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO, was delighted with the company’s double win at the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award 2020. The Center of Automotive Management (CAM) and consultancy firm PwC recognised Mercedes-Benz with the prizes for “most innovative premium brand” and most innovative premium brand in the “interface & networking” category. “We’re going all out to transform the future of mobility, with innovative, sustainable and desirable luxury vehicles. Our focus is on decarbonization and digitalization,” commented Markus Schäfer, who picked up both awards at the #DigitalAuto Talk digital event with Stefan Bratzel, Director of CAM.
In the rationale for the award for “most innovative premium brand”, CAM cited the updates to innovative models such as the GLC and the EQ Power versions of the A-, B- and GLE-Class with plug-in hybrid drive. The lead attained by Mercedes-Benz is particularly evident in the fact that its 36 innovations exceeded those of the most important competitor by one third. Among the most important world firsts identified by CAM are the plug-in hybrid versions of the GLE with extremely low fuel consumption and long electric range, Active Brake Assist in the GLC (the first in the segment able to react to the end of traffic jams) and Active Lane Change Assist. In addition, special mention was made of the “ESF 2019” study – with its groundbreaking safety innovations, such as 360° pedestrian protection, which is able to warn the driver during parking manoeuvres and make active interventions.
Key criteria cited by CAM for the award for most innovative premium brand in the “interface & networking” category were the world firsts in over-the-air updates for the A- and B-Class for expanded vehicle functions. Also new in the segment is the digital parking damage notification in the GLC, which automatically sends a text message to the owner’s mobile phone if the vehicle is involved in a parking bump.
PwC and CAM have been awarding outstanding innovation in the automotive industry since 2012 by studying the work of car makers and suppliers. A total of 1,465 innovations from 2019/20 were researched and evaluated. The awards ceremony took place 14 July 2020 as part of the live event “Digital Automotive Talk” moderated by ZDF talk-show host Markus Lanz under the heading “Reinventing automotive success – accelerating through the curve”.
SOURCE: Daimler
