DaimlerChrysler's vision of the future of personal transportation

DaimlerChrysler invests nearly $6 billion on research and development annually and showcased some of its new technology in New York at its inaugural North American Innovation Symposium. The event featured presentations and hands-on demonstrations of alternative fuels, the company's vision for accident-free driving, global multi-brand strategy, and digital manufacturing.

The company also announced that in order to encourage American acceptance of diesels, Chrysler Group will test the market with diesel-powered Jeep(R) Liberty vehicles beginning in 2004.

A key focus of DaimlerChrysler is sustainability in personal transportation. The F-Cell Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the world's first production fuel cell vehicle, made its North America debut. It runs on compressed hydrogen and will be ready for production in 2003. The company also showed the Natrium minivan, the award-winning fuel cell minivan based on the Chrysler Town and Country. It is powered by sodium borohydride, a chemical also used in laundry soap.

Executives also discussed the company's "Vision for Accident-Free Driving," which is a multifaceted approach to helping improve occupant safety in personal and commercial vehicle transportation. Among the many safety topics discussed included optical recognition technology which can identify the nuances of lane changes, traffic signals, pedestrians, driver fatigue and other phenomena which can impact vehicle safety. With the goal of helping improve the safety of commercial vehicles, the company showed examples of technologies that can tow other vehicles electronically, help maintain a safe distance from other vehicles and improve electronic stability.

DaimlerChrysler also showcased some research vehicles at the event: the F400 Speedster Carving, a vehicle integrating forward-looking technology, with wheels that tilt up to 20 degrees when cornering to enhance overall handling; the Mercedes-Benz SLA, a two-seat roadster study based on the Mercedes-Benz SLR; the Chrysler 300M IT, which demonstrates technologies that aim to improve interaction between the driver and the vehicle; and the Jeep(R) Grand Cherokee Concierge which is equipped with innovative technology to help increase customer convenience and security.

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