AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nexteer Automotive's Automated Steering Actuator has been selected as "Autonomous Vehicle Innovation of the Year" in the third annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program, which recognizes innovation in automotive and transportation technologies around the world.

Nexteer's innovative Automated Steering Actuator removes the literal and figurative barriers of shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) that operate in geo-fenced, last mile and neighborhood vehicles. This innovation achieves higher speeds, higher steering loads and overcomes safety, durability and many other SAV challenges. 

"Nexteer is honored to be recognized by AutoTech Breakthrough for our Automated Steering Actuator. This innovative solution will improve safety and performance for future mobility and solve OEM challenges across industry megatrends like electrification, autonomy, shared mobility and connectivity," said Robin Milavec, President, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Executive Board Director, Nexteer Automotive. "Earning this AutoTech Breakthrough recognition further demonstrates Nexteer's technology leadership and how we're poised to be the global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting."

About Automated Steering Actuator

Nexteer's award-winning Automated Steering Actuator facilitates broader adoption of SAVs, like people movers, to be capable of higher loads and higher speeds, compared to current last-mile, geofenced and neighborhood vehicles on the market. This innovative steering solution offers high safety coverage through a combination of software, electrical hardware, mechanical and sealing redundancies – plus increased durability and reliability performance required for higher loads due to increasing vehicle weights (battery mass) and more demanding use-cases of SAVs without driver manual back-up.

In addition to the AutoTech Breakthrough Award, the Automated Steering Actuator has also been recognized as a 2022 Automotive News PACE Award Finalist and a 2022 CES Innovation Award Honoree.

"SAVs represent a convergence of megatrends like electrification, shared mobility, autonomous driving and connectivity. Current autonomous steering systems are based mostly on traditional use cases. However, SAVs require increased life expectancy, durability and robustness," said Bryan Vaughn, Managing Director of AutoTech Breakthrough Awards. "Nexteer's Automated Steering Actuator is a game-changing steering innovation that will enable this future mobility revolution. Designed for serviceability, while providing augmented unit economics with its increased robustness, it's our choice for the 'Autonomous Vehicle Innovation of the Year' award. Congratulations to Nexteer!"

About AutoTech Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in automotive and transportation technologies, services, companies and products around the world. The AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of AutoTech companies and solutions in categories including Connected Car, Electric Vehicles, Engine Tech, Automotive CyberSecurity, Sensor Technology, Traffic Tech, Vehicle Telematics and more. This year's program attracted more than 1,500 nominations from over 15 different countries throughout the world. For more information visit AutoTechBreakthrough.com

About Nexteer

Nexteer Automotive (HK 1316) is a global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting. Our innovative product and technology portfolio includes electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steer-by-wire systems, steering columns and intermediate shafts, driveline systems, eDrive and software solutions. The company solves motion control challenges across all megatrends – including electrification, software/connectivity, ADAS/automated driving and shared mobility – for more than 60 customers around the world including BMW, Ford, GM, RNM, Stellantis, Toyota and VW, as well as automakers in India and China. www.nexteer.com