It’s not just great car design or green technology that wins prizes in the automotive industry. The PACE Award, sponsored by Automotive News for 15 years, honors superior innovation, technological advancement and business performance among automotive suppliers.

“Historically the ones that are good change the rules of the game. Over time they become must-haves,” says Dr. Bill Sharfman, director of judging for the Automotive News PACE Awards

“One of the things about good or great innovations is that they tell a compelling story and they become familiar.”

Sharfman notes an example: JCI’s HomeLink, a wireless car-to-home communication system that won a PACE Award in 1995. “Now it’s ‘wallpaper’ but at the time no one had seen anything like it before.”

One of this year’s finalists for the award (the judging will take place in February) could be another one of those widely adopted innovations.

The Magna BlindZoneMirror is a traditional sideview mirror designed with a secondary convex spotter in the top outer corner which always provides a view of the driver’s blind spot.

First announced by Ford Aug. 6, the mirror debuts on the 2009 Ford Edge, as well as on the 2009 Chevy Traverse.

“There have been a number of innovations that have tried to solve the problems of vehicles in your blind space. Many of these have been complex, electronic and expensive,” says Sharfman.

“As opposed to cameras or something that relies on radar or complex electronic systems, this system is relatively simple and you get the added direct visual information in your sideview mirror where you are looking anyway.”

“Our kind of thing,” he remarks, “is often simple, easy-to-use and it enhances capability.”