An electronically operated truck transmission that automatically controls shifting of just the top two gears is among winners in the 1997 Premier Automotive suppliers Contributions to Excellence (PACE) Awards. Spicer Transmission Div. of Dana Corp., which developed the Auto Mate 2, shares honors among medium-size suppliers with Bosch Automotive Motor Systems Corp.
Bosch was honored for its environmental work in meeting Ford Motor Co.’s request for using 25% postconsumer recycled material. The first part fulfilling this, made from postconsumer nylon, is a dualfan shroud assembly produced for the 1996 Ford Windstar minivan.
Prince Automotive Systems Div. of Johnson Controls Inc. was the large supplier winner for its Homelink transceiver connected to a car’s electrical bus and integrated into the visor or overhead console. The device can learn practically all garage-door opening signal codes produced over the last 30 years, as well as handle newer “rolling-code” algorithms.
Among small suppliers, Gentex Corp.’s Automotive Products Group was recognized for extending its automatic-dimming electrochromic technology used on interior rear-view mirrors to the larger exterior mirrors required by light trucks and sport-utility vehicles.