At the award of the Daimler Supplier Award 2015, the “Special Award” went to the control system specialist Preh (f.l.t.r.): Christoph Hummel, president  and  CEO of Preh; Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Head of Group Research  and  Mercedes-Benz Car Development,  and  Preh Chief Technology Officer Jochen Ehrenberg.

Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale. Preh GmbH was honoured by Daimler with a "Special Award" for the development  and  manufacture of a new type of multifunction switch. The Touch Control Buttons integrated into the steering wheel switches permit drivers of the current generation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class to operate all functions of the combined instrument  and  central display without taking their hands from the steering wheel. Christoph Hummel, Preh president  and  CEO  and  Chief Technology Officer Jochen Ehrenberg received the award in Stuttgart.

With Daimler Supplier Award, the company honours top quality, innovation  and  partnership cooperation of its suppliers once a year. Ten awards were granted this year to cooperation partners in the presence of CEO Dieter Zetsche  and  450 high-ranking representatives of the automotive industry.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Chairman Group Research  and  Mercedes-Benz Car Development, awarded the “Special Award” to Christoph Hummel  and  Jochen Ehrenberg. “With the integration of the innovative touch-button operation in the spokes of the steering wheel, we have set new standards in the new E-Class,” Weber said when awarding the trophy designed by the Daimler design team. “To continue bringing innovations that can be experienced by the customers in the vehicles in the future, we need creative  and  reliable partnersPreh GmbH.”

Christoph Hummel: ?We understand the ‘Special Award’ not just as praise for our innovation but also as an incentive for future projects.”

Dieter Zetsche was enthused by the close cooperation of Daimler  and  its suppliers: “In the digital era we need a culture that consistently promotes innovation. This is the only way we can make optimal use of the opportunities offered by digitalization.”

The outstanding development from Preh is a multifunction switch for steering wheels. The integrated Touch Control Buttons are touch-sensitive. They react with precision to horizontal  and  vertical wiping motion of the thumb. The driver can thereby control all functions relevant to the vehicle with just one switch  and  with the other all functions of the central display – such as navigation  and  infotainment – while both hands remain on the steering wheel.