CLEPA Innovation Awards 2016 “Celebrating Automotive Excellence”

More than 160 guests from the European automotive industry along with EU policymakers gathered in Brussels to celebrate the CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers) Innovation Awards 2016 on March 18, 2016.

Organised in cooperation with Deloitte, the Innovation Awards highlight the outstanding achievements made in the European automotive industry, celebrating automotive excellence for Green, Safety, Connectivity and for the first time Cooperation with OEMs.

Jury members had a particularly difficult task this year:
With 76 applications from 45 companies, the Innovation Awards reflect the highly competitive nature of the automotive industry. Annual investments of more than €18bn in research and development represent the key role European automotive suppliers play in driving growth and innovation globally.

The winners:

• Green – Hidria - Optymus
• Safety – Valeo - Remote clean4U
• Connectivity – TomTom - HAD Map and RoadDNA
• Cooperation – Dana & Audi - Partially Coated Multi-layer Steel Transmission Separator Plates
• Cooperation – Inteva & General Motors – Complex - Complex geometry interior instrument panel designs

During the Innovation Awards, CLEPA President, Mr Roberto Vavassori underlined the importance of the European automotive industry as an innovation leader:

"European Automotive Suppliers strive to improve their services and products year after year for a greener, safer and more connected mobility. They are determined to retain their position as leaders of automotive innovation, developing pioneering technologies in the area of automated driving, connected vehicles a telematicsnd”, said Mr Vavassori, CLEPA President.

With more than 50% of the applications being filed in the Green Technology category, European automotive suppliers also re-confirm their commitment to continuously driving innovation in the field of vehicle emissions reduction.