SUSTAINABLE

INNOVATIONS

The Magna 2030 plan, a collaborative effort between groups, is one of the best examples of the company’s “green” efforts.

“We’re envisioning what the car of 2030 will be like, especially in terms of sustainability,” said Pierre Gompertz, the senior global product manager at Magna Electronics. “We’re thinking about how to save fuel, be more efficient, and how groups ranging from Powertrain to Mechatronics to Electronics can combine our strengths and skills in designing products for the car of the future.”

In the meantime, sustainable innovations keep flowing out of the Magna product pipeline.

Case in point: Magna’s patented adaptive cruise control with a front camera module, which will hit the market in 2022. This first-to-market, next-generation version replaces black-and-white images with color, and offers higher resolution and new features. It can detect animals, wheelchairs, and is even able to predict pedestrians’ behavior.

“Being able to anticipate and predict what’s ahead can result in significant savings in terms of fuel,” Gompertz said.

The positive feedback from automakers is encouraging when it comes to Magna’s products and environmentally friendly strategy.

“We design everything with an eye toward making it accessible for entry- level cars to high-end vehicles,” Gompertz said. “Our customers really like our approach to safety and sustainability.”

Cultivating Community Spirit

For Pierre Gompertz, sustainability means riding his mountain bike to run errands in his hometown of Berkley, Michigan. It also means doing volunteer work as part of Fresh Era Detroit, a community engagement group.

Recently, Gompertz helped unemployed people with their resumes and was part of a group that renovated the Belle Isle aquarium. He worked in the Crossroads soup kitchen and built tiny front-yard libraries for neighborhood book exchanges.

“You need to share,” explained Gompertz, the senior global product manager at Magna Electronics. “My wife Jessica and I made the commitment to do this. We have a house and food on the table. You can’t forget about the people who are not as fortunate.”

Growing up in Paris, Gompertz loved cars – and the earth. His family had a second home that was built in the 17th century in the small town of Brethel, where he received early lessons in taking care of the environment.

“The house was surrounded by barren land, and I started helping my dad when I was five or six,” Gompertz said. “Eventually we created a little forest of oak, beech and pine trees, and lots of flowers.”

Later, he earned a master’s degree in markets and company economics from the Universite Paris-Dauphine, with a focus on sustainability. His automotive career includes a stint designing battery packs for electric powertrains.

After recently celebrating his first anniversary at Magna, Gompertz said he admires the “community spirit” he finds here.

“It’s a state of mind,” he said. “It’s what makes Magna really unique.”

PIERRE GOMPERTZ, Senior global product manager at Magna Electronics.