North American Automotive Technology of the Year™ Award Criteria:

Award name: North American Automotive Technology of the Year™ Award

Mission: The award recognizes a technology or feature that meaningfully enhances the owner's experience, convenience or safety when driving the vehicle.

Eligibility:

1. The technology must appear in a production vehicle on sale between January 1 and December 31 of the award year.
2. Entries must be received by September 30 of the award year to be considered and can be submitted by jurors, OEMs or suppliers.
3. Software and hardware systems are both eligible. 
4. Submissions will be reviewed by the Tech Award Committee, with eligible candidates presented to the Jurors at the NACTOY Fall Drive. 
5. Eligible candidates must have representation at the NACTOY Fall Drive in order to be considered for the finalist ballot sent out in the fall. If the automaker is unable to get a sample of the tech innovation to the Fall Drive, we will require some alternate presentation to the jury for consideration (i.e. a webinar, video presentation or in-person meeting where jurors can see the tech in action and ask questions).
6. If the technology is a collaboration between a supplier and an automaker, we will accept one submission, but both the supplier and automaker win the award together.

Evaluation criteria:

1. Newness: Must be considered an all-new technology or a significant improvement to existing technology.
2. User experience: Easy to use, intuitive and reduces driver distraction
3. Innovation: Novel and original use of technology
4. Reliability: Technology performs consistently across environments and conditions
5. Accessibility: Usable for diverse drivers and abilities
6. Integration: Seamlessly integrated with existing vehicle systems
7. Value: Benefit delivered relative to cost and availability
8. Privacy: Proven data protection and resistance to cyber attacks
9. Long-term value: Has continued usefulness for the life of the vehicle and the potential for updates. 

Licensing: 

As an official award of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year™ Jury, this award will be subject to licensing fees.