Brose Development Engineer Wins E.ON Culture Prize

Sebastian Heinze, one of the top graduates in Bavaria, has been awarded the Bavarian Culture Prize of E.ON Bayern AG for his final-year thesis, “Development of an infinite mechanical cheek for vehicle doors.” Heinze wrote his thesis while working at the international automotive supplier Brose as a part of his course of study in mechanical engineering at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences.

The young engineer wanted to find ways to make entering and leaving a car easier and safer. He focused on replacing the usual fixed-stop mechanism with one that is continuously variable.

His wide-ranging investigation led him to several feasible solutions. The most innovative one was the hydrodynamic friction brake, which made its first appearance in a concept vehicle at the IAA in 2007.

Since graduating last year, Heinze has been working as a development engineer at Brose, where he has been refining and perfecting the system.

The E.ON Culture Prize was awarded for the fourth time this year. It is given to top graduates of Bavaria’s institutions of higher learning for outstanding research and to persons engaged in the arts and culture.