Three Valeo innovations nominated for the 2018 PACE Awards*

• The 48V belt-driven starter-alternator, the affordable hybrid solution: This hybrid system, which combines a conventional internal combustion engine with a low-voltage (48V) electric motor, works by recovering energy from braking and deceleration. The starter-alternator can reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by up to 10% for a cost significantly lower than a high-voltage hybrid solution. Compatible with all vehicles currently in production, it is the most economical method available to automakers today for introducing hybrid technology into existing vehicles. Designed to easily replace a conventional alternator, Valeo’s system makes it possible to drive in all-electric mode over short distances and in urban traffic jams. It also adds extra power during acceleration without using excess fuel. The Valeo solution has already been selected for use by 13 automakers.

• The SCALA™ laser scanner, the first and only of its kind to be mass produced: The first vehicle model equipped with the SCALA™ will be brought to market at the end of 2017. At present, the SCALA™ is the only mass-produced laser scanner on the auto market. With a 145° field of vision and the ability to detect stationary as well as moving objects up to a distance of 150 meters in any weather, both day and night, the SCALA™ laser scanner is a key enabler for highly automated driving.

• The world’s first HVAC system to use a natural refrigerant: Valeo’s new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system works without chemical refrigerants, which is a plus for the environment. The new solution is also more efficient than any HVAC system that operates using a chemical refrigerant. The technology is already being offered as an option on two vehicles. Compared with conventional systems, Valeo’s natural refrigerant solution extends electric vehicle range by nearly 15% at temperatures of between 0°C and 15°C, and by nearly 30% at temperatures of between 0°C and -20°C.

The fact that these three innovations have been nominated for the PACE Awards underscores Valeo’s ability to imagine, design, develop and produce cutting-edge technologies that are at the epicenter of the three revolutions taking place in the automotive industry: powertrain electrification, the development of automated driving and digital mobility.

Valeo dedicates considerable resources to innovation, which is at the heart of its strategy. In 2016, a total of €1.596 billion was committed to Research and Development, and innovative products introduced less than three years ago accounted for 50% of order intake.

* Organized by Automotive News in cooperation with Ernst & Young and Transportation Research Center Inc., the annual PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) Awards honor automotive supplier innovations that transform the automotive industry, offer tangible benefits to customers and deliver a significant competitive advantage.