Mercedes 2015 Annual Report Download - page 101

108 B | COMBINED MANAGEMENT REPORT | SUSTAINABILITY
Innovation and safety
Innovations for the mobility of the future
The greatest possible customer utility, the most stringent safety
standards, maximum environmental compatibility and effi-
ciency – we rely on innovative concepts and environmentally
sound product development to help us achieve all of those
goals simultaneously. Our innovations range from pioneering
vehicle and drive-system technologies to intelligent light-
weight engineering concepts, innovative comfort features and
sophisticated assistance systems that can prevent accidents.
Over recent years in particular, we have made tremendous pro-
gress on the road to accident-free and emission-free driving.
We have a greater range of electric vehicles on the road than
any other automaker and we also set standards for safety.
We have established a leading position in the area of autonomous
driving in particular, and we plan to further strengthen this
position.
Daimler and Mercedes-Benz receive awards for their
innovative capability
In April 2015, both Daimler and Mercedes-Benz received awards
for their innovative capability as a result of an extensive study
conducted by the Center of Automotive Management (CAM)
and the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) corporate consulting
firm. The study found that Mercedes-Benz is the most innovative
premium automobile brand with the greatest number of world
firsts. Mercedes-Benz also received a special award as the
“Most Innovative Brand in the Last Decade.” Daimler was
named “Most Innovative Group” in the category “Alternative
Drive Systems.”
Mercedes-Benz beat out the competition with its 578 individual
innovations and 183 world firsts. The outstanding innovations
cited include DISTRONIC PLUS with Stop&Go Pilot, the economi-
cal hybrid drive system in the S-Class and the MAGIC BODY
CONTROL suspension. Innovations highlighted in the “Most
Innovative Premium Brand” category included the curve
tilting technology in the S-Class Coupe, the 24-pixel LED
MULTIBEAM headlights in the CLS and the overall concept of
the CLA Shooting Brake, which leads the way in its segment
by combining the beauty of a coupe with the practical benefits
of a station wagon. Daimler came out on top in the “Alternative
Drive Systems” category as a result of the S-Class and C-Class
plug-in hybrids and the all-electric B-Class.
Our “road to emission-free mobility”
Our goal is to safeguard mobility for the generations to come.
We therefore strive to offer our customers vehicles and ser-
vices that are safe and efficient and produce low emissions
– along the entire value chain. Our “Road to Emission-free
Driving” initiative defines the key development approaches for
creating new extremely fuel-efficient and environmentally
friendly drive-system technologies at all of our automotive
divisions:
1. We continue to enhance our vehicles with state-of-the-art
internal combustion engines that we are optimizing to
achieve significantly lower fuel consumption and emissions.
2. We are achieving further significant increases in efficiency
through customized hybridization, i.e. the combination of
combustion engines and electric motors.
3. Our electric vehicles, powered by batteries or fuel cells, are
making locally emission-free driving possible.

B.40
We are systematically pursuing our approach to emission-free
driving along the entire value chain. To this end, we are
addressing all relevant aspects and exploiting potential at
all development units for everything from lightweight
engineering to optimized aerodynamics, the use of clean and
efficient fuels, the creation of electric drive systems and
the implementation of sustainable mobility concepts. We also
view emissions as a holistic issue and are therefore examining
ways to reduce other types of emissions besides pollutants –
e.g. noise.
B.40
Road
to emission-free mobility
Energy for the future
Optimizing our vehicles
with modern conventional
powertrains
Hybridization for further
increase in efficiency
Locally emission-free
driving with electric
vehicles powered by
fuel cells or batteries
Clean fuels for internal combustion engines Energy sources for locally emission-free driving