AJAC's 2015 Best New Technology Awards

Acura’s AcuraWatch Drive Assist Features are the winner of the Best New Safety Technology. “This award recognizes a technology whose primary purpose is to enhance road safety in any form”, said Jim Kerr, chair of the AJAC tech awards jury. “Of all the technical achievements developed by the industry each year, none are more important than those related to safety”.

Ford’s 2015 F-150 All Aluminum Body is the winner of the Best New Innovation Technology. Jim Kerr further commented, “Innovation is the driving force that keeps the automotive industry moving forward. This second award recognizes an innovative technology whose primary purpose is not specifically safety related. The technologies in this category might improve comfort, or performance, or fuel economy”.  

The awards are judged by a panel of 13 automotive journalists who are all technology specialists. As a first step, they independently reviewed overview briefs on all the technology entries submitted by Canada’s automakers.

From that initial review, by secret vote, the jurors established a short-list of 6 safety finalists and 3 innovation finalists. Then, in early December, they convened in Toronto for a day of presentations by manufacturers’ representatives on each of their short-listed entries and a chance to grille them with questions. The jurors then voted a second time – again by secret ballot.

As with the Canadian Car of the Year awards program, those votes were compiled by the accounting firm, KPMG.

The “Best New Technology” awards are part of the association’s annual Canadian Car of the Year Awards, created in 1985 to provide consumers with sound, comparative information on vehicles that are new to the market.

Video courtesy Acura YouTube Channel