PACE Award


The PACE Award is an annual award from Automotive News. The focus of the award is an innovation developed primarily by a supplier, that is new to the automotive industry, that is in use, and that "changes the rules of the game". Awards have been given for products, materials, processes, capital equipment, software and services. A panel of independent judges from industry, finance, research, and academia choose finalists from the initial applicants, make site visits to evaluate the innovation, and then gather to select winners, independent of the sponsors. Winners to date include suppliers from Japan, Korea, China, the US, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, Poland and other European countries. Among the most awarded companies over the years are BorgWarner, Delphi Automotive, Federal-Mogul, Valeo and PPG Industries as well as Robert Bosch GmbH, Gentex Corporation, and Siemens.
Automotive News and Ernst & Young founded the program, which gave out the first awards in 1995 to celebrate innovation, technological advancement and business performance among automotive suppliers. The black-tie awards ceremony has been held just prior to the annual SAE convention in Detroit. The costs of the program are paid by a combination of application fees and money from sponsors. For the 2019-20 the sponsors were Deloitte, APMA and Invest Canada. Historically the annual award cycle began with gathering applications ; the selection of 30-35 finalists, who were announced at the auto industry's annual Global Leadership Conference in October at the Greenbrier; site visits by judges in November and December; the selection of winners in late January or early February; and the announcement of winners at a black tie event in Detroit in March or April.
For the 2019–2020 award cycle PACE added recognition as a PACE Pilot, which targeted pre-commercial innovations, to try to capture the rise of innovations tied to safety, fuel efficiency, vehicle electrification and driving assist/driving automation. This award attempts to capture innovations earlier in the development cycle, e.g. when they show up in announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show.
Awards programs such as PACE are potential sources for studying the nature of technological change. One such attempt is in Smitka and Warrian. In Chapter6, "Automotive Innovation Model and the Supply Chain: PACE Awards", they find that:
"The results indicate that technology-pull is dominant, not technology-push. We do observe some innovation that seems to represent using new materials to implement a well-understood approach that was not previously cost-effective or otherwise was not used. We also find the occasional bright idea that in some cases could have been implemented decades ago, had anyone thought to try. However, overall we find that new vehicle technologies are responses to regulatory pressure to improve safety, limit emissions, and improve fuel efficiency."
Similarly, David Andrea notes in Forbes that:
"While the popular press is having an interesting debate on whether Detroit or Silicon Valley will have the greatest influence over the mobility revolution, the 2019 PACE awards are dominated by the suppliers with the deepest R&D capabilities and longest histories of commercializing innovation. Reviewing the finalists, it is interesting that the vast majority, 26 of the 31 come from what would be considered "traditional suppliers." And only 6 of the firms are located outside 100 miles of industry's Detroit epicenter. Perhaps this is the result of selection bias as the process to submit applications, meet with judges, produce promotional materials and the like is not small in budget of executive time and funds, two resources always in short supply in smaller firms or start-ups."

1990s

1995

  • AP Technoglass Company
  • Dana
  • Gentex Corporation
  • Johnson Controls
  • Philips Service Industries

    1996

  • Cherry GmbH
  • Delco Electronics
  • Fayette Tubular Products
  • Gage Products Company
  • Progressive Tool and Industries Company

    1997

  • Robert Bosch GmbH
  • Dana - Auto Mate 2
  • Gentex Corporation - Gentex Metal Reflector
  • Johnson Controls - HomeLink
  • Rapid Design Services

    1998

  • Benteler International - Thermally Efficient, Air-Gap Manifold and Exhaust Tube Applications, Parts and Systems
  • Cooper Automotive/Wagner Lighting - Chrysler Dakota and Durango Front Lamp Assembly and Related Manufacturing and Assembly Process
  • Dürr AG - Radiant Floor Construction Paint Oven
  • Eaton Corporation - Eaton Spicer Solo
  • Gentex Corporation - Aspheric Auto-Dimming Exterior Mirror
  • Johnson Controls - CorteX

    1999

  • ASHA Corporation - GERODISC
  • Benteler International - WIN88 Rear Twist Beam Axle
  • Delphi Corporation - Stabilitrak
  • Goodyear - run-flat tires
  • Meritor - RHP Highway Parallelogram Trailer Air Suspension System
  • Motorola - 32-bit engine management controller
  • Stackpole Limited - high load-bearing Powdered Metal Parts
  • Teleflex Automotive Group - Adjustable Pedal System

    2000s

2000

  • Autoliv - ASH-2 inflationary device
  • Delphi Delco Electronics Systems - Adaptive Cruise Control
  • Gentex Corporation - Binary, Complementary Synthetic-White LED Illuminators
  • The Gleason Works - Power Dry Cutting/UMC Ultima Axle Gear Manufacturing
  • Lumileds - SnapLED
  • PPG Industries - Powder Clearcoat Paint
  • Rieter - Ultra Light acoustic vehicle treatment
  • Siemens - keyless entry system

    2001

Product Innovation:
Information Technology/Internet:
  • Delphi Automotive - Math Based Metal Removal software
  • Quality Measurement Control - CM4D Analyze software system
Management Practice:
Manufacturing Process:
  • Nucap Industries - NUCAP Retention System
Europe:
Open Category - Enduring Innovations:
  • Shape Corporation - Tubular High Strength Swept Bumpers
Open Category - Environmental:
  • BASF - Integrated Process

    2002

Product Innovation:
  • Delphi Automotive - Quadrasteer
  • Delphi Deco Electronics Systems - Passive Occupant Detection System, Generation II
  • Goodyear - Wrangler maximum traction/reinforced, off-road tire
  • PPG Industries - Transportation Coating - FrameCoat Electrocoating
  • The POM Group - Direct Metal Deposition process
Europe:
  • Robert Bosch GmbH - Aerotwin windshield wipers
  • ZF Getriebe GmbH
Information Technology:
  • Engineous Software - iSight software for process integration and design optimization

    2003

Product Innovation:
Product Europe:
Manufacturing Process & Capital Equipment:
  • Bishop Steering Technology - Warm Forging Die and Integrated Automatic Precision Forging Cell
  • Dürr AG - RoDip 3 electro-coating
  • The POM Group - RapiDIES foam forming process
  • Robert Bosch GmbH - Cassette Chrome Plating Process
Information Technology & Services:
  • Perceptron Inc. - AutoGauge FMS In-Process Measuring System

    2004

Product Innovation:
  • Delphi Delco Electronics Systems - Delphi Forewarn Back-up Aid and Side Alert
  • Denso - Very High Pressure Solenoid Fuel Injection System
  • Johnson Controls - Overhead Rail Vehicle Personalization System
  • Visteon - Long Life Filtration Systems
Product Europe:
Process:
  • BASF - ColorCARE software for controlling and comparing paint color
  • DuPont - Wet on Wet Two Tone Products
  • Filter Specialists - FERRX 5000 magnetic separation device to remove ferrous particles of the initial, e-coat, prior to the application of base coat paint
Information Technology:
  • AutoForm Engineering - DieDesigner Stamping FEA Simulation Geometry Generation
  • Delphi Automotive - horizontal modeling and digital process design for CAD/CAM
  • Motorola - VIAMOTO navigation system

    2005

Product:
Product Europe:
Manufacturing Process & Capital Equipment:
  • Siemens VDO Automotive - DEKA VII Low Pressure Electronic Gasoline Fuel Injectors
Information Technology & Services:
Innovative OEM Collaborator Awards:
  • Chrysler with Dura Automotive Systems - Improved Window-Lift Systems
  • Mercedes-Benz with Sick AG - Entry/Exit Light Curtain