Nominees announced for Automotive Interiors Expo Awards 2016 showcasing exceptional interior design and product innovation

Wed, May 25, 2016 11:13 CET

Shortlist released for industry-leading design and innovation awards
Representing the very best in interior design and concept development across all aspects of automotive interiors
Winners announced at a ceremony on 31 May, at Automotive Interiors Expo 2016, Stuttgart Messe, Germany

31 May 2016. Showcasing all aspects of automotive interior excellence and innovation, the shortlist for this year’s Automotive Interiors Expo Awards has been announced.

The fifth annual Automotive Interiors Expo Awards will honour the world’s finest designers, innovations and products in automotive interiors. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Automotive Interiors Expo 2016, in Stuttgart, Germany, on 31 May.

Heads of interior design from major global OEMs are poised to do battle in the Interior Designer of the Year category, with Mercedes interior design head Hartmut Sinkwitz and Marc Lichte, Audi’s head of design, nominated alongside Antoine Genin, head of interior design at Renault, Hyundai/Kia’s design head Peter Schreyer and Mazda’s design chief, Ikuo Maeda.

The Supplier of the Year award sees last year’s winner, Johnson Controls, again in the running, this time for its landmark creation of the world’s largest automotive interiors supplier after a joint venture with Chinese company Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems. Joining Johnson Controls are Faurecia, ThyssenKrupp, Delphi, Harman and Continental, the latter nominated for its development of several new breakthrough concepts such as the Dynamic eHorizon and the Curved Centerstack System.

Two categories focus on vehicles already in the marketplace. The Production Vehicle Design of the Year award sees some of the past year’s most prominent cars nominated, with the Aston Martin DB11, Bentley Bentayga, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes E-Class fighting to take top honours against the Hyundai IONIQ, Kia Optima, Mazda CX-9 and Chevrolet Bolt.

Meanwhile, the Interior Innovation in Production Vehicles award sees BMW nominated twice: once for its next-generation iDrive system as featured in the 7 Series, and again for its Diamond Surround Sound System (also featured in the 7 Series) developed in partnership with Bowers & Wilkins. Mercedes’ touch control steering wheel, seen in the E-Class, also features in the shortlist, alongside Volkswagen, for its interior tech gesture control as found in the e-Golf Touch, and Faurecia for its Cover Carving Technology used for the front-seat backs of the Renault Talisman.

In a ceremony honouring innovation, two categories focus on concept car design and innovation across the sector. The Concept Vehicle Interior Design of the Year shortlist includes the Opel/Vauxhall GT Concept, Hyundai Vision G, Lincoln Continental Concept, Volkswagen Budd-e, Faraday FZERO1 and the BMW i Vision Future Interaction.

The Concept Interior Innovation of the Year category gives designers the chance to showcase tomorrow’s technology, today. Last year’s winner, Faurecia, receives two nominations for its breakthrough Active Wellness seat, and its Intuition Demonstrator, made in partnership with Magneti Marelli. Johnson Controls is also a double nominee for its Recaro Sport Seat Platform and its SD15 Demonstrator. Both companies face stiff competition from Bosch’s haptic touchscreen system. Also shortlisted is Continental’s next-generation head unit, Volvo’s Concept 26 and Lincoln’s 30-way seats, alongside Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Innovation Demonstrator 2016.

With a 17-strong judging panel boasting some of the world’s leading automotive journalists, the Automotive Interiors Expo Awards are fast becoming the most sought-after accolades in the automotive industry.

Automotive Interiors Expo Awards 2016 judging panel:

Michael Taylor: international freelancer with outlets such as Autocar (worldwide), Motor Magazine and AutoWeek
Juergen Zoellter: leading international freelancer with outlets such as Autobild, Car & Driver (USA) and Focus
Goro Okazaki: leading Japanese freelancer with outlets such as Car & Driver (Japan), CarView and Car Graphic
Carl Cunanan: leading writer on automotive design, upmarket vehicles and exclusive interiors. Outlets include C!, Calibre, Billionaire and Wheel2Wheel
Milos Karner: leading Central and East European journalist, with outlets including Az Autó magazine, Luxusautó magazine and Tempo radio
Marco Marelli: leading Italian freelancer with outlets such as Auto & Fuoristrada and Gente Motori
Hormazd Sorabjee: leading journalist in India with outlets such as AutoCar India and CNBC Television
Yogendra Pratap: leading Indian automotive journalist, editor of Auto Bild India
Christophe Congrega: leading French journalist at L’Automobile
Hongcang Liu: leading Chinese journalist, editor of China Auto Pictorial
Dean Slavnich: leading British journalist, editor of Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International
Kun Wang: editor in chief of Xcar China
Renuka Kirpalani: host and editor of the Autocar television show, India
Alvaro Saurus Alonso: leading Spanish journalist, with outlets including EVO and Autofacil
Mohamed Sheta: leading Indian journalist, publisher and editor-in-chief of Auto Arabia
Xia Dong: leading Chinese freelancer with outlets such as Auto Motor and Sport & Auto Power

For more information about the Automotive Interiors Expo Awards 2016, click here

To register to attend Automotive Interiors Awards and Expo, at Stuttgart Messe on 31 May, 01 and 02 June, click here

ENDS

For further information or to arrange interviews with the winners, please contact:

Peter Haynes, PR director, UKIP Media & Events: peter.haynes@ukipme.com
Amy Miller, account manager, UKIP Media & Events: amy.miller@ukipme.com