Recognizing the production launch of the industry-first SmartCore™ cockpit domain controller, Automotive Cluster Bulgaria (ACB) – a non-profit organization that fosters synergies and supports business growth in Bulgaria and internationally – awarded Visteon with its “R&D Solution of the Year” prize at its annual summit in Sofia on Jan. 14.

Visteon was presented with the award following the successful development and launch of its domain controller solution with Daimler – first seen in the Mercedes A-Class in September 2018. The company’s engineering team in Sofia played a critical role in supplying technical excellence to product development and enhancing the overall quality of the road-ready platform.

As one of nine prizes distributed for exceptional business achievements, the R&D award from ACB represents significant recognition from the industry in Bulgaria, where Visteon's expert technical presence has contributed to pioneering automotive solutions since 2001.

During the event – which had the honor of hosting the Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria Tomislav Donchev – members joined in a celebration of the organization’s achievements in 2019, which contributed to the promotion of the automotive industry in Bulgaria, as the national top GDP contributor with shares of 11% and 65,000 sector jobs.

Praising a collaborative global program that utilized expert resources from Visteon's technology centers around the world, Ivan specifically cited the Sofia team’s longevity – lauding its near two-decade influence helping to drive automotive in Bulgaria. Visteon is setting the market standard and proving to be a benchmark employer, technology leader and consistent contributor to the country’s economy, education and society as a whole.