The BMW Group has presented its third BMW Supplier Innovation Award. A total of eight suppliers were honoured for their outstanding achievements in innovation and development.
Klaus Draeger, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network, explained: “Innovation is a decisive factor in a vehicle’s market success. Many customers ultimately opt for the car with the most impressive innovations. In fact, innovations are a key driver in our role as a pioneer in shaping the mobility of tomorrow.”
The BMW Group considers innovation the foundation of a company’s economic success and future competitiveness. The only way to master the challenges ahead for the automobile industry is through a high level of creativity and inventiveness.
“We intend to continue expanding and strengthening our innovation leadership. Close cooperation with suppliers is extremely important to us. This award is designed not only to recognise outstanding achievements, but also as an incentive for our suppliers to strive for a key competitive edge through their innovations for the BMW Group in the future,” added Draeger.
The BMW Group presented awards in a total of seven categories, as well as a special “Innovation Partnership” award. The categories span fields of technology where the company will define the future of individual mobility as a premium manufacturer.
The winners of the BMW Supplier Innovation Award 2014:
Efficient Dynamics
Bridgestone Corporation: Ologic technology for CO2-optimised tyres
Bridgestone Corporation has developed tyres with so-called “Ologic technology” for BMW i vehicles. The tyres are especially large and narrow, reducing rolling resistance and thereby improving CO2 figures and extending the range of pure electric engines. Thanks to the use of innovative materials and clever design, these tyres fulfil all driving dynamic performance requirements.
Lightweight construction
Corning Incorporated: Acoustic glass partition
Corning Incorporated’s Gorilla glass already features in thousands of smartphone models and is now being used for the first time in a car in the BMW i8’s acoustic partition. Each of the two glass layers is only 0.7 millimetres thick, making the partition 1.3 kilograms or 50 per cent lighter overall. The process up to series production of the partition took only 18 months.
Connected Drive
HERE Europe B.V.: Online map updates
This innovation enables maps to be updated directly in the navigation system via wireless network. The vehicle automatically checks whether new map data is available on a regular basis. The update is then downloaded via wireless network and the map installed in the vehicle is updated, ensuring that the customer automatically has access to the latest navigation maps. This feature places the BMW Group at the technological forefront of the premium segment.
New Technology Experience
ZIZALA Lichtsysteme GmbH: Laser light headlight system
The BMW i8 is the world’s first series-produced vehicle to feature a laser light headlight system. Thanks to this innovation, laser diodes – which were previously unsuited for automotive manufacturing – now meet all customer and operating requirements. BMW Laser Light doubles the high-beam range of conventional headlights to 600 metres and is 30 per cent more energy-efficient than LED headlights.
Quality
Pirelli & C. S.p.A.: Real Dynamic Curing technology
Innovative Real Dynamic Curing technology solves the problem of determining exactly when the inside of a tyre is cured in the vulcanisation process. Until now, it was simply heated for longer to make certain – however, this is detrimental to rolling resistance. Now temperature sensors enable precise vulcanisation to produce top-quality tyres.
Productivity
Grohmann Engineering GmbH: Production system for BMW i8 high-voltage battery
The system produces the BMW i8’s key technology – its high-voltage battery. Battery modules are assembled in the smallest possible space with high power density and long-term stability.
Sustainability
ASK Chemicals GmbH: Inorganic binders for zero-emission foundry process
Through years of development work, the supplier has perfected components, composition and manufacture of inorganic binders to the point where they can replace organic binding systems in large-scale series production. This enables the BMW Group to realise a zero-emission foundry process and further improve working conditions for its employees – at the same time, increasing productivity and the quality of the parts produced.
Innovation partnership
(Special “Innovation Partnership” award)
GENIVI Alliance: GENIVI open infotainment platform
GENIVI is an alliance of 170 automotive companies working together to advance development of head units. The head unit is the central component for in-car communications and entertainment. Due to the complexity and diversity of functions, it has become virtually impossible for the head unit to be developed by a single supplier. The GENIVI Alliance is committed to the open-source principle, whereby innovations developed by one partner are made available to all the others.
