Did you know that nine of the ten 2015 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) Awards finalists feature various automotive safety technologies supplied by TRW Automotive?

The winners were announced at the New York Auto Show on April 2, with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class being awarded the prestigious WCOTY title.

"Vehicle safety and driver assist technologies are becoming more and more important as the driving landscape and automotive standards continue to evolve," said Peter Lake, executive vice-president, sales and business development, for TRW. "It's an honour to see so many of this year's World Car of the Year finalists feature TRW's automotive safety solutions; it underscores the importance of vehicle safety fitment for all vehicle segments."

The WCOTY Awards is a program initiated, organized and conducted by automotive journalists from all over the world. The awards were inaugurated in 2003 and officially launched in January 2004 to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.

The finalists for 2015 feature a variety of safety and drive assist system technologies from TRW, including forward looking object recognition camera, long range radar, brakes, steering wheels, seatbelts, safety and sensor electronics, and the first application of TRW's Bag-in-Roof airbag technology. This technology replaces passenger airbags typically mounted in the instrument panel and can allow for improved interior design aesthetics, ergonomics and functionality while saving space in the instrument panel.

The 10 finalists for the 2015 WCOTY Awards are:

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer;

Citroen C4 Cactus;

Ford Mustang;

Hyundai Genesis;

Jeep Renegade;

Mazda2;

Mercedes-Benz C-Class;

Mini 5-door;

Nissan Qashqai;

and Volkswagen Passat.