TÜV NORD GROUP’s AI monitoring solution for amusement park rides wins the 2026 German Excellence Award
Essen/Hamburg, 9 February 2026 – DMT RideGuard, the AI-powered system for real-time monitoring of amusement park rides, has been awarded the German Excellence Prize 2026. The monitoring system, developed by DMT, a company within the TÜV NORD GROUP, received the award in the ‘Digital Solutions & AI’ category. The prize is awarded by the German Institute for Service Quality in collaboration with DUP UNTERNEHMER magazine and recognises companies that achieve measurable impact through innovative products and services.
The German Excellence Award is one of the most prestigious business awards in Germany. In its eighth edition, more than 100 companies, start-ups and organisations entered the competition. The winners were selected through a multi-stage process by an independent jury comprising representatives from business, academia and the media. The assessment focused in particular on the degree of innovation, the benefits and the practical relevance of the submitted solutions.
With DMT RideGuard, DMT offers the world’s first AI-supported system for condition monitoring of amusement rides. During operation, sensors continuously record vibration and motion data, which is automatically analysed using AI algorithms. This enables anomalies to be detected at an early stage, maintenance measures to be planned effectively and operational safety to be enhanced in the long term.
“This award confirms our approach of deploying modern AI technologies specifically where they create real added value,” says Dr Maik Tiedemann, CEO of DMT and CEO of the TÜV NORD Business Unit Energy & Resources. “Particularly with safety-critical installations such as amusement rides, it is essential to use data intelligently in order to effectively integrate operation, maintenance and safety. For us, the German Excellence Award is recognition of our team’s work and a strong signal of the importance of data-based systems in technical monitoring.”
With this award, DMT further emphasises its commitment to using digital technologies responsibly in safety-critical applications and, together with operators, setting new standards for proactive, data-driven and AI-supported technical monitoring that enhances safety and system availability. DMT RideGuard is already being used successfully at Movie Park Germany, Karls Erlebnis-Dorf and other theme parks worldwide, where it continuously provides valuable condition data to optimise operational safety and improve efficiency in maintenance and servicing.
The German Excellence Award is presented annually and recognises excellence in a changing economy. The patron of the award is the former Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Brigitte Zypries. The winners will be published in DUP UNTERNEHMER magazine, issue 1-2026. The jury thus recognised a digital solution that stood out in the selection process due to its level of innovation, its tangible benefits and its practical
applicability.
About the German Excellence Award
The German Excellence Award is presented by the German Institute for Service Quality and DUP UNTERNEHMER magazine. The award recognises companies and initiatives that impress through their innovative strength, professional implementation and demonstrable impact. The selection is made by an independent jury comprising representatives from business, academia and the media.
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