Double win for Infiniti

AJAC's 2014 Best New Technology awards

MONTREAL--Jan. 16, 2014: Infiniti was a winner in both "Best New Technology" award categories as announced today by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) at the Montreal International Auto Show.

BEST NEW INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY: The Best New Innovation Technology award recognizes an innovative technology whose primary purpose is not specifically safety related. Infiniti won this category for its Direct Adaptive Steering technology.

BEST NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGY: The Best New Safety Technology award recognizes a technology whose primary purpose is to enhance road safety in any form. Infiniti's Predictive Forward Collision Warning technology won this class.

Note that the technology awards were presented in two separate categories for the first time in 2014. There's a reason for that.

In the past, the jury of 12 technology specialists often found it difficult to choose between an innovative technology that might improve comfort, or performance, or fuel economy, and another that might save lives.

The solution was to establish separate categories for safety technology and another for technical innovation; thereby ensuring that the best of both genres have a chance to be recognized for their respective merits.

The 12 member jury is comprised of AJAC journalists who have specific technical qualifications.

As a first step, they independently reviewed overview briefs on all the technology entries submitted by Canada's automakers.

From that initial review, by secret vote, the jurors established a short-list of five finalists in each category (six in innovation, because there was a tie.). Then, in early December, they convened in Toronto for a day of presentations by manufacturers' representatives on each of their short-listed entries and a chance to grille them with questions.

The jurors then voted again by secret ballot.

As with the Canadian Car of the Year program, those votes were compiled by the accounting firm, KPMG.

The "Best New Technology" awards are part of the association's annual Canadian Car of the Year Awards, created in 1985 to provide consumers with sound, comparative information on vehicles that are new to the market.