Diamond Bar Calif. -- The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) announced their inaugural Vehicle Design Award Program created to honor original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who make accessory-friendly vehicles. The announcement comes just prior to the 2004 SEMA Show in Las Vegas the largest automotive aftermarket trade event where the industry unveils thousands of new products.The philosophy behind the Vehicle Design Awards is to recognize original equipment manufacturers for their foresight when building exciting new vehicles and sharing advanced product information with SEMA members said Carl Sheffer vice president OEM relations. The important OEM contribution to the aftermarket needs to be celebrated and the Vehicle Design Awards do just that.To judge the vehicles in each category SEMA surveyed their member companies who regularly participate in these OEM-centered programs so that the SEMA Design Awards would be quantifiable and not the result of subjective taste. Who better to rate vehicles according to their accessory-friendly abilities than the very same individuals who make the products said Christopher J. Kersting SEMA president and CEO. Our voters are the member companies driving automotive enthusiasm at every level and aftermarket consumers will benefit from their efforts in this program.SEMA will reveal the winner of the all-new accessory-friendly vehicle at the California International Auto Show in Anaheim on Wednesday Oct. 27. Award presentations for most accessory-friendly truck and SUV will be given prior to the SEMA Show during the AutoWeek/Automotive News Specialty Vehicle Forum on Monday Nov. 1 at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. New car or truck buyers want vehicles they can personalize and customize said Kersting. The awards program will help identify for the consumer which vehicles have great potential for accessories such as wheels mobile electronics performance parts and exterior styling components.