This year marked the seventh Allianz Genius award ceremony, which recognizes outstanding achievements in road safety. The laureate was Ford-Werke GmbH, which was the first automaker to offer advanced driver assistance systems in affordable trim levels for compact-class cars, namely the Ford Focus. Experts highly praised Ford's efforts to improve road safety: Focus owners receive comprehensive protection, including a range of active safety systems.
The award ceremony took place on June 4 at the Leipzig International Motor Show. Carsten Kried, head of Allianz Global Automotive and coordinator of the award, presented the Allianz Genius 2012 for safety to Kaspar Dirk Hoedj, member of the board of management of Ford-Werke GmbH, responsible for technical solutions and innovations.
"After seat belts, driver assistance systems are the most significant tool for protecting motorists," noted Carsten Kried. "The current Allianz Genius winner made the latest safety systems available to the mass consumer by offering a variety of option packages for the Ford Focus — and this is the first such offering in the compact segment. This step will contribute to a wider adoption of such systems and, consequently, to improved road safety."
How driver assistance systems work
Traffic jam braking system: a laser sensor measures the distance to the vehicle ahead. If a collision threat arises, the system automatically creates braking force, reducing the stopping distance. If the driver fails to react in time, emergency braking is activated. The function operates at speeds up to 30 km/h.
Active parking assistance system: the car independently performs maneuvers to enter a free parking space. The driver only needs to control the accelerator and brake pedals, and shift gears if necessary. This significantly simplifies parking, especially in tight conditions.
Blind spot monitoring system: radar sensors monitor areas not visible to the driver — on the sides of the car. If another vehicle is detected in such a zone, the system informs the driver with a light signal on the side mirror. This helps when changing lanes.
Lane keeping system, driver fatigue warning, automatic high beam switching, and traffic sign recognition: a monocular camera analyzes the situation ahead of the car. If the vehicle accidentally drifts out of its lane, the steering wheel begins to vibrate, and the car returns to its lane. Additionally, the system assesses driving style, alerts the driver to their level of concentration, and advises taking breaks when necessary. The headlights switch between low and high beam automatically if there is no risk of dazzling oncoming drivers. Road signs, such as speed limits or no-overtaking signs, are displayed on a separate screen.
Allianz Genius Award for Safety
Allianz is the only insurance company that has established a safety award. The award is given for already implemented technical solutions that have proven their effectiveness over a long period in reducing the number and severity of road accidents.
The Genius Award was created by Allianz to raise driver awareness about safety and encourage automakers to develop and implement the most effective protection systems.
Previous laureates of the award include: Adam Opel GmbH (2010) for the adaptive headlight system AFL, Volvo Car Germany GmbH (2009) for the City Safety collision avoidance system, Valeo (2008) for the Park4UTM parking assistant, BERU AG (2007) for the Tire Safety System (TSS) tire pressure monitoring system, DaimlerChrysler AG (2006) for the Brake Assist emergency braking system, and Robert Bosch GmbH (2005) for the electronic stability control system ESP.
