The EU Commission has presented Daimler AG with an eSafety Award in the “Industry & Technology” category. The prize was awarded for the company’s longstanding commitment and pioneering role in the introduction of vehicle technologies designed to improve traffic safety. Zoran Stancic, deputy director general of the EU-commission, presented the award to Prof. Dr. Jörg Breuer, senior manager for Active Safety at Daimler AG.
“We are very pleased to have received this eSafety Award! The award reaffirms our belief in continuing to offer our customers the maximum possible vehicle safety with innovative technologies, thereby actively contributing to a further reduction in the number of traffic accidents. No other manufacturer invests in vehicle safety to an extent comparable with Mercedes-Benz, and this will also remain our policy in the future” , says Dr. Thomas Weber, the member of the Daimler AG Executive Board responsible for corporate research and development at Mercedes-Benz Cars.
In presenting the eSafety Award, the jury acknowledged inventions for Mercedes-Benz vehicles such as ABS (1978, “Anti-lock Braking System”, prevents the wheels from locking under emergency braking), ESP (1995, “Electronic Stability Program”, counteracts skidding by specific braking action at individual wheels) and BAS(1996, “Brake Assist”, supports the driver with increased brake pressure under emergency braking), followed by the first lane-keeping system for commercial vehicles and a stability control system for trucks (2001). In 2002 Mercedes-Benz achieved a milestone in vehicle safety development with PRE-SAFE, a system that combines active and passive safety. Since 2006 the PRE-SAFE Brake has made it possible for vehicles to brake autonomously in dangerous situations. In the same year Mercedes-Benz also launched the first active braking system for commercial vehicles. The new “ATTENTION ASSIST” warns the driver if he becomes drowsy, and has been standard equipment in the new E-Class and the S-Class since this year.
Daimler is also conducting intensive research to improve driver and traffic safety into the future, as the Mercedes-Benz Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESF) shows. The highlights among the 13 safety innovations in this vehicle include lightweight, inflatable metallic structures that are able to deploy within fractions of a second to increase crash safety even further - while also reducing the vehicle weight. In addition the Braking Bag, which deploys beneath the vehicle before a collision and supports it against the road surface using a friction coating, further improves safety with its braking effect.
30th September 2009, 16:36
