Anton van Zanten (75) gets a well-deserved award

Posted on 09-06-2016 at 14:01 by autoblogger – 27 Comments”

Streets and highways are a lot safer thanks to the rijveiligheidssystemen for which the Dutch engineer Anton van Zanten has laid the foundation.

During his more than 40-year career, developed Van Zanten, the computer controlled ESP system (Electronic Stability Program) and other solutions that are now required in many new cars. For this performance, the EPO (European Patent office) him today – during a festive ceremony in Lisbon – awarded the European Inventor Award in the category Lifetime Achievement.

“The inventions of Anton van Zanten – in combination with his 40-year career as an engineer – are the living proof of the power of innovation”, commented european patent OFFICE President Benoît Battistelli, the choice of the jury. “Are creatiedrang to computer-controlled rijveiligheidssystemen to make has countless accidents occur and thousands of lives have been saved.”

The European Inventor Award is presented annually by the european patent OFFICE organized, already for the eleventh time. During the ceremony to be extraordinary inventors from Europe and the rest of the world distinguish, which was a special contribution to social development, technical progress and economic growth. The fifteen finalists in five categories: Lifetime Achievement, Industry, SMES, Research and Non-European countries) are chosen by an independent international jury, consisting of nearly 400 persons and teams of inventors. The presentation of the Awards in the MEO Arena in Lisbon was attended by some 600 prominent guests, the opening was conducted by EPO President Battistelli, prime minister António Costa from Portugal, and the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas.

Anton was ahead of its time
In the mid – ’70 had Van Zanten as a young researcher, his eye already drop an old problem with regard to driving safety; if you, as a motorist abruptly braking, for example, an animal crossing or a falling tree, the wheels tend to block, giving the rider the lose control of the car and run the risk of the road to hit, often with fatal consequences. Van Zanten provided a way to block this to avoid, namely, by brake pressure to apply to each individual wheel (explanation). The opportunity to include his theory about this with a state-of-the-art research to test came in 1977 when he joined the German company Robert Bosch. He started in the team behind the development of ABS (anti-lock) sat. Then he was by a Bosch appointed to the ESP system. The principle of ESP is that the on-board computer with the help of sensors, a dangerous slip or blockage to recognize, and then within a few milliseconds, the lateral movement of the car fixes.

According to a survey of Bosch’s ESP system until the day of today is almost 260.000 accidents occur, and about 8,500 saved lives, in Europe alone. This is ESP after the seat belt on the second place when it comes to the life-saving effects. Maybe ESP will even be better, because the system in the first place, accidents occur. Movie with Anton: check!

A true inventor
During his influential career, Van Zanten, never throttle back. He has approximately 180 patents to his name, of which 36 are related to driving safety. A direct successor of ESP was a second system to accidents to reduce the braking of all four wheels of a vehicle are automatically activated when a collision is imminent. Van Zanten: “Patents are very important to your inventions to protect”. He is now honored with a number of the highest awards in the field of automotive technology. Since 2003, he is already retired, but van Zanten still gives lessons at various universities and is a consultant for several leading automotive companies. Asked for his powers of innovation, he says: “You can only be an inventor if you are not satisfied. If you are satisfied, then you have no urge to create something new.”

We are proud of this man. And there are so many more things to be proud of in the Netherlands, after all, we have a thriving auto industry. Want to know more? Check out this article!