Best New Automotive Innovations for 2020 Announced by Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

Top new innovations of the year selected in Green, Safety, and Technology

AJAX, ON, Oct. 30, 2019 /CNW/ - Three key automotive innovations have been selected by a panel of expert judges as the winners of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) 2020 Automotive Innovation Awards presented by the Canadian International AutoShow. The winners were announced at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 29, at the Ajax Convention Centre in Ajax, Ontario.

The winners are:

Best Green Innovation

Porsche: Taycan 800-Volt Architecture

Porsche is known for building quick vehicles, but the new Taycan is quick even when parked. The vehicle's 800-volt battery can accept 100 kilometres of charge in just five minutes. Capable of fast charging rates of up to 350 kilowatts through liquid-cooled charging cables, the Taycan is the fastest-charging vehicle on the market and makes electric vehicle travel more convenient than ever.

Best Safety Innovation

Hyundai: Blind Spot View Monitor

Hyundai's Blind Spot View Monitor system uses 360-degree camera technology to project a wide-angle view of adjacent lanes into the vehicle's gauge cluster. When the signal indicator is moved, the centre of the gauge display shows either the left or right lanes so that the driver can execute a safe lane change. With a clearer and wider-angle view than outside mirrors can provide, this feature improves safety in traffic.

Best Technical Innovation

FCA: Ram Blind Spot Monitoring with Trailer Detection

Providing a safer way to tow, FCA's Blind Spot Monitoring and Trailer Detection used on Ram trucks automatically detects the length of the trailer when it is connected. Using this information, it can alert the driver if another vehicle is in the vehicle or trailer blind spot, allowing the driver to make safe lane changes while towing.

"These innovations represent the most significant advancements made by the automotive industry for the 2020 model year in the opinion of our esteemed panel of judges," said Jim Kerr, Chair of the AJAC Innovation Awards. "We are delighted to be able to identify these technologies for Canadian consumers as features to consider when they shop for their next vehicles." 

"The Canadian International AutoShow is pleased to continue our association with AJAC's Automotive Innovation Awards," said General Manager of the Canadian International AutoShow Jason Campbell. "The theme for the 2020 Canadian International AutoShow is Transformative Times, which speaks to the ever-evolving landscape of today's automotive industry. The innovations celebrated here are among the highlights of that evolution, and we're pleased to support AJAC journalists in showcasing them for Canadian consumers, and giving consumers a chance to learn more about them all at the AutoShow."

Nominations for the awards were made by AJAC members, and finalists were selected in each of the three categories. Each automaker selected as a finalist presented its technology to a panel of seven judges, comprised of some of the most knowledgeable and respected journalists in Canada who regularly cover automotive technologies.

About AJAC
The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) is an association of professional journalists, writers, photographers, and corporate members whose focus is the automobile and the Canadian automotive industry. Collectively, our primary objectives are to promote, encourage, support, and facilitate professionalism in Canadian automotive journalism and to ensure factual and ethical reporting about the automobile and automotive issues to Canadian consumers. This is achieved through the work of our members and AJAC's annual vehicle testing and evaluation events, the Canadian Car of the Year Awards (CCOTY), Canadian Green Car of the Year Awards, Innovation Awards, and EcoRun.

About the Canadian International AutoShow
With more than 650,000 square feet of exhibits, displays and attractions at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and annual attendance of 360,000, the Canadian International AutoShow is not only the largest automotive expo in Canada, it is also the country's largest consumer show — a leader in lifestyle, technology and all things automotive. It boasts more than 1,000 cars, trucks, SUVs, concept cars, exotics, classics, muscle cars, fully electric and autonomous vehicles each year.

SOURCE Automobile Journalists Association of Canada

Cindy Hawryluk, Manager, AJAC, [email protected], 905-978-7239; Stephanie Wallcraft, AJAC President, [email protected], 416-888-3762; Dan Heyman, AJAC Vice-President, [email protected], 604 729 4281