Professor Ferdinand Porsche Prize awarded by TU Wien for the 21st time
2019-10-11
Professor Ferdinand Porsche Prize awarded by TU Wien for the 21st time
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Electronic exterior mirror system for improved safety: MirrorCam eliminates blind spot on trucks
11th October 2019 - In the 41st year of its existence, the Professor Ferdinand Porsche Prize, awarded by Vienna University of Technology (Technische Universität Wien, TU Wien), has been awarded to Professor Uwe Baake, Head of Product Development Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Dr Werner Lang, Managing Director MEKRA Lang GmbH & Co. KG. The award, which is given every two years, was given for development of an electronic camera-based rear-view mirror system, MirrorCam, used in place of conventional exterior mirrors on Mercedes Actros trucks. The mirror system has already gone into volume production on the Actros. With MirrorCam, two electronic displays inside the vehicle provide an improved all-round view and also ensure additional safety when manoeuvring a trailer. The camera also provides even better coverage of the area directly adjacent to the truck and eliminates the blind spot when turning. In addition to improved safety, the system also has aerodynamic benefits. Eliminating the need for an exterior mirror means less air resistance, for reduced fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. Unfortunately neither prize-winner was able to be present in person at the award ceremony.
At the ceremony, held today in the events hall of TU Wien, Rector of TU Wien Professor Sabine Seidler, along with Dr Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG, and Dr Hans Michel Piëch, Member of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG, officially handed over the 50,000 euros prize to representatives of Professor Baake and Dr Lang.
In his laudatory speech, Professor Bernhard Geringer, Director of the Institute for Powertrains and Automotive Technology (Instituts für Fahrzeugantriebe und Automobiltechnik) at TU Wien, explained the technical details of the new system, which is highly effective at eliminating the rear-view mirror blind spot, and emphasized the safety benefits: "The new camera exterior mirror for trucks significantly enhances the safety of commercial vehicles and at the same time reduces fuel consumption. It is a very valuable innovation which richly deserves this Professor Ferdinand Porsche Prize."
Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG, praised the engineers' outstanding achievement and described the new system as ground-breaking: "The rear-view mirror camera can save lives on the roads", he said, and concluded with the words: "Your hard work and commitment is exemplary for other development engineers."
The Professor Ferdinand Porsche Prize, awarded biennially by TU Wien, was established in 1976 by Louise Piëch, daughter of Ferdinand Porsche, and given for the first time in 1977. It is among the most remunerative prizes for ground-breaking research and development in automotive engineering. Porsche Holding Salzburg and Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, headquartered in Stuttgart, each provide half of the prize money.
