AUTOMOTIVE TESTING TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
The Automotive Testing Technology International Awards are a non-profit-making enterprise designed to recognize and reward the fantastic achievements of the world’s top vehicle engineering suppliers and specialists. All companies involved in automotive development and testing are considered.
Launched in 2006, the traditionally magazine-based ATTI Awards have grown each year. The winners are decided by the votes of a panel of expert OEM engineers, consultants and technical writers from the automotive development and testing industry.
Categories
- ADAS & AV Test Innovation of the Year
- Alternative Powertrain Test Innovation of the Year
- Powertrain Test Facility of the Year
- Crash Test Innovation of the Year
- Proving Ground of the Year
- Software Innovation of the Year
- Hardware Innovation of the Year
- Person of the Year
Why participate?
Those honored will join a community of innovators pushing the industry forward, with the ceremony offering a fantastic chance to network and meet with potential future partners. It is also a great opportunity to build recognition and credibility for the work that a company is doing and to endorse its place within the industry – generating new business leads, increasing brand awareness, and rewarding and encouraging internal teams.
What's in store for 2025?
This year, the ATTI Awards were formally presented at Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany, further solidifying Automotive Testing Technology International’s long-standing affiliation with the exhibition.
Before the awards ceremony, a brand-new forum provided an afternoon of high-level content covering key topics such as the application of AI in testing, connectivity, big data, software engineering, AV testing and new-energy vehicle powertrain analysis. The program featured a panel discussion with distinguished technical executives from the awards judging panel and engaging fireside chats, culminating in the ATTI Awards ceremony.
Next year will mark the 18th year of these prestigious awards. Reflecting on the 2024 event, which took place in June, the ATTI Awards 2025 will follow a similar format and will once again be presented at Automotive Testing Expo Europe.
The show itself will offer the perfect opportunity to source partners, gather ideas and exchange knowledge with like-minded professionals. The awards ceremony will also serve as a fantastic networking opportunity, bringing together winners, nominees, judges and VIP attendees.
Click here to download the program
If you’re interested in participating in either the awards or the forum in 2025, do not hesitate to email the awards chair and ATTI editor, Rachel Evans.
Interested in partnering?
ATTI is seeking partners to help support the Awards. Please contact Rob Knight, divisional sales director, magazines, to discover more about this unique opportunity to recognize and encourage innovation and excellence within the testing sector.
ATTI Award winners 2024
This year for the first time, the Automotive Testing Technology International Awards were presented formally at Automotive Testing Expo Europe in Stuttgart, Germany. Coordinated by Automotive Testing Technology International magazine, the awards celebrated the very best innovations and achievements across the automotive industry during the last 18 months and acknowledged the personal achievements of some remarkable individuals. Presenting them at Automotive Testing Expo Europe cemented ATTI’s long-standing affiliation with the exhibition. The awards were decided by a panel of industry experts and technical writers.
Launched in 2006, the ATTI Awards have grown each year and have traditionally been presented within the publication. To mark a radical change in vehicle development – with the rollout of automated driving and electrification dominating headlines globally – ATTI felt that this was the perfect time to refresh the format and present them live at Automotive Testing Expo Europe. In addition, two new categories have been established.
New for 2024, ATTI introduced the ADAS & AV Test Innovation of the Year category to acknowledge the increasing challenges faced by developers in the rapidly growing fields of ADAS and autonomous vehicle testing. Amid strong competition, Ansys and BMW won the category with their jointly developed AVxcelerate Autonomy platform. The new digital testing solution reportedly enables a reduction in the cost and time-to-compliance for Level 2+, Level 3 and above ADAS and AV systems by a potential magnitude of 100,000.
Awards juror Jahee Campbell-Brennan, director of Wavey Dynamics, said, “The winner to me seems to have developed the most impactful technology – enabling ADAS and AV testing to be performed digitally is a huge step forward for the industry and will reduce development time, cost and risk/liability substantially. This technology could be significant in the current revolution in our midst. A tall challenge, but great if they achieve it reliably.”
ATTI also introduced the Alternative Powertrain Test Innovation of the Year category to recognize the considerable advancements in the development of new-energy vehicle powertrains. In this hotly contested group, the judges awarded the most points to Secondmind for its Secondmind for Calibration technology for e-powertrains. This state-of-the-art tool enhances efficiency and accuracy in the calibration process through intelligent, automated experiments – creating highly precise models in record time.
“We are excited and grateful to have been awarded the Alternative Powertrain Test Innovation of the Year accolade,” commented Gary Brotman, chief executive officer of Secondmind. “The team has been laser-focused on helping engineers tackle the increasing complexity in e-powertrain design and calibration, and creating significant development efficiencies with practical, data-efficient machine learning that respects their intelligence.”
The Software Innovation of the Year category, which rewards achievements in everything from virtual testing technology and automation software through to analysis systems, is growing in prominence as the industry relies less on physical hardware. AB Dynamics impressed the judges the most with its RC 9.4, a driving robot software updated to streamline industry-standard ADAS tests.
“Winning the prestigious Software Innovation of the Year award was a proud moment for all of us at AB Dynamics,” said Andrew Pick, AB Dynamics’ director of track test systems. “AB Dynamics is well known for its driving robots, soft targets and motion platforms, but it is our proprietary software that brings them all together to create an end-to-end ADAS test solution. It is fantastic to be recognized with this award and a great achievement by the team.”
In the Hardware Innovation of the Year category, the jury gave the most points to VI-grade’s DiM Full Spectrum Simulator (FSS). Unlike conventional driving simulators that focus on singular vehicle attributes, the DiM FSS offers a quantum leap in realism by seamlessly integrating multiple attributes.
Awards juror Mohammad Behroozi, senior vehicle dynamicist at General Motors, said, “This simulator stands out for its breakthrough in integrating multiple vehicle attributes. The ability to evaluate primary and secondary ride, vibration and sound simultaneously is a game-changer, streamlining development processes and offering a more holistic understanding of how vehicle components interact.”
This year’s worthy winner in the Proving Ground of the Year category was BMW with its Future Mobility Development Center in Sokolov, Czech Republic, which is designed exclusively for testing automated driving and parking up to Level 4.
“We are delighted that the jury chose the new BMW test site in Sokolov – a unique testing ground of worldwide importance. Within 600ha we can flexibly and efficiently test all possible driving situations – whether in the city, in the countryside, on the motorway or during automated parking,” explained BMW’s Martin Sautter, vice president of validation, customer experience and approval. “A special feature is the ability to run through our test modules one after the other without interruption. This makes testing as realistic, reliable and customer-oriented as possible.”
Toyota picked up the Crash Test Innovation of the Year accolade for its THUMS technology. Important updates in Version 7 include more realistic geometry and new positions that reflect the move toward connected and autonomous vehicles.
ATTI Awards judge Byron Bloch, an independent automotive safety expert, commented, “Toyota’s development of THUMS continues to evolve and enable more complex and accurate modeling and analysis of how humans respond in various crash and ADAS-related situations, helping to better understand injury causation and stimulate improvements for more crashworthy vehicle designs.”
This year’s Person of the Year category was fascinating. Nominees included Marc Blaufuss, an applications engineer at Inficon, who was recognized for his research leading to SAE Standards Committees on leak detection and water ingress prevention for lithium-ion battery cells and packs in electric vehicles. Another notable nominee in a field of strong candidates was Gavin White, co-founder and CEO of About:Energy, a startup providing tools and data for optimizing battery design.
In the end, Marie Puhle, an engineering psychologist and user experience expert on Volkswagen’s HMI team, was recognized for her leading role in rejuvenating the ID. user interface system.
“While being the leader of a concept team, I had the chance to shape Volkswagen’s new user interface generation, from the first sketches right through to the final software,” Puhle said. “It was our goal to collect and incorporate as much customer feedback as possible to create an easy, clear and consistent new system. I’m very satisfied and happy that we overcame all obstacles along the way, with the result that we have significantly improved the user experience in our new cars.”
Alex Crawford, product engineering operations director at JLR; Robert Penfold, director of powertrain engineering at JLR; and Chris Stubbs, senior technical specialist, advanced propulsion facility and test capability at JLR
The Powertrain of the Year award is always one of the most interesting categories. This year, multiple new-energy vehicle development hubs added more variety to the mix than usual. JLR won the accolade for its Future Energy Lab, recognized for its use of advanced resources to support cutting-edge product developments.
“The team is absolutely thrilled to have won this award,” commented Alex Crawford, product engineering operations director at JLR. “A core component of JLR’s Reimagine strategy, this facility is essential to providing the advanced testing capabilities vital to the performance and reliability of the modern luxury vehicles we are proudly developing – all of which could not be possible without the tireless energy of my colleagues working here.”
Prior to the awards ceremony, the new Automotive Testing Technology International Forum offered an afternoon of high-level content covering key topics such as the application of AI in testing, connectivity, big data, software engineering and AV testing. It included a panel discussion and fireside chats.
Rachel Evans, ATTI editor and chair of the awards, stated, “Creating the shortlist for this year’s awards proved to be challenging due to the abundance of entries worthy of recognition. It is refreshing to witness the testing community tackling challenges with contemporary and unconventional approaches. Researchers and scientists, manufacturers and suppliers are collaborating more than ever, working to find inventive new ways of achieving the industry’s goals.”
Click here to view the interviews.
Click here to view the 2024 shortlist.
For further information, please contact:
Charlotte Iggulden, head of marketing (automotive events), UKi Media & Events • +44 1306 743744 / 2123 • charlotte.iggulden@ukimediaevents.com
How to nominate
Nominations for next year are now open! To be eligible, the product or service must have been launched after April 2024. We welcome nominations for new technologies, developments of existing ones, or innovative applications.
To submit a nomination, please provide 300-500 words in a Word document explaining why your product or service deserves recognition. Be sure to include as much supporting information and evidence as possible, such as key performance data, sales figures, press releases, or customer testimonials. If similar products exist on the market, please highlight what sets your product apart and its unique selling points (USPs).
You may send your nomination directly to the awards chair and ATTI editor, Rachel Evans.
Phil Durston, technical manager, Volkswagen
Having spent the best part of 20 years at Bentley, Phil Durston joined VW in 2017. An integrative vehicle engineer, his current focus is in ADAS and autonomous driving development in proving ground environments. He has broad brand and product experience across all product phases, ranging from volume sports derivatives via extraordinary grand tourers to bespoke vehicles. Phil’s other areas of expertise include target and weight management, prototype fleet management, durability testing and vehicle attributes leadership. He graduated from Brunel University, London, UK, in mechanical, systems and sustainability engineering, enhanced with a master's in design, strategy and innovation.
Nils Katzorke, project manager, Mercedes-Benz
Nils Katzorke is responsible for the strategic development of the Mercedes-Benz proving ground in Immendingen, Germany. Prior to its opening, he was a project coordinator for the construction and ramp-up of the site. Nils has a master's of business engineering and a doctor of business administration. His dissertation was on effective test infrastructure design for autonomous driving. He has published articles in diverse journals and conference proceedings, including the IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. Nils contributes as a reviewer and committee member for multiple scientific formats in the field of vehicle development.
Tom Overington, commercial vehicle compliance manager, Ford Motor Company
Based at the Dunton Technical Centre in Essex, UK, Tom is the manager of commercial vehicle compliance, responsible for Ford’s European fleet of CVs. Having worked at Ford for over 20 years, Tom has a wealth of knowledge in automotive, his specialism being vehicle safety.
Mohammad Behroozi, senior vehicle dynamicist, GM
Dr Mohammad Behroozi is currently a vehicle dynamicist at General Motors. In this role, he focuses on the intricate domain of ride and handling metric development, adopting a holistic approach that integrates subjective and objective assessments to refine the driving experience. An educator and collaborator, he instructs at tire mathematical modeling workshops and engages in research projects with universities. Dr Behroozi’s extensive contributions also extend to editorial, session chair, award committee, panelist and reviewer roles in tire and vehicle dynamics journals and conferences.
Graham Heeps, freelance journalist
Based in Calgary, Canada, Graham Heeps is a former editor of Automotive Testing Technology International and Tire Technology International. Now working freelance, his other outlets include Professional Motorsport World, Autocar, MSN, TractionLife.com and Canada Drives. He’s a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) and is a juror for the Tire Technology International Awards and Canadian Car of the Year.
Byron Bloch, independent automotive safety expert, USA
Byron Bloch is a court-qualified automotive safety expert who spent decades evaluating accident vehicles to assess collision and injury causation and help devise safer alternative designs. He has testified at congressional hearings, to NHTSA and in court cases on vehicle safety issues, and to advocate safer designs concerning various elements of the vehicle.
Gemma Hatton, freelance technical writer and former F1 tire engineer
Gemma Hatton is qualified engineer. Her experience includes roles as a data engineer for BTCC, a Formula 1 tire engineer for Pirelli, and a tire and strategy engineer for the Manor Racing F1 team. Gemma’s career in writing properly began when she was deputy editor of Racecar Engineering magazine. Now she is the CEO of a technical writing company, Fluencial. She also continues to write for a range of technical magazines within the automotive and motorsport industries.
Alex Lai, technical manager, Future Mobility Testing
The Transport for New South Wales Future Mobility Testing facility is a state government resource in Australia. Alex Lai was involved in setting up the center and continues to lead testing operations. He also coordinated the delivery of Australia’s first official Safety Assist Test program for ANCAP. Alex’s experience covers vehicle crashworthiness testing, occupant injury assessment, biomechanics of ATDs, real-world crash investigation, road safety and vehicle safety research and development, infrastructure and product testing, assurance and validation.
Sharad Matade, editor, Tyre Trends and Motoring Trends
Sharad Matade has been reporting on the rubber and tire industries for over a decade. Alongside his role as editor of Tyre Trends, he is also an executive editor of sister publication, Motoring Trends, as part of which he covers the international auto and ancillary industries. Over the years, he has covered all major players in the tire and auto industries on various topics. He also has experience reporting on the aviation and non-ferrous metal sectors.
Phil Morse, founder and manager, Energy Balance
Phil Morse is a long-term contributor to Automotive Testing Technology International. His experience includes roles at Ansible Motion, Camber Ridge and the Team USF1 racing outfit. Before founding Energy Balance, which specializes in business development and innovation primarily in the high-tech mobility sector, he founded and managed Morse Measurements, a K&C test service provider. Phil also spent eight years at Honda R&D Americas where he was senior suspension and handling engineer in charge of vehicle simulation activities and the development of vehicle test procedures for North American production car programs.
Marc Noordeloos, freelance journalist
Splitting his time between Michigan and the UK, Marc Noordeloos is former road test editor at Automobile magazine. Additionally, Marc has managed a racing and rally team in the past and continues to compete in both historic and modern racing. His other freelance outlets include Professional Motorsport World, Tire Technology International, Automobile magazine, Hagerty, Autocar, Evo, and Genroq. He’s also a juror for the Professional Motorsport World Awards and the Vehicle Dynamics International Awards.
Carl Perrin, CEO of the Institute for Clean Growth & Future Mobility at Coventry University
The Institute for Clean Growth & Future Mobility in the UK drives innovation in CAVs, cybersecurity and electric and hybrid powertrain solutions as well as advanced manufacturing and design. In his role as CEO of the organization, Carl Perrin has helped the university secure more than £25m (US$31.3) of funding for R&D projects, scaling up the C-ALPS facility in Coventry and training programs for the supply chain. He also continues to oversee the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering. Carl is a chartered engineer and prior to joining Coventry University, he was head of technology and R&D director at Rolls-Royce and Dana Glacier Vandervell, respectively.
Jahee Campbell-Brennan, director of Wavey Dynamics
Jahee Campbell-Brennan has a master's in engineering. With an interest in various realms of automotive and motorsport, his career background includes roles at Ford and McLaren Auto. Aside from working as director at Wavey Dynamics, an automotive and motorsport engineering consultancy specializing in vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics and engineering design, he is also a technical contributor to Racecar Engineering magazine. Furthermore, Jahee is a juror on the Professional Motorsport World Awards.
Jada Smith, SVP, product strategy and delivery, Karma Automotive
Jada Smith is an engineering, program management and strategy executive with more than 15 years of experience specializing in software and system development in the automotive industry for companies including Aptiv and Delphi.
Nick Rogers, NED and executive director, Rogers Advisory
An engineer at heart, Nick Rogers has 40 years of global business and automotive experience, including seven years as Jaguar Land Rover’s board member and executive director of product engineering and research. He spent more than 20 years in substantial executive positions with Ford and BMW, as well as Jaguar Land Rover. Today, Nick is chairman and non-executive director for a range of mobility, energy and technology companies. During his tenure at JLR, he headed up the engineering of three generations of Range Rover, the all-new Land Rover Defender and the Jaguar I-Pace.