Here are the finalists for the 2021 PACE and PACEpilot Awards

Editor's note: A previous version of this story included an incorrect name for Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials, and incorrect locations for CarSaver, Sonatus and Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials.

Technical innovations from 27 suppliers around the world have been named finalists for the 2021 Automotive News PACE Awards.

The 31 individual technologies range from sensors that can distinguish between vehicle passengers to an advancement in how an auto retailer transacts a remote sale.

At the same time, 23 finalists from 20 companies have been named finalists for the Automotive News PACEpilot Awards.

The PACEpilot Awards, now in their second year, recognize pre-commercial, post-pilot innovations in the automotive or future mobility space, including products, processes, software and IT systems.

The PACE Awards, now in their 27th year, are given to suppliers in recognition of a technological innovation in product or processes that has reached commercial application.

Judges will review the innovations, and the awards are to be presented Sept. 30 at a ceremony in Detroit.

This year's spectrum of PACE Awards finalists represents established global automotive leaders with long track records in R&D, including Bosch, Continental, Superior Industries and Yazaki Corp., as well as lesser-known, younger companies working on breakthroughs in emerging fields, such as RoboSense, Tekion and Work Truck Solutions.

The finalists reflect an industry of diverse R&D efforts, including a new brake system sensor from Hella Corp. in Northville, Mich.; an advancement in solid-state lidar from RoboSense of Shenzhen, China; and a child-presence detection system from IEE in Bissen, Luxembourg.

"This year's class of PACE finalists showcases the rich innovation underway worldwide in the business of moving people and things," said Steve Schmith, director of Automotive News PACE Awards judging. "The finalists represent companies operating throughout the automotive value chain who are not only driving game-changing approaches to product development, but also reimagining the customer experience and creating new ways of generating revenue."

Aptiv
Solid-state electrical center
Troy, Mich.

Bosch
SAE Level 2 autonomous Class 8 trucking application
Plymouth, Mich.

BWI Group
Semi-active roll-control system
Kettering, Ohio

CarSaver
Nissan Buy@Home
Franklin, Tenn.

Cerence Inc.
Cerence Pay
Burlington, Mass.

Continental
Body high-performance computer and cooperation portal
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Continental
Curved Plastic Lens
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Faurecia
IRYStec perceptual display platform vision
Detroit

Flex and Baidu
Valet park computing unit
Shanghai and Beijing

Flex
Smart power conversion module
Stuttgart

Garrett Motion
E-Turbo for hybrid powertrains
Rolle, Switzerland

Hella Corp.
Brake system sensor
Northville, Mich.

IEE
VitaSense child-presence detection system
Bissen, Luxembourg

Inteva Products
InStitch technology with real-time scanning
Troy, Mich.

Joyson Safety Systems
Integrated foam sensor for occupant classification
Pontiac, Mich.

KAR Global
ADESA Simulcast+
Carmel, Ind.

Lear Corp.
Battery disconnect unit
Southfield, Mich.

Marelli
Very-high-pressure GDI fuel system
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials
KyronMAX roof receivers
Mesa, Ariz.

Preh Inc.
Haptic rotary knob bonded to a touch screen surface
Novi, Mich.

RoboSense (Suteng Innovation Technology Co.)
MEMS solid-state automotive lidar
Shenzhen, China

Samsung Electronics
PixCell LED
Giheung, South Korea

Schaeffler Group USA
P2 hybrid module for rear-wheel-drive transmissions
Wooster, Ohio

Superior Industries International Inc.
Environmentally friendly, highly durable chrome-like finish
Dallas

Tekion
Automotive Retail Cloud
San Ramon, Calif.

Valeo
Data interface for ultrasonic near-field perception systems
Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany

Valeo
eAccess 48-volt electric powertrain system
Saint Quentin, France

Valeo Wiper Systems
All-weather lidar cleaning system
La Verriere, France

Vitesco Technologies
Modular coolant flow-control valve
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Work Truck Solutions
Commercial vehicle business model
Chico, Calif.

Yazaki
Battery-mounted power management module
Susono, Japan

Aira
FreePower wireless charging
Chandler, Ariz.

Arbe
4D imaging radar
Tel Aviv, Israel

CNXMotion
Brake-to-Steer
Grand Blanc, Mich.

Continental
Trailer hitch assist
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Continental Structural Plastics
Multimaterial EV battery enclosure
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Detect-It
Coder-free artificial intelligence manufacturing enterprise software
Oak Park, Mich.

GHSP
Grenlite antibacterial lights
Holland, Mich.

Global Safety Textiles
One-piece woven airbag
Maulburg, Germany

Lear Corp.
5G V2X telematics control unit
Southfield, Mich.

Lear Corp.
INTU Thermal Comfort with ClimateSense technology
Southfield, Mich.

Magna International
EtelligentReach advanced all-wheel-drive system for battery-electric vehicles
Troy, Mich.

Marelli
Indoor air-quality purification system
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Marelli
MFL transparent human-machine interface
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Nexteer Automotive
Steer-by-wire with stowable steering column
Auburn Hills, Mich.

Noble Gas Systems
Conformable high-pressure hydrogen tank
Novi, Mich.

PPG Industries
Precision coatings application
Ingersheim, Germany

Sonatus
Dynamic data management solution
Sunnyvale, Calif.

Swift Navigation
Precise positioning
San Francisco

Tenneco
Cold start thermal unit
Southfield, Mich.

Valeo Thermal Systems
e-Silentflow
La Verriere, France

Valeo Thermal Systems
FlexHeater
La Verriere, France

Vayyar
Automotive 4D imaging radar
Yehud, Israel

ZF Friedrichshafen
Self-supporting overhead airbag system
Northville, Mich.