German Mobility Award 2017: Emergency Assist from Volkswagen acclaimed as a pioneering innovation
'Germany - Land of Ideas' initiative and the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure give award on this year's theme of safety to Volkswagen
Volkswagen's Emergency Assist driver assistance system has won the 'German Mobility
Award 2017'. The award was presented to Volkswagen yesterday evening by the
'Germany - Land of Ideas' initiative and the Federal Ministry of Transport and
Digital Infrastructure for safe, intelligent mobility. Accepting the award, Stefan
Gies, Head of Chassis Development for the Volkswagen brand, said: "Emergency Assist
makes an important contribution to reducing accidents. Thanks to the continuous
enhancement of our driver assistance systems, we succeed in pointing the way to the
mobility of the future. This award is recognition for the expertise and dedication
of our development team."
Most of Volkswagen's driver assistance systems are designed to lessen the burden on
the driver during everyday motoring and to make driving as comfortable as possible.
However, there are also systems that spring into action only if the driver gets
into an out-of-the-ordinary situation. They are able both to safeguard the
occupants and protect other road users. The second generation Emergency Assist is
one such system. It merges Lane Assist (lane-keeping system), ACC (Adaptive Cruise
Control), Side Assist (lane change system) and Park Assist into one system and,
within the bounds of its capabilities, brings the car to a standstill.
In detail this means that Emergency Assist monitors driver activity (accelerator
pedal, brakes and steering) and helps to avoid accidents, or at least reduce their
consequences, within system limits. If the driver is now showing any activity, the
driver is asked to resume control of vehicle guidance via audible and visual
signals and by an uncomfortable brake jolt.
During this process, the system slows the vehicle continuously until it reaches a
standstill, and it activates the hazard warning lights to warn other road users.
The Adaptive Cruise Control system (ACC) maintains the proper distance to the
vehicle ahead, and the Lane Assist lane-keeping assistant keeps the vehicle in the
driving lane. When it reaches a standstill, the vehicle is secured by automatic
activation of the electronic parking brake.
The latest generation of Emergency Assist offers another plus in safety. If the
driver does not react to the warning signals, the assistant not only brakes the
vehicle within its system limits. If traffic behind the vehicle and ambient
conditions permit, it also steers the vehicle to the nearside lane. In addition to
the audible and visual warnings and brake jolt, an optional belt tensioner
generates a belt pull and thereby serves as another means of warning the driver
while safely securing the driver in the seat.
A 16-strong expert jury, chaired by Dorothee Bär, Member of the German Parliament
and Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Transport and Digital
Infrastructure, selected this year's ten competition winners. Together with Ute
Weiland, Chief Executive of the 'Germany - Land of Ideas' initiative, she honoured
the winners yesterday evening at the Federal Ministry of Transport. Around 170
start-ups, businesses, associations and research institutions from all over Germany
entered their projects for the national awards.