Royal Accolade For The Mercedes-Benz Safety System Pre-Safe

The award, presented by HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO was accepted on behalf of DaimlerChrysler AG by Dr Rodolfo Schoeneburg, Director of Safety, NVH and Durability and Roland Bachmann, Senior Manager, Passive Safety. During his speech His Royal Highness stressed the importance of technological advancements in the area of road safety, describing Mercedes-Benz as "a manufacturer which puts safety at the heart of its design philosophy, not just in the area of crash protection but of crash avoidance too".

The Prince Michael International Road Safety Technology Award is the sixth major prize for the PRE-SAFE system, which made its debut in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 2002 and will soon feature in such models as the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

The Mercedes-Benz PRE-SAFE system can detect critical driving situations that indicate an imminent or potential collision before it occurs, and goes into action immediately to provide enhanced occupant protection. If a potential impact is imminent the seatbelts are tensioned, the sunroof and windows are closed to avoid intrusion and the seats are moved into an optimal position. In combination, injuries to the driver and passengers can be drastically reduced.

In the UK, the PRE-SAFE system can be experienced in the S-Class, whilst autumn 2005 will see it fitted to the new M-Class off-roader and stunning CLS-Class.