HIROSHIMA, Japan -- Three researchers from Mazda will be honored for their research achievements at the 60th annual Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan (JSAE) awards presentation. Two researchers will receive the Asahara Science Award and the third will receive the Technological Development Award. The Asahara Science Award recognizes promising young individual members who have published an outstanding research paper in the field of automotive technology. The Technological Development Award is presented to individual members and their co-authors who have developed new products or new technologies that contribute to the evolution of automotive technologies.

The new technology honored by the Technological Development Award is i-stop, Mazda's unique idling stop system. Since its introduction in the all-new Mazda Axela (known overseas as the Mazda3) in June 2009, i-stop has been highly acclaimed as an eco-friendly technology, winning the 2010 RJC Technology of the Year prize from the Automotive Researchers' & Journalists' Conference of Japan and the 2009 Eco-Products Award from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The i-stop system, paired with Mazda's proprietary direct injection engine, significantly improves fuel economy and ensures a natural driving feel.

The award ceremony will take place on May 20 at the Pacifico Yokohama Convention Center.

[Asahara Science Awards]

Awarded for: "Development of platinum group metals (PGM) single-nanocatalyst technology"

Recipient: Seiji Miyoshi, Powertrain Development Dept., Mazda Motor Corporation

This research paper describes the development of a catalyst material structure that uses single-nanotechnology, which controls smaller particles than conventional nanotechnology, to suppress the thermal degradation of precious metals used in automobile catalytic converters. The research contributed significantly to the development of a single-nanocatalyst that uses approximately 70 percent less precious metal than conventional catalysts.

Awarded for: "Absorption Technique for Road Noise"

Recipient: Naoko Yorozu, Technical Research Center, Mazda Motor Corporation

Common sound insulating materials used in vehicle interiors are unable to effectively absorb intermediate frequency sounds such as road noise. Through this research, which focused on the principle of improving the sound insulating property of materials by reducing particle velocity, a new sound absorption technique was developed that curbs road noise and reduces the weight of the insulating material. The new sound absorbent material is expected to be used widely.

[Technological Development Award]

Awarded for: "Mazda's unique combustion restart idling stop system, i-stop"

Recipient: Kenichiro Saruwatari, Program Management Div., Mazda Motor Corporation

The i-stop system is Mazda's unique idling stop technology. It restarts the engine by injecting fuel directly into a cylinder while the engine is stopped and detonating it to generate downward piston force. In order to maximize this force, i-stop is equipped with advanced technology that controls piston positions as the engine shuts down and ensures there is clean air inside the cylinders. With these features, i-stop achieves a fast engine restart in just 0.35 seconds, and ensures a natural driving feel with no intrusive noise or vibration.

[Recent Mazda recipients of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan awards]

2009: Motonori Ishibashi won the Outstanding Technical Paper Award for "Characterizing indices of driving style and their relevance to car following behavior."

Kouichiro Harada, Hiroshi Yamada, Hiroki Fujita, Kenji Okamoto and Akihide Takami won the Technological Development Award for "Development of a high-performance particulate burning catalyst with oxygen ion conductive materials."

2008: Kenji Suzuki, Kouichiro Harada, Hiroshi Yamada, Kenji Okamoto and Akihide Takami won the Outstanding Technical Paper Award for "Study on low temperature oxidation of diesel particulate matters by oxygen storage component for the catalyzed diesel particulate filter."

2007: Daisuke Shimo won the Asahara Science Award for "Emission Reduction in Diesel Engines through Large-Scale Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and Intake Air Cooling."

Tsutomu Shigenaga and Toshihiro Yoshida won the Technological Development Award for "Development and Commercialization of Environmentally Friendly High Uniformity Electrodeposition Paint."

2006: Taeko Shimizu won the Asahara Award of Merit in Technology for "Long-Term Achievement in Research and Development on Vehicle Emission Analysis Techniques and Noxious Substance Reduction Techniques."

Katsuya Nishiguchi, Toshiyuki Gendo, Kenji Takase, Yohei Shoji and Kunihiko Tao won the Technological Development Award for "Development of Iron-Aluminum Spot Friction Welding Technology."