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www.autocomponentsindia.com Vol 6 Issue 09
November 2019
COMPONENTS
INDIA
Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)
VOICE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIERS
POWERTRAIN COMPONENTS GAIN IMPORTANCE
Daimler India sets its sights high /autocomponentsindiaofficial
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MTBD on track for BSVI /autocomponentsindia
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CONTENT
NOVEMBER 2019
y r o t s ver
Co
COVER STORY 24 Daimler India sets its sights high 30 Ashok Leyland is BSVI ready 34 MTBD on track for BSVI 40 WABCO AMTs 42 Carraro widens India scope
06 | NEWS
Rakesh Makhija joins Castrol India Tiago Wizz Limited Edition
Minda Group acquires Delvis NXP India and HCL MoU
14 | CORPORATE
Meritor expansion andR&D centre Schaeffler REPXPERT
20| Q & A
BSVI Catalyst Getac to focus on India
48 | BY INVITATION Future of CVs
56 | SPECIAL REPORT VR Driver Training Simulation
ZF partners Mahindra Racing NGK Spark Plugs launches glow plugs Citroen partners with KMPL UFI Filters’ aftermarket production plant 44 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n NOVEMBER 2019
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EDITOR KEYS IN
AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Tel +91 22 43525252, Email us at a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net Executive Editor Ashish Bhatia Editorial Advisory Board H. S. Billimoria, Aspi Bhathena Correspondent Sricharan R (Chennai) Head - Design & Production Ravi Parmar Asst Art Director Ajit Manjrekar Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Publisher Marzban Jasoomani General Manager – North & East Ellora Dasgupta General Manager – South Girish Shet Deputy General Manager – North & East Chanchal Arora (Delhi) Regional Marketing Manager Salma Jabbar (Chennai) Marketing Manager Minocher Parakh (Mumbai) Manager Circulation - North and East Kapil Kaushik (Delhi) Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 22 43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Srinivas Gangula (Hyderabad) Cell +91 09000555756 Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Vidyasagar Gupta (Kolkata) Mob: 09804085683 REGIONAL MARKETING OFFICES Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Tel +91 22 43525252 26 B, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Okhla Phase III, New Delhi - 110020, India Tel +91 11 42346600/78, Fax +91 11 42346679 Unit No:509, 5th Floor, ‘B’ wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bengaluru - 560001, India Tel +91 080 66110116/17, Fax +91 80 41472574 Cenetoph Elite, No.5, Cenetoph 1st street, Teynampet, Chennai - 600018, India Tel +91 044 421-08-421/044 421-75-421
Technology has a shelf life of a banana
I
can’t help myself but quote American Businessman Scott G. McNealy, one of the co-founders of computer technology company Sun Microsystems founded in 1982. “Technology has a shelf life of a banana.” Like the ink tank printers are fast making a compelling case for customers to steer away from inkjet printers with their higher yield capacity, alternative powertrains are threatening the internal combustion engine dominance. While being a firm believer that every technology has a gestation period, some lesser than the others, it still surprises me to see the pace at which the components industry as a whole is evolving. Fast forward from my last visit to Belgium in 2017 to my recent 2019 visit, the components constituting a driveline have undergone a sea change. From EV drivelines being talked of as prototypes to EVs being commercialised, and mass commercialised in countries like China, the world has clearly moved on to newer innovations. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are now ready with Fuel cell-based prototypes and production-ready units. Known to surpass the energy density of most batteries, the OEMs are creating a pull for fuel cells in markets typically known to consume conventional fossil fuels. This pull is beginning to make a strong business case with the required infrastructure being put in place to lay the foundation of yet another wave of change. While we wait for fuel cells to be mass commercialised, it might not be a bad idea, after all, to ponder over it with the Banana Boat Song playing in the background. Stack banana till the mornin’ come! The November ‘Powertrain Special’ delves a lot deeper to make the hunt for this answer easier for you. We touch base with Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra Truck and Bus Division to capture their BSVI journey while looking at technology companies like Wabco, Meritor and Carraro. You will also find an exclusive interaction with Director at Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) on the certification and approval of BSVI products gathering speed. Prof. Dhananjay Kumar helps us further join the dots as he predicts the future of CV powertrains. As always there is ample focus on new aftermarket and road safety initiatives. Here’s hoping you find the November issue of Auto Components India an interesting read and something you can fall back upon even in the future. Ashish Bhatia Executive Editor | a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net /autocomponentsindiaofficial
@ACImagazine
/autocomponentsindia
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Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material. All material published in Auto Components India is copyright and no part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the express prior written permission of the publisher Printed by Marzban Jasoomani Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Printed at Spring Graphics, 215 & 238, Shah & Nahar Industrial Estate, Sun Mill Compund, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai 400013, India. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013
All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Auto Components India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only. Editor Ashish Bhatia
NOVEMBER 2019 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
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News
Rakesh Makhija joins Castrol India
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utomotive and Industrial lubricant manufacturer Castrol India Limited recently appointed Rakesh Makhija as an independent non-executive director to its Board of Directors, effective October 01, 2019. Averred R Gopalakrishnan, nonexecutive Chairperson, Board of Directors, Castrol India Ltd, “We are very pleased to welcome industry veteran Rakesh Makhija to the Castrol India Board. With his deep domain knowledge and experience of leading successful
businesses in varied sectors, we look forward to his incisive strategic insights which will add enormous value to the Castrol
India business as it aspires to reach new levels of success.” Expressed Rakesh Makhija, “I am excited to join the Board of Castrol India. Castrol is a strong brand and an industry leader in India. I look forward to working with the Board and management as it explores new innovative technology solutions to continuously delight its customers and consumers.” In the past, Makhija has served as the non-executive Chairperson in SKF India from July 2015 to May 2019. He also serves a three-year term as non-
executive Chairperson at Axis Bank effective July 2019. With a four-decade of significanttop management experience, Makhija has held senior sales and general management roles including the holding of international positions across companies like Tata Honeywell and Honeywell International, the global industrial and aerospace company and Kinetics Technology International BV (now Technip), a process engineering and contracting company in the Netherlands. ACI
Tiago Wizz Limited Edition
T
ata Motors announced the launch of its limitededition Tiago Wizz. A premium variant, it is now part of the Tiago portfolio priced at Rs.5.40 lakh (Ex-showroom Delhi). Mentioned Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, “The Tiago is one of the most popular cars in its segment and has been on constant growth since its launch. Tiago with over 2.5 lakh happy customers is well received by customers as a young, premium and fun hatchback.” “This youthful limited edition will add to the premium and fun quotient of the brand,” he added. The Tiago Wizz will be offered in a titanium grey body colour tone
with 10 new special features over its exterior and interior. For instance, the exterior features a black contrast roof, hyper style wheels with canyon orange accents, canyon orange ORVM, chrome badging, canyon orange grille inserts. The interior features include full
fabric seats with canyon orange deco-stitch, granite black inner door handle,
titanium Grey gear shift bezel and an air vent bezel, canyon Orange side, centre Air Vent Ring. ACI
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News
ZF partners Mahindra Racing
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in addition to the electric motor, the company’s other development projects includes a singlegear, highly efficient transmission and power electronics known to have been specifically designed for motorsports application. The sixth Formula E season, which starts in November, will have ZF extending development support to Mahindra Racing in the domain of chassis development expertise. It will also provide the team with specially developed shock absorbers and engineering services. ACI
fter ending technology partnership with Monegasque motor racing team Venturi Racing for Formula E, Mahindra Racing has found its official powertrain partner in ZF Friedrichshafen AG. The latter is known to have already started the development of an electric driveline for the 2020-21 season of ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Testing the newly developed driveline, ZF has built on the successful development legacy over the recent years. Forward planning for the start of the next year,
NGK Spark Plugs launches glow plugs
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GK Spark Plugs (India) Pvt. Ltd., has recently launched a range of glow plugs for diesel cars and SUVs in India. Available in other international markets, NGK foresees steady growth in glow plugs market demand in the future.
The company claims that glow plugs help to reach the required ignition temperatures in a very short span of time and aid in quick engine start of diesel vehicles. Based primarily
on either Self Regulating Metal (SRM) or Quick Glow System (QGS) technology, the glow plugs form an important part of the ignition system for diesel engines of most passenger
vehicles. NGK Spark Plugs offers double coil feature-based glow plugs in SRM and QGS technologies, which are claimed to offer multiple benefits including reliable cold start, quick engine start-up, and long service life. ACI
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News
Citroën partners with KMPL
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and Marketing, Citroën India said, “At Citroën, we are continuously on the lookout for new collaborations that will deliver best ownership experience to our future customers and dealer partners.” Believing that auto finance is a big enabler for customers to buy cars in India, he feels this partnership with the prominent financial institutes like KMPL will offer new-age finance solutions by supporting future customers in ownership and dealers for seamless access to customised credit solutions.ACI
itroën, a brand of global auto conglomerate, Groupe PSA has partnered with Kotak Mahindra Prime Ltd (KMPL), a car finance company, which offers innovative retail finance and enables mobility solutions in India. The partnership will enable customers to get access to finance solutions and value-added products besides giving dealers access to customised credit solutions in India. Speaking on the partnership, Roland Bouchara, Senior Vice President, Sales
UFI Filters’ aftermarket production plant
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iltration technology and thermal management solution provider UFI Filters has launched its first aftermarket plant at Bahadurgarh in NCR with an investment of Euro 10 million to serve both the local spare parts market and export requirements. Spread over 5,000 sq.m, it claims to meet European Standards for processes and quality with ISO 9001-certification. At full capacity, the plant is expected to employ around 300 employees. With plans of an initial production capacity of six million filters annually,
including cabin filters and air filters for cars and heavy
vehicles, and dedicated hydraulic filtration spares,
production can be scaled up to produce six million units over two shifts. It can further be scaled up to eight million with three-shifts. Averred Hridesh Sharma, CEO, UFI Filters India, “This new industrial site opening is part of our strategy to offer highquality spare parts to the Indian market. The new India operation will make it possible to provide products that are dedicated to the growing demands of the aftermarket sector and will allow the Group to grow its business in line with our vision.” ACI
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11
News
Minda Group acquires Delvis
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uto components maker Minda Industries Ltd. is set to acquire Germany-based automotive lamps engineering and design company Delvis for approximately Euro 21 million (Rs.164 crore). Determined to acquire technological capabilities in the existing product lines, the company has announced definitive agreements with shareholders of Delvis. For instance, the
company will acquire 100 per cent interest shares in the German company’s two subsidiaries- Delvis Solution and Delvis Delvis Products. Stated NK Minda, CMD at Minda, “The automotive lighting industry has seen a major shift in technology with the advent of LED-based lighting products. With the global markets having migrated to LED eight to 10 years ago, the India market is said to be witnessing a pull for this
technology. With the acquisition, the company hopes to be able to bridge the void Delvis’ cutting edge technology. Using a mix
of debt and equity to fund the takeover, the acquisition is expected to conclude over the next couple of months. ACI
NXP India and HCL MoU
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XP India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HCL Technologies for next-gen advanced electronics and semiconductor product development during the inaugural ceremony of IndiaNetherlands Technology Summit 2019. In the presence of Royal Dutch couple, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima and the senior ministers from both countries, NXP India signed MoU’s with selected partners for the development of Next-Gen Automotive and IoT solutions. Of the opinion that the MoU signifies a strong technology collaboration between the two technology giants, Sanjay Gupta, Vice-President & India Country Manager, NXP India mentioned, “Considering the transformations taking place in the industry, this MOU will be a winwin situation for both the companies, speeding up the semiconductor development and time to market.” He said that the joint venture will solve the roadblocks swiftly and quickly to develop meaningful solutions in the
areas of advanced automated connected cars and low power IOT applications
to expand the Indian semiconductor ecosystem. ACI
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CORPORATE
Meritor expansion and R&D centre Meritor expands production facility and sets up an R&D centre at Mysuru. Story by: Sricharan R
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ooking beyond the slowdown weighing upon the auto sector in India, Meritor Inc is invested in growth. The company has recently commissioned a new USD 36.5 million (Rs.250 million approximately) axle assembly facility at ‘Automotive Axles’, a joint venture arrangement with the
USD 25 million Kalyani Group, at Mysuru. Apart from the production facility expansion, the company has also set up a new Research and Development (R&D) centre expected to help the company in better serving the customers. Said to expand Meritor India’s production capacity by 25 per cent, the axle assembly
facility is expected to equip the company to better serve customers in the commercial vehicle, off-highway and defense sectors. Together with the R&D centre, the new additions took 18 months to complete. For Meritor Inc., the two initiatives mark a significant step forward given its M 2022 strategic plan.
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CORPORATE Confident that the two (axle assembly facility and R&D centre) will contribute to the M 2022 strategic plan, which is about protecting and growing market-leading positions with best-in-class products and services, Meritor Inc. is looking at a considerable uptake in its activities in India. While Automotive Axles, which produces drive and non-drive axles, front steer axles, specialty and defense axles as well as drum and disc brakes, is one company that it operates in association with the Kalyani Group, there is another entity in association with the Kalyani Group, called Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems (India) Ltd., which manufactures drivetrain solutions for heavy commercial, military and off-highway applications. Expressed Jay Craig, CEO, and President, Meritor, that the two ventures are strong assets that the company has invested in, and will ensure better
positioning from a future growth perspective in the region. Keen to leverage the strong partnership with the Kalyani Group and its ability to generate significant revenue, Meritor is looking at the new facility and the R&D centre to fuel the M 2022 strategic plan in terms of revenue, profitability, manufacturing excellence, and customer satisfaction. To focus on end-to-end testing and validation of domestic and global products of the company, Meritor is looking at serving its customers well. It is looking at responding faster and with better solutions to offers. Doing this, it is confident, will help it to retain the edge that it has gathered. Said Craig, “We lead in the development of market-leading products that differentiate themselves over others. Our global business is growing, and the new initiatives that we have taken in India will support our strategic plan of protecting and growing our positions with bestin-class products and services.” Increasing the independence of the Indian operations to be able to respond to market changes quickly, the R&D centre at Mysuru will test products for both the Indian as well as the company’s global customer universe. Craig further drew attention to the 13x axle of the company. He mentioned that the company is looking at the Indian operations to contribute handsomely to the growth of Meritor the world over. “This axle,” he added, “is made in India and is popular in global markets including the USA.”
q Strengthening capabilities
Stating that they are having a solid long-term plan in place, Thimmaiah Napanda, Vice President and Managing Director, India and Australia, Meritor, averred that the two initiatives have enhanced our ability to support customers. Deriving from its long 100 years old legacy, and about providing
innovative products that offer superior performance, efficiency, and reliability, Meritor is looking at a healthy business mix in India where both the new and the traditional products are doing well. It was some two years ago that the company introduced the slippertype suspension range for heavy CVs in India. For its induction in the market, the company is working with leading CV manufacturers in India. Expanding to markets like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, Meritor is keen to increase its reach in the South East Asian markets. With manufacturing facilities at Jamshedpur, Hosur, and Pantnagar, apart from Mysuru, Meritor has been operating engineering centres at Bengaluru and Mysuru. It has been operating an aftermarket distribution centre at Pune. Looking at a strong growth momentum through customer focus and product innovation, Meritor, which completed its acquisition of AxleTech from global investment firm, The Carlyle Group, recently, is keen to expand its product offering in India in the wake of the changing market dimensions and requirements. Earning Paccar’s 2018 10 PPM Quality Award for meeting or exceeding the rigorous standard of 10 or fewer defective parts for every onemillion parts shipped to the OEM, the US-based company is looking at a sizeable uptake in its operations in India as it changes in its form and function; gathers new capabilities and an ability to serve other markets. 15 15
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NOVEMBER 2019 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
CORPORATE to China, Brazil, USA, and Europe. It does sub-system exports as well as end-customer exports. It also does direct export to OEMs. As a tier-one company that makes sub-systems and aggregates for OEMs, Meritor in India is looking at expanding its footprint to new regions. It is looking at a considerable uptake in the aftermarket space by expanding its reach in regions like Jammu & Kashmir. Of the opinion that the nature of CVs in such regions would differ from that of others due to the terrain and weather (4x4 and 6x6), Kalyani explained that they have the requisite products to address such requirements. It is only that the OEMs should ask for them.
q Eyeing EVs
( L to R) Jay Craig, CEO and President, Meritor Inc.; Thimmaiah N, VP & MD, India and Australia, Meritor, and Baba Kalyani, Chairman, Automotive Axles and Kalyani Group
Stating that the new R&D centre will empower the design and development of products that meet the needs of the customers, Baba Kalyani, Chairman of Automotive Axles, and Chairman of Kalyani Group, said that they are determined to deliver the best. “Our philosophy of strong and continued customer focus, innovation in products and processes and determination to deliver the best to customers have been key to our success.” Averred Thimmaiah, “Other than enhancing our customer focus, the new initiatives will enhance our ability to cater to international markets.” Meritor exports products
Of the firm opinion that electric vehicles will not exceed 10 per cent of all the vehicles, Baba Kalyani averred that the R&D centre at Mysuru – the Meritor Technology Centre, would enable the company to offer end-to-end testing and validation for different technologies and products. Drawing attention towards the world-class testing and validation equipment and capabilities, which are at par with Meritor’s global technology centre in the US, Graig said, “Most global forecasting
agencies are anticipating 10 per cent battery-run electric vehicles by 2024.” “More than half of them will be in China because they are already leading in certain categories for applications such as transit buses,” he added. In China, around 60 per cent of the total transit bus production is fully electric. Outside of China, this number drops significantly. With an eye on the electric vehicle market, Meritor is developing an axle. It is at the prototype level currently. The company informed a source, is in the process of launching prototypes programmes with many OEMs. With an ambition to be the market leader in the electrified drivetrain, Meritor is keeping a tab on viability. It wants to offer economically viable solutions. This, it is confident, will enable it to be the leader in the category. Revealed Craig, that there are two major factors. “One is cost and the other is the regulatory norms,” he said. Stating that globally many companies are working to reduce the cost of the batteries, Craig explained that their journey to the leadership position hinges on the ability to control costs and meet the regulatory norms. If the new R&D centre at Mysuru will contribute along with the manufacturing operations, Craig preferred not to divulge details. He instead chose to explain how the company was tapping into its global network to develop new solutions in a bid to stay ahead of the curve. Revealing that the new facility is fully automated, and is Industry 4.0 enabled, Thimmaiah averred, “it is made for higher automation and accuracy.” Investing in upskilling of the manpower as they take to modern machines and technologies, Meritor is looking at upping the operational efficiency at various levels. It is looking at operations where 10 skilled workers will be replaced by one highly skilled worker who will sit back and monitor the entire system. ACI
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VLC 200 200 GT GT VLC
HIGH PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE HARD HARD MACHINING MACHINING FOR FOR HIGH GEARBOX PARTS PARTS GEARBOX PRECISE PRECISE
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data for for the the VLC VLC 200 200 GT: GT: Chuck Chuckdiameter, diameter,max. max.210 210mm mmI ISwing Swingdiameter, diameter,max. max.270 270mm mmI IWorkpiece Workpiecediameter, diameter,max. max.160 160mm mmI I Technical data length, max. max. 100 100 mm mm II Travel Traveldistances distancesXX(total (totalstroke strokefrom frompick-up pick-uptototurret) turret)/ /ZZ1,700 1,700/ /250 250mm mmI Loading I Loadingtime time(depending (dependingonon Workpiece length, device) 66 –– 10 10 sec. sec. II Main Main spindle spindlecapacity: capacity:40% 40%duty dutycycle cycle//100% 100%duty dutycycle, cycle,22 22/ /1818kW kWI Main I Mainspindle spindletorque: torque:250 250/ 202 / 202Nm NmI I clamping device) max. speed: speed: 3,000 3,000 rpm rpm IISpindle Spindlebearing bearingdia., dia.,front: front:110 110mm mm Main spindle max.
EMAG · India EMAGIndia IndiaPrivate PrivateLimited Limited“Technology “TechnologyCentre” Centre”I INo. No.17/G/46-3 17/G/46-3· Industrial · IndustrialSuburb SuburbI 2nd I 2ndStage Stage· Yeshwanthpur · YeshwanthpurI Bangalore I Bangalore· 560022 · 560022I Karnataka I Karnataka · India Phone PhoneSales: Sales:++91 9180500 8050050163 50163(Sales) (Sales)I IPhone PhoneService: Service:++919180500 8050050165 50165I E-mail: I E-mail:sales.India@emag.com sales.India@emag.comI www.emag.com I www.emag.com
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Schaeffler REPXPERT Schaeffler India’s automotive-aftermarket division ups the ante of quality training to garages with the launch of REPXPERT. Story by: Anwesh Koley
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Both existing fleet owners and retailers can avail the benefits offered through the REPXPERT Truck
ith Schaeffler’s India automotive aftermarket division responsible for the company’s global spare parts business and for delivering innovative repair solutions in original equipment quality, the company recently announced a new aftermarket initiative to up the ante. To ensure that components from its four brands LuK, INA, FAG and Ruville like clutch and release systems, engine and transmission applications, and chassis applications are well-tuned to work in sync, the company announced its focus on offering comprehensive services to garages through a new brand REPXPERT. Through the new brand, the company aims
to conduct practically oriented training seminars besides offering repair assistance via a dedicated hotline and a garage portal. It has additionally developed specialised tools to meet the objective of training. The company has also launched a mobile training centre called the ‘REPXPERT Truck’ under the new brand. As the company’s first mobile training centre, the van will travel across 50 cities by the end of this year covering a total distance of around 2300 kms in a span of 100 days, with over 400 man training hours. The truck will primarily target the multi-brand repair garages across the country. Besides, existing fleet owners and retailers can also avail the benefits offered through
the REPXPERT Truck. It was in 2016, in Langen, in the Offenbach district in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany where the company first announced the REPXPERT brand suite of an online portal, service hotline, installation instructions and videos, training seminars or events built from the learnings gathered over forty years of the Schaeffler experience in the automotive aftermarket. In India, the mobile training facility will provide customers with training modules covering transmissions, engines and chassis system. Among its technical programs are included facilities like special fitment tools, standard fitment practices, failure diagnosis, product demo, tutorial videos and the Schaeffler product portfolio. For instance, the company with around 15 product lines and almost 40 product types, will impart training over these in one session. Each session will span a duration of three-four hours. Each batch size would be around eight to 10 trainees. The company intends to keep small batches keeping in mind the ideal trainer to student ratio for better-personalised attention. According to Debasish Satpathy, Vice President (Automotive Aftermarket), Schaeffler India, all efforts are being made by the technical training department at Schaeffler to ensure that the most relevant target segment is
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CORPORATE addressed. “The mobile training centre is equipped with state-ofart automotive technical training facilities, products, spare parts and repair tools as well as handson training materials, bringing to fore the latest in automotive technology,” averred Satpathy. He claimed that the company had appointed full-time trainers to engage at the centre. These trainers would inturn impart training on standard fitment practices and in areas like examination of failure diagnosis of all mechanical parts, along-with facilities of effective home-tutorial videos looked at as effective and productive ways over conventional training methodology. “This also forms part of our brand-building exercise as well as we believe it is not sufficient to supply parts to our customers, but it is equally important to keep them abreast with the latest technology and techniques to extract the best from our components,” added Satpathy. To address the void existent in skill-set levels identified in the aftermarket especially garages, Satpathy explained that it was crucial to address the anomaly for which constant training is mandatory. “This technical van has been equipped with all the required tools to provide a handson-training to mechanics,” he said. Satpathy further drew attention to repairs in the CV space, where he opined that professional repairs were not possible without deploying special tools for the task. The tailor-made special tools on offer with this mobile training unit are expected to provide mechanics with an optimal solution. “The training systems are specially designed for your requirements in the garage. With them, installing or removing parts, or conducting damage diagnosis, is fast and easy,” he claimed.
Acknowledging a slowdown, Schaeffler India is constantly upscaling its range of products along with its service offerings in order to ensure its customers are granted with wider access to the market. “We are facing an acute downturn in the automotive sector currently and in such a situation, this is probably one of the best initiatives for us,” quipped Satpathy. “When BSVI is implemented, the first impact will be on the exhaust or the emission systems. We will see vehicles with more electronic components. Along with this we will see changes in the transmission systems and it will be important to educate and train manpower towards addressing the challenges, which might come up once the new norms are in place,” he explained. With Schaeffler having recognised that rising complexity of vehicles with passing time, the focus is on supporting garage professionals in dealing with these challenges. It is for this reason that the REPXPERT Truck is equipped with all engine, transmission and chassis products and tools along with professionally-trained service-personnel who will be providing hands-on-training, especially given the demand identified by Schaeffler India in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. In phase 1, the van would cover the northern and western regions, followed by the southern and eastern regions of India. Citing the BSVI norms nearing the rollout deadline of April 01, 2020, Satpathy explained that the OEs were especially paying attention to lower NVH levels made possible by a revamped clutch system. It is where Schaeffler intends to gain an early advantage and develop solutions customised for OEM
Schaeffler India appoints Sanjeev Saxena as Automotive President Schaeffler India recently announced the appointment of Sanjeev Saxena as the company’s new Automotive President. Made responsible for the automotive business of Schaeffler in India, he will operate out from the company headquarters in Pune. The new Automotive President will report to Harsha Kadam, CEO Schaeffler India as per the company release. “I would like to welcome Sanjeev Saxena to the leadership team at Schaeffler. His profound knowledge and distinguished experience will be of great value for the future development of Schaeffler India’s business and customer relationships. We look forward to his valuable contributions and wish him the very best in this new role” said Harsha Kadam, Managing Director, Schaeffler India. Previously, Saxena was Business Vertical Head, Information and Connected Systems at SparkMindaGroup & Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Minda SAI and Minda Stoneridge. With over 29 years of experience, he has worked with big brands like Delphi, Motherson Sumi Systems, Samtel Electron Devices and Purolator Filters with over seven years of consulting experience. Saxena is a mechanical engineer with additional qualifications in training.
requirements. Schaeffler is already in talks with its customers having training centres, and plans to take this training initiative across to students as well. It is banking on collaborative efforts with colleges and technical institutes. However, the students training activity will be taken up in a later phase with the aftermarket segment calling for immediate focus. ACI 19 19
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Q&A
BSVI Catalyst “The Bharat Stage VI emission norms will add value to the consumer and the market needs some kind of protection for a seamless transition of customers taking this quantum leap,” says Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), in an exclusive interaction with Ashish Bhatia of Auto Components India. Q: Being a catalyst for the BSVI rollout between the government and the manufacturers, how do you think the industry is shaping up from ARAI’s perspective? Rashmi: I have seen the industry from the close quarters. A lot of 1` pain has gone into deciding the products will not only be BSVI compliant but also crash
safety compatible. So we are entering an era where the consumers will get very safe and environment friendly products. Hence I see no hesitation that this technology will add value to the consumer and the market which needs some kind of protection for a seamless transition of customers taking this quantum leap.
Q: What measures is ARAI taking to ensure that the transition to BSVI is seamless? Rashmi: At ARAI, the testing and homologation is quite comprehensive in nature when it comes to BSVI compliance. For the heavy duty clientele we do the engine testing as well as at the vehicle level there is a NOx emission requirement which
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Q&A process will ensure not just at a level of testing but also for real driving emissions. That also poses some kind of challenges for the consumers that these are high tech vehicles and need to be used properly and maintained. That’s my take on handling these products for aftermarket. Few glitches are expected but I think the manufacturers are gearing up for a comprehensive service network. Upscaling is happening simultaneously too. Q: Can a leeway be given to the manufacturers on the end target in terms of the emission reduction and also the choice of technology to reach there? Rashmi: Yes ofcourse it is possible and the BSVI regulation for example is truly agnostic to any kind of fuel. BSVI has a provision for diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, methanol and so on. Therefore, I feel that the manufacturers do have a degree of freedom but along with it also come the riders of necessary infrastructure. When we talk about methanol as an alternate fuel, obviously with it comes the infrastructure related requirements for methanol distribution. Ethanol blending cannot be left to the retailers. It has to be done in the refineries to ensure the correctness, formulation and quality of petrol which is the demand of the manufacturers and it is rightfully so. Q: Is ARAI ready in terms of homologation ecosystem when it comes to BSVI vehicles and EVs Rashmi: Ofcourse, this centre was conceived five years ago, and therefore we were prepared well in time for not just the homologation but also for the development. For the ecosystem to develop we have the infrastructure in terms of charging stations, protocol development , standardisation, as well as having necessary infrastructure for the
prototypes to be tested and certified. On the vehicle side obviously the electric vehicle homologation additionally involves some safety checks and certain performance checks, so the centre meets all these requirements. And then the third angle is ofcourse the critical component development features such as motors, the e-motors and controllers. So we not only have these distinct facilities but also simulation networks with the capability to design these products. And also sometimes capability of optimisation to cater to the larger vehicle segments. So that capability exists at ARAI. Q: Is the entire industry certified for April 2020 BSVI roll out? Rashmi: We had a very detailed discussion with the manufacturers about what is the rationale plan
because we would like to avoid the last minute rush thereby denying the opportunity for the manufacturers to come and do the homologation. So a very structured planning has gone into assigning them slots. I can foresee that all the manufacturers will get ready with atleast the fast moving products and the vehicles would be ready by the deadline. And then as the strategic table moves the other remaining products also would be ready. So as far as our balancing work load is concerned we have created about three distinct teams that handle emission requirements. So at any given point of time 3 or 4 manufacturers can come to us to do the test and homologation. We have also shortened the testing cycle and the processing time to cater to the large work load. We are very happy to inform you that the teams are performing exceedingly well. ACI 21 21
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Q&A
Getac to focus on India Getac Technology Corporation, a key subsidiary of MiTAC-Synnex Business Group was established in 1989 as a JV with GE Aerospace to supply defence electronic products. Into rugged notebooks, rugged tablet PCs and mobile video solutions for military, public safety, utility, manufacturing, transportation and logistics customers, the Taiwan based company is looking to tap the automotive market in India with its recently launched products. Rowina Lee, Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development Centre, Getac Technology Corporation speaks to Sricharan R on new trends, the go-to-market strategy and more. Excerpts: Q. How do you plan to penetrate the India market? Lee: The Automotive, public safety, pharmaceutical and manufacturing segments are the fast-growing sectors in India. They are the key markets for Getac. The Indian government is also making recurring investments to promote the security and prosperity of its citizens. Here, the automotive industry is one of the key focus sectors for us in India. We are fortunate to have one of India’s largest manufacturer of automobiles as our prestigious client. We have been in India for over five years now, and are seeing more opportunities with both local and global customers based out of the country. Rugged devices such as ATEX-certified products will help increase productivity, especially in potentially hazardous environments.
rugged tablets such as UX10 can be used in the automotive industry to help ease the process of inspection during quality assurance checks. Rugged tablets such as UX10 can speed up quality checks in the assembly line by facilitating the appearance of various indicators concurrently on its screen through an onboard diagnostic tool. It allows more time for thorough checks of the unit without affecting the output of production.
products are built to perform, featuring the 8th generation powerful Intel® Core™ processors, super-fast flash storage and high-performance graphics. Getac’s revolutionary LumiBond®2.0 technology, bonding the display glass with the touch panel and LCD, enhances touch functionality and provides a display that is more readable, both indoors and outdoors, offering better contrast and crisper colours.
heavy rain, and can even be used while wearing gloves. UX10 MILSTD-810G and IP65 ratings also ensure operation in temperatures ranging from -29 to +63 degrees Celsius and drop resistance of up to 1.8 metres (six feet). Our latest UX10 is equipped with multiple configurable factories installed options to fit diverse usage scenarios, providing high flexibility to a range of industries in India and Asia.
Rugged devices offer better total cost of ownership over commercial devices. They allow users to work carefree in the field by avoiding downtime and machine failure. Our latest
The device is a 10.1-inch Full HD LumiBond® touchscreen display with 1,000 nits of brightness and an optional digitiser mode which offers crystal clarity in all weather conditions, from bright sunlight to
Q. What are the new trends in rugged equipment industry that the auto sector could watch out for?
Q. What is the new product portfolio mix for India? Lee: We recently introduced the UX10 rugged tablet. The UX10 offers reliability, powerful performance and lightweight portability to workers operating in challenging field environments every day. Multi-functional
Lee: In the recent Rugged Industry 2019 Global Market Research report by Fortune Business Insights, there is an emphasis on product durability and reliability, with major players of the industry focusing on these unique features in their products. Features such as better internet connectivity, lightweight and multi-tasking functions are some key properties that are in demand in the market. In addition to the report, more customers are also looking at: 1. Thinner and lighter: Consumer products do not provide the rugged protection of our devices, but customers are used to the
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Q&A convenience of such products. Therefore, we develop material technologies to make our rugged products lighter and thinner. At the same time, if you squeeze too thin and small, you cannot get the battery life that is expected of a rugged device, so we must upgrade our components to deliver the same performance with less power. 2. Latest operating systems: Android and Windows 10 are becoming more popular, therefore our products offer options to use both operating systems. 3. Tailor-made user experience: Customers want our products to fit seamlessly into their day-to-day workflow. Therefore, they may want a better way to type into tablets, straps to secure devices to their bodies, etc. We offer a wide range of accessories, from stylus pens to hand straps to vehicle mounts, and we have many customisation options to make sure our products solve our customers’ problems right out of the box. 4. Versatility and portability: We have also recently seen a trend where customers are beginning to appreciate external factors such as versatility and portability. The size of our tablets range from 5.7-inches to 14-inches and some also come with detachable options to suit the needs of customers in various industries. Q. How is the R&D capability? Lee: There are some new features that we have introduced to the market. Getac has engineered thinner and lighter rugged tablets with capabilities for use in various extreme environmental conditions, and also introduced detachable features for versatility and portability. We have also introduced tablets with ANSI and ATEX certification intrinsic safety technology that fully complies with stringent US and EU regulations that govern the certification of products for hazardous locations. Q. How do you ensure a well-differentiated product portfolio from the competition? Lee: What sets us apart from our competitors is the unique ability to create customised
solutions for our customers. We have a strong Research & Development (R&D) team that develops many patented and useful features such as glove-on multitouch screen, sunlight-readable display, hot-swappable dual battery system, and 3D antenna technology. We also have our own mechanical tooling centre that responds to any requirements in mechanical design modifications. Q. With a diversified product range are they any acrosslearnings from one industry to the other? Lee: The importance of understanding the industry and its specific requirement to cater to customers’ varying needs are the biggest learning points for us in Getac. Having worked with companies from industries such as the pharmaceutical industry and automotive has allowed Getac to understand the requirements of these clients based on their external environment and their productivity. With that in mind, Getac identifies that the use of ATEX-certified tablets is a top priority for customers exposed to hazardous working conditions. Q. Do the devices receive Over-the-Air updates? Lee: At Getac, technology and innovation are the core of our company. Over the last 30 years, our R&D and sales teams working very closely together to understand our customers’ needs and develop devices that would suit them. As shared, we tailor our products to fit into customers’ workflow on the user side and on a day-to-day basis. Getac offers configurable devices to customers – we have the ability to take the devices, add different ports, different ways of collecting data by adding cameras, barcode readers, RFID scanners, or add different ways to hold the device with handles and straps. Q. What is your automotive clientele like? Lee: In India, we serve one of the largest
manufacturers of automotive who is our prestige customer. Getac also engages with various system integrators in the automotive industry, that sell their data acquisition system along with our products, wherein they require a rugged or semi-rugged tablet and Getac is positioned as a partner to their the solutions. Globally, Getac works together with Volkswagen AG, supplying them with a customised robust VAS 6150E based on Getac S140 and VAS 6160E, based on Getac A140. The new device combines already integrated components, such as the Offboard Diagnostic Information System Service and the Diagnostic Interface, a system that has been tested extensively according to Volkswagen’s high-quality standards. Q. How exhaustive is your after sales and service network? Lee: We have been partners with Third Wave Exim since 2016, and they are our sole distributor in India. This partnership has resulted in the effective management of queries and orders, as well as the provision of local services and rugged solutions to customers in the country. Getac works with R-Logic, a service partner for global customers. The service centres are present in various parts of India, such as Delhi and Bangalore. ACI 23 23
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COVER STORY
Daimler India sets its sights high Present in India since 2009, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles is keen to play a key role in shaping up the CV industry’s future. Story by: Ashish Bhatia
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nnouncing that its Heavy Duty Truck (HDT) range has been BSVI certified, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) is focusing on offering the best product line to address the operator
requirements. Claiming to be the first CV manufacturer in India to get its HDT range certified for BSVI
at ARAI, DICV has leveraged its Euro6 know-how to develop the BSVI technology for its CVs in India. Stating that they are keen to leverage the early movers’ advantage by extending a finely engineered BSVI technology, Satayakam Arya, Managing Director
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COVER STORY
and CEO, DICV, expressed that the knowledge for BSVI technology stems from Daimler’s global sales of over 1.4 million Euro6 vehicles. Receiving BSVI certification in July 2019, the company, mentioned Arya, has successfully adapted as well as engineered its Euro6 experience and knowledge to devise a suitable technology for the Indian market. Hinting at the development of BSVI technology by taking into consideration some very unique requirements of the Indian operators,
Arya said that the leap from BSIV to BSVI amounts to a big one. He drew attention to the eight to 12 years of transition time taken by Europe and Japan. Among the early movers to the SCR system with the pan-India enforcement of BSIV, DICV was perhaps the only CV OEM in India that announced the launch of Euro5 trucks last year. Putting its faith in diesel over other propulsion technologies like CNG and electric with the view that the air that BSVI CVs will emit will be cleaner than the air they will inhale, DICV used the
BR900 Euro6 global programme SoP. Averred Arya, “At Daimler, work on BSVI emission regulation compliance was carried out with the view to offer technologically superior and fuelefficient products.” Stating that much care was taken to avoid the pitfalls associated with BSVI technology, including the possibility of price escalation, higher fluid consumption (of fuel and AdBlue), higher maintenance costs (due to system complexity) and higher kerb weight (due to additional parts), Arya revealed that attention was paid to ensure 25 25
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COVER STORY that the BSVI CVs trump BSIV ones in fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance.
q SCR tech for BSVI compliance
Banking on SCR technology for its reliability and proven track record, DICV is keen to launch the BSVI CVs in the first quarter of the next calendar year. It is looking at the availability of BSVI fuel. To begin exporting the OM926 engine series in the next financial year, the CV major, according to Arya, is looking at new opportunities the transition to BSVI will open up. Pointing at its export strategy as well as the ambitions, Arya explained that they are evaluating the prospect of exporting Euro6 CVs from India. “The transition to BSVI opens up more opportunities to export fully-built vehicles, engines, and parts to countries like Mexico, Chile, and Brazil,” he added. With the Latin American markets poised to migrate soon to emission norms similar to Euro6, the orientation of Daimler operations in India, which turns out four brands – BharatBenz, Fuso, Freightliner, and Mercedes-Benz respectively, is set
to change drastically. Apart from further strengthening its position as a key member of Daimler’s global production network for CVs, DICV is set to further strengthen its position as a supplier of increasingly advanced components to other Daimler manufacturing centres over the world.
optimised the driveline for Indian cycles and has strengthened the parts for local usage. Explained Thimmaiyan that the company undertook rigorous testing across the country. It tested BSVI products from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and at four international locations as well.
Emphasising on high level of localisation from the very beginning, and unlike some other markets of Daimler like the Euro5 Russian market where it has a joint venture with Kamaz for the manufacture of Actros and Fuso range of heavy and light-duty trucks and the manufacture of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with GAZ, and where localisation has been slow and is limited in scope, the DICV operations with the capability to turn out BSVI CVs looks strategically very well placed. Investing roughly Rs.500 crores to develop BSVI technology, DICV paid much attention to it to suit local usage patterns. Said Pradeep Kumar Thimmaiyan, Head – Product Engineering, DICV, that they have focused on higher local content and local usage patterns. Attaining a localisation level at SoP (BSVI parts) of 80 per cent, the CV major has
q Made for India
Paying much attention to fine-tune the BSVI technology to work in India and withstand the abuse it may be subjected to, DICV carried out 2.5 million kilometers worth of bench testing in addition to the pan-India and international testing and validation. The CV OEM used over 35 test vehicles and over 80 test engines for the purpose. Taking precautions to make minimal changes to the powertrain, DICV carried out changes to the after-treatment part of the system. Moving over to SCR during the migration to BSIV helped. Explained Thimmaiyan, “Bulk changes were carried out to the after-treatment system. To keep the after-sales and maintenance experience pleasant, we used the same strategy that we used in our Euro5 trucks. The BSVI technology only takes it forward with minimal
(L to R) Robert WodrichKotzick, Global Powertrain, Daimler AG; Rohit Bhan, Head of Sales and MarketingDaimler Buses India; Satayakam Arya, MD and CEO-DICV; Pradeep Kumar Thimmaiyan, Head–Product Engineering, DICV 26 26 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n NOVEMBER 2019
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COVER STORY q A chemical factory Terming the BSVI after-treatment system as a chemical factory, DICV sources informed that there are multiple chambers inside it. Describing it as a miniature of a typical chemical factory, the sources said that BSVI is met by either the use of an EGR or by the use of EGR and SCR. The use of the EGR system only for engines over a certain size would lead to an increase in NOx levels. These would then need to be reduced with an after-treatment system. The other way of achieving the desired emission levels, said sources, was to increase the particulate matter in the engine using the EGR system. This would warrant the use of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) or Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOC). Explaining that it would be difficult to meet the desired emission levels by using just the EGR or the SCR, sources mentioned that the use of multiple screens or filters, including SCR, DPF, and other catalysts is necessary.
changes.” The same legacy engine continuing, albeit with a slight bump in power, the CV major has aimed at its products striking the lowest TCO. In-line with the company’s strategy since 2009 to keep the cost delta low, the move to BSVI had DICV capitalise every single opportunity to optimise system specifications and pick the most efficient one for India from its global product portfolio. Paying attention to the selection of technology, its successful integration, size of the catalyst, and testing and validation, to ensure long service interval, DICV is aligning its various allied functions like sales and marketing, and service to cater to the needs of its BSVI customers. Carrying out roughly two-million kilometers worth of on-road testing, according to Arya, the CV major has incorporated the global competencies of Daimler Group into the training modules at its India dealerships. Expanding its footprint in India with
could reach, the BSVI system also leads to an increase in backpressure. It results in a drop in fuel efficiency. To compensate for any drop in fuel efficiency, DICV carried out several changes at the powertrain level. Without revealing the exact number of changes, sources said that the BSVI CVs will deliver better fuel efficiency if not on par with the BSIV ones.
It is these that make the BSVI aftertreatment system a chemical factory. The deployment of addition filters, the DPF especially, makes a BSVI system bigger and heavier. Needing precise thermal management, it also generates excess heat. Especially during regeneration. Calling for the safety of operators due to the temperatures it
over 200 customer touchpoints, the company has set up new BSVI dedicated facilities to source 1000 new parts. Offering CVs in the nine to 55-tonne segments at Chennai, DICV is exporting CVs to more than 50 markets, including Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The plant at Chennai measuring 400 acres, including the test track, follows one global quality standard set by its parent. Setting its sight on the five drivers (urbanisation, economic growth, climate change, shifting consumers, and technology) that have been shaping the future of mobility, the CV OEM is keen that a scrappage policy is announced.
q The uniqueness of Indian market
Drawing attention to the growth in volumes during the 2014 and 2018 period from 180,000 CVs to 374,000 units, Arya mentioned that axle load norms, liquidity crunch, and BSVI compliance saw sales drop
Starting testing the mules as per Daimler’s standard protocol that is adhered to globally in 2018, the BSVI development involved the scanning of routes across the country. A programme was drafted to cover various duty cycles. To tap fuel efficiency, temperature and various other vitals as the mules operated in various regions of the country. Much work was carried out in the lab as well as on-field to ensure that the desired standards across several condition patterns were met. Attention was paid to get the thermal management right.
from 256,000 in 2018, to 194,0000 in 2019. He opined that 2020 would witness a 15 per cent drop in comparison before a marginal organic revival in 2021 is visible. Claiming that there are more than 15 lakh vehicles that are BSIII compliant, or have a compliance level even lower, Arya averred, “The switch to BSVI coupled with the removal of older generation vehicles has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 2.06 MMT per year.” Opining that the implementation of stringent (10 per cent standard) fuel efficiency norms apart from incentivising manufacturers to achieve higher fuel efficiencies will help to reduce CO2 emissions by 2.0 MMT per year and reduce oil imports by 790 million litres per year, Arya mentioned that India is the only country where BSVI or equivalent emission norms are being implemented and at the same time cowl trucks are being sold. Stating that there was a need to 27 27
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COVER STORY Q. How is the transition to BSVI as compared to the earlier transition to BSIV emission norms? A. The transition from BSIII to BSIV was a natural progression while the transition from BSIV to BSVI marks a quantum leap. This is the stage where the entire industry is working hard to make sure that the transition is made in time. A susbtantial jump involving the skipping of BSV norms, the transition to BSVI marks a good deal of complexity. Needed by India desparately, the transitions to BSVI involved the selection of the right ways to get the right emission levels. The Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system has always been the choice at Daimler. We have an estimated 1.4 million trucks and buses running in more than 40 countries on the SCR system. We have more than 10 years of on-road experience globally. So, it is not only about believing but also about demonstrating how technology delivers as compared to others. In the case of BSVI, we are not talking about compliance at the time of sale but through the drive cycle. We firmly believe that it is the best technology out there in the market. Q. Did Daimler India leverage technology and know-how from Daimler AG for BSVI? A. We developed BSVI in India in coordination with our global teams spread across continents. We had to make sure that we got it right. The core technology in comparison to Euro6 is the same. For BSVI, it has been localised and industrialised. It has been more than 80 per cent localised. Fine-tuned to suit the local driving patterns in India, it has been caliberated to suit the usage of a truck in India, which is very different from Europe. In India for example, the average speed is less than in Europe. shift to fully-built cabins in the interest of safety, Arya cited the Year-to-Date (YTD) comparison of 2019 with 2018. As per the comparison, the market dropped (-) 24 per cent, from 256,000 units in 2018 to 194,000 units in 2019, he stated. Of the opinion that the removal of old vehicles and the implementation of
Satayakam Arya, Managing Director, and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Ltd. Because of the usage pattern in India, we kept the hardware the same. What instead chose to calibrate the technology. We spent the last three years doing it. Q. So, the BSVI and Euro6 use the same hardware but are calibrated differently? A. The heart and soul of the two trucks are the same. In India, we carried out cosmetic and software changes. These were done to get the truck to best address the Indian driving cycles. Given the Indian market’s sensitivity towards running costs, we calibrated the BSVI technology such that the fuel efficiency will be even better than that of the BSIV vehicle. Continuing to lead in the total cost of ownership equation we have ensured that the service intervals are longer and the maintenance costs are lower. In the form of BSVI, we are offering a technology that is globally proven and has a better value proposition for the customer. BSVI has the potential to cut down NOx emissions by 92 per cent and PM by 90 per cent, Arya explained that urbanisation and economic growth would lead to an increase in mobility. This would result in congestion, air pollution, and higher fatalities, he said. Of the opinion that the shift in consumer base was leading to the
Q. What challenges lie ahead of you for the successful roll-out of BSVI CVs? A. With some months left for the actual launch, we have our task cut out. There’s an amount of work left. It includes the preparation of the entire network for the transition. There is a need for training; for the selection of the right diagnostics tools and standard maintenance procedures. It is work in progress and will continue until the time of market launch. We have to ensure that the entire owner fraternity of the CV industry understands this technology. We will work with them and their drivers to train them to handle this technology on a day-to-day basis. Q. Would the transition to BSVI cause any inventory issues? A. We have always believed in keeping our production synchronised to ensure minimum stockpile. We have been very agile to synchronise production to the downturn by switching over from a two-shift production plan to a single-shift production plan. We have not lost out to a potential crisis. Q. How do you look at the slowdown and the recovery from it? A. We are very confident about recovery from slowdown. This is from a medium to long term growth potential perspective. What we are seeing now is a short term disruption due to various factors. I think the government is responsible and has taken early steps to arrest the slowdown. The government, I am sure, will not stop here. It will continue to do all that is needed to tackle the slowdown. What we are doing is to continue to invest with a belief that there is a potential in the medium to long term growth. waning of interest in vehicle ownership followed by disruptions in technologies, paving new business models, Arya said that DICV was closely observing the changes that were happening. It would continue to invest in areas that will provide high growth potential, he concluded.
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COVER STORY
Ashok Leyland is BSVI ready Ashok Leyland has announced that its range of CVs are BSVI ready. Story by: Sricharan R
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dding to the long list of innovations at Ashok Leyland is the readiness of its CVs to meet the BSVI emission norms. Highlighting its ability as well as a penchant to innovate and arrive at unique solutions by getting an in-line mechanical fuel pump driven injection system to meet BSIII emission by working in association with Bosch roughly a decade ago, Ashok Leyland has announced that it is the first Indian OEM to meet BSVI emission norms across its full range of Heavy-Duty Trucks (HDT 16.2-tonne GVW and above). Revealing iEGR (Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation)
technology in 2017 to meet BSIV emission norms for engines in the 130 hp and 400 hp range that did away with the need to deploy a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, which would lead to an increase in operating costs, the CV major has invested Rs.600 to Rs.700 crore over the last four years to get its CVs to comply with BSVI emission regulations that are scheduled to come into force from April 2020. Stating that it has combined iEGR and in-line fuel pump technology to come out with a BSIV compliant ‘Innoline’ powertrain in the second half of 2018, the CV OEM has
received BSVI certification from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). Heralding the arrival of a new modular platform, according to Dr.N Saravanan, CTO, Ashok Leyland, the BSVI emission norms compliant truck range will come with four engine options. Stating that heavy-duty trucks form a large chunk of volume, Dr. Saravanan said that the major challenge was the availability of fuel. Choosing heavy-duty trucks since they form a major chunk of the volume at Ashok Leyland, the move to BSVI has been achieved through a combination of EGR and SCR. Not revealing if the use of EGR tech will be on engines up to certain hp and the use of EGR and SCR tech will be in engines up to a certain hp, Saravanan averred that they would be seeding their products at the earliest. “Once the issue of fuel availability is resolved, we would be seeding the products,” he informed. Said to be drawing plans to boost its Light Commercial Vehicle business with the launch of new products, Ashok Leyland is looking at how BSVI fuel will be made available for the entire route. Claimed to have earmarked Rs.1,000 crore as capital expenditure for FY2019-20 and a similar amount for FY2020-21, the CV major, according to Dr. Saravanan has spoken to a few oil companies. Analysing the possibilities, it is looking at smaller pockets like the DelhiRajasthan belt among others. Facing a big challenge of fuel availability for testing and
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COVER STORY Ashok Leyland displayed an EuroVI trucks concept based on a 6x4 Captain tractor at Auto Expo 2016 by deploying an SCR system from Albonair.
consumption and to get the fluid economy right, the CV major will soon be sending its LCVs and ICVs for BSVI certification.
q Service and training
validation, Ashok Leyland faced many challenges in successfully integrating the various components that make the technology. Explaining that the quality of air coming out of the tailpipe is probably cleaner than what goes in, Dr. Saravanan expressed that integrating the technology available in bits and pieces led to an amount of investment of resources. “This is all between the manufacturer,” he quipped. Elaborating that it is about the coating guys; about the person who puts it in a box; about the person who has the control system, and the person who does the engine tuning, Dr. Saravanan said, “The biggest challenge was to bring them all together. To integrate
to achieve the desired architectural quality and reliability.” Confident of the modular nature of the new BSVI platform (powered by four engine options) providing it an edge over the competition, Ashok Leyland is keen to offer customers multiple choices. It is looking at empowering customers to go and configure CVs as per their requirements. Keen to get this to work by mixing and matching the aggregates to deliver the required performance, Ashok Leyland will offer cabins of BSVI trucks with some modifications to accommodate the cooling systems. Working closely with Albonair India (Albonair specialises in SCR systems, and is a Hinduja Group company) to maximise the AdBlue
Given the changes realised by BSVI technology, Ashok Leyland has invested in beefing up its service network. It has also invested in upskilling the technicians. Mentioned Dr. Saravanan, “We are not only looking at the products but also at how we service the vehicles.” “There is an entire team to address these needs in terms of infrastructure at the dealerships and touchpoints. There is an entire team to address the upskilling requirements in terms of service. We have a large team of service engineers, transport engineers. They are part of the vehicle fleet running; of vehicle diagnostics,” he explained. Looking at telematics, Ashok Leyland is keen to leverage the same for the betterment of the vehicle. Through telematics, the company is looking at providing it’s fleet operators a significant value addition in terms of uptime and maintenance. 31 31
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COVER STORY
In 2018, Ashok Leyland announced the ‘Ínnoline’ engine that combined an in-line fuel injection pump technology with iEGR.
Drawing attention to the need to train the drivers as well, Dr. Saravanan mentioned that driving a BSVI vehicle will be different from driving a BSIV or a BSIII vehicle. To ensure that the drivers are familiar with the changes the BSVI technology entails, Ashok Leyland is looking at opportunities to train the drivers.
Announced at the time of BSIV announcement, the iEGR did away with the need to use SCR system for engines upto 400 hp.
Operating six-driver training institutes at Namakkal (Tamil Nadu), Burari (NCR), Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh), Kaithal (Haryana), Bhubaneswar (Orissa) and Railmagra (Rajasthan) respectively, the company is also looking at providing the drivers an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new technologies – those that make good use of electronics, such that they are able to make the most of it. Drawing attention to the use of various sensors (pressure sensor, temperature sensor, exhaust sensors, etc.) by BSVI technology, Dr. Saravanan said that electronics do amount to a challenge. An interesting part of the use of higher electronics in BSVI system is a separate data analytics team at Ashok Leyland. It is analysing the data generated by the use of remote sensing technologies under the aegis of telematics. Said Dr. Saravanan, “There will be a lot of data with the telematics and there is a separate data analytics team. They are working on these for the
past three years and have a huge experience. So, we have a big data analytics team in place and we have made use of this to bring the best in terms of service.”
q Supplier base and exports The long term suppliers of BSIV components for Ashok Leyland will continue to supply components to BSVI emission compliant vehicles too. The company closely worked with the suppliers to help them to supply BSVI aggregates and components. It also handheld them to tackle the challenge of financial crunch if it were an issue. For BSVI tech, the company engaged with new technology partners for the supply of components like sensors. On the issue of hand holding the suppliers, Dr. Saravanan mentioned, “It is a standard process at Ashok Leyland.” “Most of our suppliers are supplying worldwide. They have the best practices and training therefore,” he said. The need, stated Dr. Saravanan, is to train those at the front end; to train those that are handling sales and service among others. If the move to BSVI will aid Ashok Leyland to explore new markets, Dr. Saravanan mentioned that most export markets of the company are not BSVI compliant. Market like Russia and Ukraine are still running on EuroV, he informed. The Middle Eastern countries are still EuroIV. It would serve that markets like these move to EuroVI. Once they do, Ashok Leyland could look at exporting its BSVI vehicles to the respective markets. Back home, and the company is keen to see the CV segment pick up pace. Terming the current slowdown as a cyclical phenomenon witnessed every three to four years, Dr. Saravanan said that sometimes it is worse and sometimes it is not as bad. “Ultimately, goods need to be moved and people need to move. BSVI is here to stay and (sales) will pick up,” he concluded. ACI
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COVER STORY
MTBD on track for BSVI
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COVER STORY In an age of stringent regulations and high market expectations, Mahindra Truck and Bus Division (MTBD) is on track for BSVI. Story by: Bhushan Mhapralkar
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urning around the negative market perception that its heavy trucks are dandy and powerful, but not as fuel-efficient, Mahindra Truck and Bus Division (MTBD) is on track to meet the BSVI emission norms. Announcing that it has emerged as the market leader in terms of mileage within the trucking industry with its Blazo range, the company is banking on a simplified BSVI to ensure that its customers are not burdened in an already demanding business environment. Working to carry forward almost 80 per cent of the 40000
components that make a truck to BSVI with the plethora of changes limited to the after-treatment level, the CV maker has announced that its Furio ICV (in the 12- and 14-tonne segment) has emerged as the number four-player in a short span of seven months. Using its 7.2-litre engine that powers the Blazo to achieve the distinct advantage of carrying over 80 per cent of the components from its BSIV CVs to BSVI, MTBD has claimed that it is the number-three player in the haulage segment (multi-axle vehicle segment and tractor-trailer segment combined). Revealing that the dandy build of its trucks has provided it with an advantage of meeting the new axle norms, the CV maker is eyeing the number-three position in tippers. Working on the premise of offering a simplified BSVI
experience to its customers, MTBD, according to Rajan Wadhera, President – Auto Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, has built a distinct cost advantage by packing technology in its CVs rather than wait for the regulations to dictate. Of the opinion that pre-buying will not be as pronounced, Wadhera mentioned that MTBD, confident of consolidating its position in the BSVI environment, is conducting rigorous testing and validation of its CVs for BSVI in close coordination with the passenger vehicle and SCV teams in the automotive division. Introducing the 49-tonne Blazo X 16-wheel rigid truck with an advantage of superior fuel efficiency and payload, the company, said the CEO Vinod Sahay, is sticking to the promise of mileage guarantee. Launching the 11 m Cruzio LPO
MTBD is conducting rigorous testing and validation of its CVs for BSVI 35 35
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COVER STORY Vinod Sahay, CEO MTBD and Rajan Wadhera, President – Auto Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra
bus for the tourist staff and school segment, the CV maker, managing to gain some market share in an environment where the fall in sales of M&HCVs has been the most drastic, has not had even a single Blazo come back in the last three years in response to the mileage guarantee it has offered. Stating that its trucks are being benchmarked in the industry for
fuel-efficiency, Sahay said that his company is committed to provide technologically superior products with the Indian value system in view. Looking at ways to enhance safety, efficiency, performance, and comfort of its CVs, MTBD is preparing to launch all the 22 variants of the Furio after the BSVI norms come into play. Of these, only three models have been launched until now in the BSIV
guise. To power the Furio, the CV manufacturer developed an all-new 140 hp 3.5-litre commonrail diesel engine that is also said to offer superior mileage, refinement and performance. Gearing up to pre-produce a batch of BSVI CVs in the next few months and seed them with some select customers to test and validate, the company is currently subjecting its BSVI CVs to homologation. It is waiting for BSVI fuel to be available. Planning to start billing BSVI vehicles to its dealers by February and March 2020, MTBD is carrying forward not just the 7.2-litre engine, but the 3.5-litre engine of the Furio and the 2.5-litre engine of the Jayo and Optimo as well. Said to have worked with Bosch to get the engines to comply with the BSIV emission regulations, the company is working with a number of existing and new suppliers to get to the BSVI level. With the major changes limited largely to the after-treatment area, MTBD will carry over key aggregates like engines, transmissions, axles, brakes, and cabins to BSVI. With the hardware commonality between BSIV and BSVI amounting to more than 80 per cent, it is at the software level that the changes have been quite significant. Working to get the fluid efficiency right, and arming all its CVs with SCR, the company is working on various fronts, including packaging and weight control. Deploying DOC (Diesel Oxidation Catalyst), DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and ASC (Ammonia Slip Catalysts) for BSVI emission compliance, MTBD is confident that the carrying forward of 80 per cent of the parts will make it easier for the truck operators, the manufacturer as well as the dealers, supplier, and workshops
36 36 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n NOVEMBER 2019
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COVER STORY q BSVI tech For consumption of diesel or consumption of Adblue required due to the SCR system as a combination of the two, especially when you move to BSVI, you are required to manage the engine emissions to counter the decline in fuel efficiency. The only way you can increase the efficiency is by a higher engine displacement. So one finds people moving from a five-litre engine to a sevenlitre engine. This change is prompted by the drop in fuel efficiency which is compensated by a higher displacement engine. Given this availability with us coupled with our SCR domain knowledge and the synergies shared with the auto division holds the company in good stead. So calibration of the trucks at Mahindra is claimed to have been done simultaneously with engineers calibrating cars where the calibration is said to be much tougher. It is therefore that the company feels it has an added advantage in terms of both fuel efficiency and fluid efficiency. The company is expected to use the SCR technology for its ICV and LCV range going forward. Mahindra said a source, is already at a huge advantage over its piers especially given the launch of the Blazo X. The thermal management system is very likely to bring the efficiency down as the duty cycle is such where the regeneration frequency required is much higher. For a vehicle operating on a low duty cycle in urban metros with high congestion levels to not be able to reach ideal temperatures resulting in the lower efficiency levels.
to engineer as well as maintain the CVs. Stating that they are working on the challenge of a fuel efficiency drop in BSVI, Venkat Srinivas, Principal Chief Engineer and Head - Product Development, MTBD, informed that DPF regeneration for CVs that will operate in urban areas where speeds often don’t exceed 30 or 40 kmph is a big challenge they are working to overcome. With DPF regeneration influencing the fuel consumption as diesel is used to burn the particulate matter, the CV maker, it is clear, has much on its plate. With 80 per cent of the cost limited to the change at the after-treatment level and the rest limited to the change at the engine level and some other levels, MTBD is looking at a price increase in the range of Rs.1.5 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh. An advantage is expected to be derived from the exchange of knowledge and
experience between the MTBD engineers and those from the passenger vehicle, SCV and pickup truck side in the automotive division. The calibration of trucks for BSVI is being carried out simultaneously with the
calibration of passenger vehicles and CVs from the auto division, the move to BSVI has led to a substantial increase in sensors. On the software side, the number of packets have increased from 4000 to 40,000. ACI
The company claims to have an added advantage in terms of both fuel efficiency and fluid efficiency
The company is working on the challenge of fuel efficiency drop and DRF regeneration for CVs in urban areas
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23 - 28 January 2020, Bangalore, India
COVER STORY
Wabco AMTs WABCO India is aiming to tap the off-road agribusiness with its proven Automatic Manual Transmissions. Story by: Sricharan R
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ABCO India Limited is known for its safety, efficiency and connectivity solutions for commercial vehicles, trailers and offhighway equipment. The company showed signs of focusing on the off-road agribusiness when it first showcased an innovative automated agricultural tractor concept at ‘Esclusive 2018’ technology event hosted by Escorts Limited in New Delhi. As a key technology partner to Escorts, Wabco back then presented the breakthrough integration concept to support new automated agricultural tractors. A little over a year the company has come up with its Automatic Manual Transmission (AMT) for tractors. It is said to aid better drivability and comfort.
According to V Ramanathan, VP, OE Sales and Marketing, Wabco India Ltd, the company has worked with a major OEMs and the transmission is still in the prototype stage. It is hopeful of the AMT attracting more drivers into the profession. Claimed to be the industry’s first supplier to provide an innovative system integration solution in India the company combined a tractor’s major functionalities including Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), braking control, steering control, path control, implement control and Independent Power Take-Off (IPTO) to make a strong case for its off-road
agribusiness solutions. Together with Escorts, the company aims to redefine agricultural practices in the country aimed at a higher output and at turning around mechanised farming. This is expected to lead to higher productivity and farmer earnings. The engineering and technology excellence and the collective R&D strength of both the companies are committed to futuristic agriculture solutions such as the AMT, and automated agricultural tractor concept. Coupled with its vision for accident-free driving and greener transportation solutions, the company claims to have excelled in bringing regular innovations to both the domestic market and other markets worldwide.
With its integrated solutions, Wabco is making a strong case for the off road agribusiness 40 40 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n NOVEMBER 2019
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COVER STORY q Low TCO
From the cost perspective, the Wabco AMT is said to assure customers of a quicker ROI owing to the latter being an affordable technology. AMTs are known to help increase the efficiency levels of unskilled drivers which in turn helps to address the issue of skilled driver shortage in the industry. With the new AMT, the company has reiterated its commitment to the long-term success of its customers who stand to benefit by leveraging the company’s global technology portfolio. With the AMT penetration in the CV segment known to be less than five per cent, the company is banking on the ‘OptiDrive’ known to have a high degree of modularity, reduced development time in line with the company’s go-tomarket strategy. Covering nearly all applications in medium and heavy-duty trucks as well as buses, the company’s OptiDrive consists of three core components: a cabin mounted shift lever unit, including the system’s electronic control unit; a shift actuator mounted on the gearbox, and a clutch actuator. Wabco India reported sales of Rs 2854 crore in FY 2018-19. Earlier this year, Global technology company ZF Friedrichshafen AG announced the approval of Wabco shareholders for the proposed acquisition of the company. With efficiency, safety, automation and connectivity the focus areas of the two companies, the transaction is expected to be closed in 2020, and create long-term value for the customers of the two entities. According to Ramanathan, CVs in India have witnessed an overkill of manual transmissions. Citing the latter’s performance in vehicles, he drew attention to the fuel efficiency levels being dependent on the driver skill. Of the opinion that comparatively, the automatic
transmissions have established a case of offering lower fuel efficiency too. It is here that the AMTs are being looked at as a good alternative by the company, he said. “Shifting from MTs to AMT, makes you retain the normal gearbox and the AMT will be programmed to drive like an expert driver. This also ensures fuel efficiency, which is increased by five to seven per cent,” explained Ramanathan. He drew attention to 1986 when the company first introduced the electronic transmission automation system for commercial vehicles claiming that it has been the leader in transmission automation technology since then. In the Indian market, the company started its AMT on buses first. Claimed Ramanathan that with BSVI rollout on the anvil, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are building a strong case for AMTs to be part of the driveline. “They want to give this as a value-added feature along with their vehicles,” he claimed. “Many of the fleet owners are now coming forward for this, as they get better fuel efficiency, better drivers and a safe ride,” he added.
q Countering EVs
Even if the EVs enters the Indian market, it would not be a threat to the truck segments, expressed Ramanathan. The penetration will be in the two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars, buses and trucks would be the last to convert, he opined. He explained that for an e-truck, batteries would eat into most of the load-carrying capacity itself. From a transmission perspective, EVs would not require a complicated AMT but still requires a two-step gear change process, he quipped.
q Aftersales and service
Wabco has established a strong network of 250 authorised service centres across India to help customers. Dedicated engineers have been trained on the AMT
V Ramanathan, VP, OE Sales and Marketing, Wabco India Ltd
technology eliminating the case of roadside servicing. The company will offer a service warranty for two to three years. The company claims to have subjected the AMTs to 300,000 kms of on-road testing and assures a higher uptime and longer service interval. It is said to increase the reliability of the clutch system and gearbox performance. Using telematics, the company has worked out a way to link the fleet management system and remote monitoring of the AMT unit.
q AMT exports
The company senses a potential for India to become an export hub for the AMTs. For Wabco, a certain level of software development for AMT is happening in India according to Ramanathan. The company manufactures two types of AMT. One is based on customer requirements and called the integrated AMT. It is specifically designed for a particular gearbox and is produced in Europe. The other is a modular AMT unit which is ‘Made in India’. Claimed Ramanathan that the country is already a hub for these transmissions. With a local manufacturing line in place and localised supply chains, the company refrains from exporting AMTs directly. It is claimed to instead deliver the units to its customers who in turn are said to export these. ACI 41 41
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COVER STORY
Carraro widens India scope Completing 20 years of its operations in India, the Carraro Group has laid the foundation of a new production area in-line with its growth plans for the market. Story & Photos: Deepti Thore
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elebrating 20 years of operations (to manufacture axles and transmission systems) in India, the Carraro Group has announced that it has laid the foundation of a new production area at its Pune (Ranjangaon) plant. Measuring approximately 5000 sq.m., the new production area will be operational in 2021. It will specialise in the manufacture of portal axles for compact tractors with engines up to 75 hp. With the portal axles said to be in good demand in India for consumption
in agricultural equipment, the new production area will also include a warehouse to help optimise internal logistics and further elevate customer satisfaction. Designed to up the overall efficiency of the operations, the new production area is expected to considerably widen the scope of the Group’s operations in India. Catering to clients like CNH, Caterpillar, John Deere, Mahindra & Mahindra, Escorts, Same Deutz, Sonalika, Erkunt, Tata Hitachi, Manitou, and Bull Machines among others, India
accounts for one of the few key markets outside Italy. Entering India in partnership with Escorts and then setting off on its own, the Campodarsego-based Group is looking at an increase in local activities by 50 per cent through the new venture. The new production area, expressed Enrico Carraro, Chairman, Carraro Group, will not only help to widen the portfolio but also help to organise stock levels in a better way. He mentioned that the number of people working in India is equal
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COVER STORY to the number of people working across all the Italian facilities of the company. Stating that India is an essential point of reference and first destination market for the entire group, Carraro officials said that they have always found the market here of much interest. Sensing potential in the agricultural sector because of the progressive increase in tractor volumes, the Group is continuing to invest in India.
q Dynamic market
Happy to have chosen Pune as the location for its operations in India because of the proximity to many industries and suppliers, the Carraro Group has seen its turnover in India exceed Euro 150 million. With the availability of skilled manpower, the Group has come to find out that India is a very dynamic market. Investing in an R&D centre with about 55 engineers for product
Andrea Conchetto, COO, Carraro Group Q. How do you look at the market potential of 60 to 100 hp tractors in the design and manufacture of which Carraro is involved? A. In recent years, the market for specialised tractors has grown. It is in contrast to that of the standard tractors. We estimate that this area will continue to grow and even though the short term growth rates affect the renewal of engines in Europe leading to a significant increase in vehicle prices. The incentive policies promoted at the local level by the respective governments will also be decisive. Q. How do your Indian operations compare with manufacturing facilities across your other markets? A. Our Indian plants have the fundamental characteristic of guaranteeing in a single system the coverage of almost all of our products. It amounts to a modern industrial platform, which is highly effective in terms of processing costs. It is equipped with the latest technologies and security systems. We consider this integration to be the main difference compared to the other plants of the Group that specialize in business lines and products. Q. How do you look at the rapid economic changes taking place, and the coming of many disruptions as you seek growth? A. Since 2009, nothing has been the same anymore. We are facing unstable equilibrium, especially about some geographical areas of the world. Moreover, some protectionist tendencies do not help the linear development of business. For our part, in recent years we have worked hard to streamline the organisational structure to lower the break-even point. We are therefore able to stay competitive despite the market conditions not being particularly favourable. Q. How do you look at the segments that you operate in, in India? A. In recent years, India has made great strides both in the agriculture sector and in the earthmoving equipment sector. There is still room for further development. In the agriculture equipment space, it is often the case that the government guarantees adequate subsidies to the population to continue the process of modernisation in terms of machines and equipment. The aim is to improve productivity of the agriculture sector and to ensure quality of life of the farmers. We see an opportunity there. In the field of earth moving, on the other hand, we expect the growth path at the infrastructural level to continue in every direction. Not only in terms of macroinvestments in ports or airports, but also in the radical renewal in the viability between the main urban centers. We see an opportunity here as well. Q. Opportunities yes, but are you sensing a slowdown in infra growth in India? A. India is currently experiencing a fairly evident recessionary phase. On the other hand, it is also normal and following a positive cycle of continuous growth. While an evolutionary period of stagnation can be recorded, for us, the current situation is of negative impact on volumes in the agriculture as well as in the earth moving sectors. Our turnover has gone down to the 2017 levels. Given the excellent commercial relations with all the main Indian players in the sectors that we are in, we are confident of this phase resolving in the medium term. Also, the problem of the recessionary phase is not only specific to India. It is experienced world-wide. In India, the problem is more prominent due to the boom last year. We have been here for 20 years and we know that growth will return. One or two years may be bad. We will survive. We will invest in the faith that things will get back to normal. Speaking about protectionism, these are rather complex dynamics. They do not help linear business growth. 43 43
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COVER STORY q Carraro operations in India Set up in 1997, the Pune (Ranjangaon) plant of the Carraro Group produces axles and transmissions. The second plant, which was established in 2005, produces gears and components. Setting up an R&D centre – Carraro Technologies, at Pune for advanced transmissions for agricultural tractors up to 120 hp, the Carraro Group has come a long way in India. The first plant, which produces axles and transmissions, measures roughly
The new facility will specialise in manufacturing of portal axles for compact tractors
design, it is chalking out plans to expand the same. Looking at a dynamic vision in-line with the changes taking place in India, the Group is taking pride in the fact that it achieved Euro 100 million worth of sales for the first time last year in India. Starting operations in India as an export-oriented unit, it has come to find that the Indian operations are contributing a good deal to the global business. Structuring its
36,558 sq. m and has 27 axles and 50 transmission stations. There is a workshop for small and large equipment, and an assembly line for transmission too. The plant has a separate washing segment, an enormous warehouse and a paint shop that is used for pre-treatment, drying, painting, and baking. The second plant, measuring 20,880 sq. m has precision gear milling, honing and other equipment. It also has heat treatment and a chemical-
organisation in India across two business areas -- design, production, and marketing of transmission systems, and design and production of specialised tractors, the Carraro Group has acquired new capabilities over time. Producing axles and transmissions for agriculture and earthmoving machinery, and a wide range of gears for sectors like auto, material handling, agriculture and earth moving
metallurgical analysis setup. With the design and development of new products and technologies, innovative axles and transmissions, and co-design as the core activities of Carraro Technologies India, the Group in India is working closely with many construction equipment OEMs. Established in 2008, the Carraro Drive Tech entity has acquired excellence in components for earth-moving machinery and manufactures advanced transmission systems.
equipment, the Group has come to produce vineyard and orchard tractors between 60 and 100 hp aimed at third parties like John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Claas, and Carraro Tractors. Going beyond its core business of precision gear manufacture using advanced gear milling, honing and heat treatment machinery, the move to build specialised tractors amounts to a decisive strategic activity. Continuing to find out the
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COVER STORY needs of the agricultural market and to anticipate their needs, the Group is looking forward to making a lot of axles for mechanisation of tractors in India. The business of transmission systems in India contributing 80 per cent to its consolidated turnover, the Carraro Group is among the top three reference brands worldwide, according to Andrea Conchetto, COO.
q Increasing the scope and capabilities
With the off-highway sector representing over 80 per cent of its turnover, the Group has come to cater to the automotive sector, including CVs. It is into material handling as well and has come to provide products and services in an integrated manner. Said to provide tailored design consultancy based on an application, and an ability to codesign, the Carraro Group is offering solutions like design, development, prototyping, validation, and production. Investing over Euro 100 million in India in terms of Capex, it has seen the Indian operations develop into an important reference point within the Group’s global
engineering platform. It is thus pursuing a strategy to maintain a high level of market penetration using an excellent range of products both in terms of technical content, power range, and application. With the investment plan and related operational expenses in terms of head counts for engineering development and system operational management designed to support strong growth, the Carraro Group, according to Andrea, has covered much ground. “Our second plant, dedicated to the production of gears, sold around 1.1 million pieces last year. It set an example by being integrated into the local supply chain,” he added. Stressing on the use of top-class machinery to guarantee exquisite quality required by its captive applications and those of third parties in India, Europe, and the US, Andrea mentioned that Carraro Technologies has grown progressively to become a centre of excellence in the design and development of cutting-edge technological solutions. Working in an integrated way with the main
Tomaso Carraro, Vice Chairman, Carraro Group
R&D, and with other innovation centers of Rovigo, Qingdao and Buenos Aires, the Carraro Group is betting big on its Indian operations.
q Pushing for local content
Stating that the overall research and innovation expenses for the year 2018 amounted to Euro 22.4 million (3.6 per cent of the turnover, Andrea mentioned that an amount of investment is being carried out in automation with the view to granting higher output cells. Achieving around 80
Carraro India plant in Ranjangaon, Pune manufactures axles and transmissions for agricultural and construction equipment applications
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COVER STORY Carraro workshop for a small and large equipments, and an assembly line for transmissions
per cent localisation in terms of transformation and supply chain, the Carraro Group is hoping to drive the Capex gifted high tech transformation asset more. To do so, the Group is engaging with many suppliers to increase
localisation levels. Revealing that India is a second-largest hub after Italy, Tomaso said, “We have three main hubs in Italy, China, and India. India as a huge market is an important industrial hub from a business point of view.” With an
eye on electrification, the Group is directing strategic changes in of its Indian operations. Watching its customers turn to electrification and hybridisation, the Carraro Group is keeping a close tab on how and which markets respond first. Witnessing the trend of electrification and hybridisation rub on the agricultural and earth moving equipment sectors, it is looking at how government incentives and price positioning is effecting a change. “Not all markets and all geographic areas will be ready for the ‘electric revolution’,” said Conchetto. Much will depend on government incentives and price positioning, he added. Of the opinion that countries like the US and Western Europe with high spending capacities are likely to adopt new technologies for applications first and foremost (in areas like greenhouses and maintenance work in restricted traffic areas), Conchetto mentioned that there will be a gradual expansion to more efficient energy conservation systems. Testing the electric and hybrid version that could be of interest to certain markets over others, the Carraro Group, revealed Conchetto, is listening to the specific needs of each market as it seeks to grow. “It is only then, that we will be able to give adequate answers to our customers. It is only then, that we will continue to push in terms of innovation and create increasingly efficient and ecocompatible products,” he averred. Aware that the agricultural and earthmoving equipment in the future will need to deliver higher levels of productivity by significantly reducing emissions, the Group is looking at many disruptive technologies not far away. ACI 47 47
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BY INVITATION
Future of CV The CV industry is entering a new era with new alternate drivetrain technologies and investment strategies. Story by: Dhananjay Kumar
E
ntering a new era where new technologies are increasingly impacting Original Equipment Manufacturers’ product and investment strategies, a balance between priorities of keeping the incumbent business profitable and laying the foundation for new opportunities like alternative powertrains or autonomous driving is being seeked. A moderate volume growth (CAGR of less than one per cent until 2030 is expected amidst such a scenario. With revenues and profits expected to grow at a
CAGR of more than two per cent, the overall OEM profits could increase by Euro 4.9 billion to about Euro 16.1 billion by 2030. This would result in the industry registering a rise in profit from 6.6 per cent in 2017 to 6.7 per cent in 2030. While the fundamental positive impact of economic growth across the globe will result in rising volume demand for trucks until 2030, other market-related revenues and profit drivers (mainly price pressure and regulatory measures) will cause a significant negative
impact. This will require OEMs to increasingly focus on operational efficiency. Of help will be the new technologies like advanced analytics and internal digitisation. New opportunities like alternative powertrains, autonomous driving, and connectivity and solutions could hold good potentials to add to the profit pool. If the prospect of regulatory changes in China is leading to pre-buying, leading to a steep rise of about 80 per cent between 2015 and 2017, revenues and profits for the global truck industry have been growing significantly.
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BY INVITATION The growth of revenues and profits could be also attributed to the rising share of aftersales business, value-added technologies and services, and the over-proportionate growth of high-margin segments. The increase of the total revenue and profits until 2030 (Euro 71.7 billion and Euro 4.9 billion respectively) will be the aggregate of several trends across three industry categories – market developments, operational efficiency, and opportunities from new business models and solutions. Market developments (including structural shifts) such as the competitive business environment, industry consolidation, higher emission standards, and EV cannibalisation (the replacement of diesel trucks by battery electric vehicle) are expected to negatively impact the global truck industry by a margin of Euro 3.9 billion. Combined with a positive impact of Euro 3.2 billion from structural shifts (volume increases), market developments will have a negative impact on the global profit pool in 2030 by Euro 0.7 billion. This indicates that OEMs cannot rely on the market to ensure higher profitability. They would be required instead, to focus on the areas of action like operational efficiency among others.
q Operational efficiency
Operational efficiency will remain a key focus area of action to increase profits. While cost programs have been a core element of the industry for a long time, new technologies (from digitisation, automation, and AI) will provide the potential for cost optimisation along the entire value chain. They will, apart from influencing operational efficiency and leading to new opportunities,
will represent a second major source of profit growth for OEMs through new investments and product launches. The overall profit potential will arise in equal parts from the three major trends, namely alternative powertrains, autonomous vehicles, connectivity, and solutions.
q EV cannibalisation
Alternative powertrains will significantly impact profits in the conventional business. The impact of e-truck distribution will result in a profit pool reduction of Euro 0.9 billion within classical Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrains. On the other side, a profit hike of Euro 0.9 billion through alternative powertrain penetration will correspond to this loss one to one. Add to this the fact, that the additional Euro 0.9 billion profit from alternative powertrains would carry with it the risk of pitting OEMs against new entrants like suppliers for battery technology, and the influence of emission regulations on the global CV industry will be apparent at once.
q Emission regulation
Emission regulations pertaining to NOx and particulate matter levels, especially in emerging markets coupled with the fuel efficiency requirements (CO2), will largely influence revenue and profit. OEMs and suppliers will find it difficult to pass the additional cost for emission compliance on to customers. It will, in the process, negatively impact the global profit pool of Euro 1.6 billion. US and Japan may have been the front runners in terms of ambitious carbon-reduction regulations until now, the fact is, regulations have gotten stricter in every other region. That puts all OEMs on a trajectory of adopting the tightest restrictions by 2025.
Many regions have already signed on to the Euro6 regulatory framework, which limits NOx emissions to 0.4 grams per kilowatt-hour. With the widespread adoption of the newest, most ambitious regulations globally, OEMs are set to benefit from economies of scale. With CO2 regulation tightening, the EU regulation is also demanding a reduction of HDT CO2 emission of 30 per cent by 2030. With measures to reduce emissions from conventional powertrains decreasing their efficiency and increasing costs, it looks tough for combustion engines to achieve ambitious targets. Regulations are likely to have a technology-forcing effect on alternative powertrains.
q Alternative powertrains Although diesel will remain the ‘volume and profit engine’ for the foreseeable future, diesel efficiency optimisation is becoming increasingly challenging. Alternative powertrains (battery-electric, hydrogen/fuel cell, CNG/LNG, synthetic fuels, biofuels) are likely to gain importance when it comes to achieving emission goals and reducing the logistics sector’s CO2 footprint. Complete replacement of diesel by a single technology looks difficult in the
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BY INVITATION foreseeable future as all the alternatives have their share of disadvantages. EVs are likely to be superior in distribution and city-centric use cases. Enjoying the best momentum (major OEMs and start-ups have announced more than 40 different products since 2015), their application triggers significant strategic implications in the case of aftersales and ecosystem partnerships. Hydrogen is expected to be a strong contender in heavy-duty transport, and in segments that would require long-range and high utilisation. Technically, it provides the most suitable solution. Its higher energy density implies longer range, lower weight, and 10 to 15 times faster refueling than pure battery electric vehicles. It also plays a key role in broader energy transition for
the integration of renewables and decarbonisation of heating. Key barriers to adopt hydrogen are the required scale-up and industrialisation (of electrolysers and fuel cell stacks). There’s the challenge of establishing the refueling infrastructure and bringing models to market. In the case of CNG and LNG, prices fundamentally depend on underlying raw material prices. The two fuels are thus exposed to market cyclicity as diesel. Largescale deployment of CNG and LNG would require significant infrastructural investments, and can only be regarded as a bridge technology.
q Synthetic diesel (e-diesel)
e-diesel (synthetic fuels produced from carbon dioxide and water) are still far away from being an economically viable alternative to diesel. The price of one-litre
of e-diesel in Germany amounts to about three times that of the current diesel prices. The energy used to produce onelitre of e-diesel is seven times less efficient than the amount of energy used in a battery-electric vehicle. Likely to be better deployable in applications with limited potential for electrification of the powertrain (aeroplanes for example), e-diesel lose out to biodiesels that are produced from different feedstocks. Predictions on the TCO of biofuel versus diesel are highly volatile as they depend on the underlying raw material prices and taxation. The burning of biofuels may yield local emission advantages, from a well-to-wheel perspective, it remains questionable whether biofuels provide a net advantage over diesel or not.
q Customer demand A combination of political,
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BY INVITATION regulatory and cultural pressure, along with the customer demand in Europe are expected to drive European city e-bus markets. Large cities, and ‘green countries’ will adopt e-buses first. Economic considerations will play a lesser role. e-bus adoption will be driven by the urgency to curb air and noise pollution. Germany will most likely see an accelerated uptake of e-buses, reflecting ongoing discussions concerning harmful diesel emissions. Presenting cities with three major challenges – high technological uncertainty, large upfront investment requirements, and the need for new capabilities, e-bus sales in Europe are expected to occur as parts of larger transit investments (e-bus infrastructure and
additional services for example) with effectively outsourcing to boast of. To lead to a holistic approach, cities with small and regional hubs will be able to build a sustainable model. Larger cities will typically leverage their infrastructure capabilities. Seeking to realise their future mobility goals, the first step towards successful e-bus operation would involve a move towards a smart, clean and integrated solution. This will be made possible by investing in new infrastructure that combines hardware in the forms of charging stations (often requiring a full redesign of the bus depot and other required equipment) and software solutions that can
collect and make use of data concerning driving patterns and vehicle health. The elements of new infrastructure will extend beyond the current IT systems. The significantly greater complexity of e-bus operations concerning battery lifecycle monitoring, range calculations and charging management will be supported by an established network of highly competent companies. For example, some e-bus manufacturers can assume full system responsibility, partnering with charging infrastructure providers and others to deliver an end-to-end e-bus solution. Others would offer comprehensive packages and take full in-house responsibility for the service and maintenance
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BY INVITATION of the complete system. At the same time, several transit operators will have core multidisciplinary teams to manage and execute bids or deliver projects. Teams such as those will validate all components of a tender, including contractual clauses, the integration of innovations, operating costs and investments, and quality and safety considerations. The initial series of e-bus system investments are expected to enable and ease the subsequent introduction of future technologies like autonomous taxis and shuttles. Urban planners will begin foraying e-buses incrementally. They will test the waters and expand their use as the benefits of cleaner air and quieter streets become apparent. e-bus makers will consequently focus on selling a few vehicles to cities, and later take a holistic approach by bundling e-buses with tailored charging, maintenance, and traffic management solutions. This would especially be the case for smaller cities, which do not have the expertise required (high-voltage lines for example) or the risk appetite to ‘go it alone.’ For e-bus OEMs, this may offer the opportunity to become a preferred vendor with a single point of contact, and evolve ultimately into a key partner. Approached systematically, the transition to e-buses can open a clear pathway to a city’s future mobility goals and vision. It would mark a first and the most important step change towards a long-term vision of sustainable mobility solutions and emissionfree cities. The successful implementation of an e-bus system can make the transition to the next technological horizon
and autonomous transport possible. It would have a major impact on city mobility. Systems put in place to handle e-buses could be designed such that they extend to accommodate autonomous buses and facilitate a deeper integration into intermodal transport. The quest for electric truck changing gears in the past 12 to 18 months is not just the OEMs, operators, or emission legislation, but is influenced by local emissions, urban air quality and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the medium term. It is influenced by GHG/fuel economy legislation in the long term. The convergence of society and operators’ needs over the next five to 10 years is set to drive the development of conventional CVs. This will be the case despite developments like the Tesla Semi. Conventional CVs will continue for at least the next 10 years, and until electric CVs build a share. Conventional CVs will continue until hybrids, natural gas, and fuel cell vehicles build a share. Diesel is likely to have the largest share of the pie even after the other mediums have build a share. In the case of Tesla, battery prices, vehicle price, charging availability, electricity prices, wouldn’t just stack up. Fleets will, therefore, take low volumes, the technology innovation spilling out from Tesla Semi into other segments, including pluginhybrid. The result would be the last mile all-electric delivery and optimised mild hybrid for longer distances.
q The Tesla Semi
Even though the Tesla Semi won’t arrive until the end of 2019, the promise of 500 miles range on one charge is a compelling proposition for several fleets. For
many, the announcement leaves many questions unanswered as well. By not specifying the total battery size, but announcing a range of up to 500 miles and energy usage of around two-kWh per mile, Tesla is suggesting a battery of 800-1000 kWh. It is estimated to be 10x as big as the largest Tesla S and 15 times that of the new Tesla 3. Mercedes’s electric delivery truck claims 200 km with a battery of 212 kWh. Daimler’s other new electric truck, a Fuso, has a battery from Daimler’s subsidiary, Deutsche Automotive, with 42-84 kWh capacity. Proterra’s Catalyst (E2 max) electric bus is available with a 660 kWh battery. The Semi, it is safe to assume, will have the largest battery of any truck. It would however not have the largest road vehicle battery to enter production. Tesla’s battery cost targets are estimated to be USD 100 per kWh, which translates into USD 100,000 as of the battery cost price. A 900 kWh capacity could negatively impact the payload carrying capacity. The new Tesla 2170 cell, for instance, translates to 53,000 cells in total, packaged into around eight to 10 modules roughly. With an energy density of 17 Wh per cell, the weight could be between 5000 to 6000 kg. Such weight could lead to a potential payload loss of around five to 10 per cent depending on the type of truck. With a battery size that big, the Tesla Semi Truck would need around eight units to charge up to 80 per cent of the capacity in 30 minutes with the current superchargers. In the range of USD 150,000 and USD 200,000, the battery price may provide an optimistic outlook. However, much would depend on the battery cost Tesla will ultimately 53 53
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BY INVITATION achieve. Simple math says 800-1000 kWh at USD 100 means the battery alone will cost half the vehicle price. Proterra’s Catalyst E2 with 330 kWh battery costs a staggering USD 799,000. This leads to a question on other costs and margins in the case of Tesla. What if the batteries will last one million miles? Will they go back into a secondary market? How many service and maintenance dealers will Tesla have for the launch or will they be solely fleet based? From a broader global perspective, the electrification in the CV segment is already considerable. In China especially, electric buses have already grabbed more than 40 per cent of the market. In markets other than China, the penetration of hybrids is low. There are more natural gas vehicles. The issue with both is of them having lower energy density than diesel. Even with improved energy efficiency, for an electric driveline, the battery size equivalent to a 1000-litre diesel fuel tank with a weight of 800 kg is more likely to be 20-tonnes. With an engine and transmission weighing up to 2,000 kg including accessories, there is likely to be a substantial weight penalty. Even if the energy density doubles over time, the problem is, even with a considerable energy recovery achievable, the average energy consumption is much more than a light vehicle in the case of battery electric. Chinese buses on an average have a battery range of 300 kWh on a closed route. Electric trucks with batteries around 100 kWh can achieve a low but useful allelectric mileage and are being developed by other OEMs in specific applications. Compared to diesel averages in Europe and North America, the cost savings can be significant if the upfront investment falls. With
European and North American fleets looking for less than one-year payback for most new technologies, electric trucks will take a long time. Their success, therefore, will rely on fleets with long payback calculations or CSR CO2 targets. There is considerable potential for CV applications to continue to improve using conventional technologies. Tesla’s technology has a very aerodynamic body and existing vehicles could adopt these without the need to go to electric. There is little doubt that 48V is coming faster than expected. Mild hybridisation would allow modest downsizing of the engine with a smaller battery size as well. This would allow conventional technologies to be adopted. Technologies like advanced thermal management, waste heat recovery and aerodynamics will reduce CO 2 from trucks by 20 per cent over the next decade, reducing the benefit of the electric truck and pushing out the payback for those trucks. Over 200,000 Class-eight trucks with a five per cent saving in CO 2 is better than a 100 per cent saving in just 10,000. The cost-benefit is likely to be significantly better. Getting these new trucks into the fleets and replacing older vehicles would improve air quality more quickly than a small share of allelectric trucks.
q Alternate Drivetrain
A systems approach to powertrain selection and the picking of the right fuel for the truck would be the driver for alternative fuels on a fixed route. This would help make the most of the benefits for air quality in non-attainment zones, and support the use of low carbon trucks in industries that have limited mitigation opportunities in their other processes. Optimising
driver training, route selection, load management, etc., would be the other bits in the short term. For the adoption of advanced powertrain technologies with lower emissions for conventional trucks in the mainstream, the use of natural gas or LNG in locations where it is readily available and can displace diesel would prove beneficial. The journey of diesel towards USD 100 is not compelling enough as it is more important to look at secondary benefits to achieve payback at a corporate level. What it also means is that there is a need to change the business model for much of the transport industry, not excluding the major fleet owners if government policies dictate. Let us consider the fact that global hybrid and electrified CVs, plus alternative fuels would reach around one million units in 2024, out of four million in total above six-tonne GVW, and there is no doubt to expect incremental progress in alternate drivetrain using alternate fuel. In the HDT segment, the transition would be slow. In last-mile connectivity or urban transportation, the penetration is expected to be more. As the technology matures and acceptability of alternate drivetrains increases, it will start to make a strong business case. A major change is on the way for certain, the impact of which will be long-standing. ACI -----------------------------------------The author is Professor Emeritus, Mechanical Eng. (COEP, Pune), MD & Board Member, Thor Power Corporation (EV, Allentown, PA, USA), and Global Consultant and Principal Analyst, Coleman Research & GLG, USA. The views expressed by the author are his personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of ACI magazine.
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SPECIAL REPORT
VR Driver Training Simulation Asia’s fifth Gen Virtual Reality based Advanced Driver Training Simulator Centre. Story by: Sricharan R
A
sia’s fifth Gen Virtual Reality (VR) based Advanced Driver Training Simulator Centre was recently launched at Automobile Association of Southern India Centre (AASI), Chennai. The simulator said to be capable of helping learners to drive safely on Indian roads, is a patented technology. Ideated, designed and developed by Chennai based Red Chariots Technologies Pvt. Ltd., it took close to three years for a team of 12 engineers to develop the hardware and software, emulating the Indian driving standards and road conditions. Averred D V Vinod Gopal, Director, Red Chariots Technologies Pvt. Ltd., “We have invested around Rs.3.5 crores in developing this system. A person can test his driving skills and get
certified.” Said to have 40 different vehicles and variants presenting everybody a choice to learn, the company according to Gopal doesn’t have a two-wheeler yet. The latter is being perfected, he mentioned. Gopal drew attention to the dashboard. He explained that in the case of VR, it was possible to use the speedometer, monitor the RPM, the gear shifts and more. The driver can have almost 300 degree of visibility, which makes this simulator better than the rest. At the AASI in Chennai, two simulators are available for public use. At a cost of Rs.100 for an eight-minute session, existing drivers can make use of this simulator to learn the advanced techniques of driving and implement
q Drink And Drive
One such customised initiative the company has planned is for a liquor company. Red Chariots is developing a simulator that gives one experience on how they drive when drunk. Once they feel the experience, it is believed that they resist driving with possession of liquor.
it in their day to day driving style. Through the specialised training module, drivers learn to anticipate adverse situations on the road helping them make safe decisions with minimum to no risk for self and the general public on road. When a trainee registers their basic details in the app., they are presented with
Besides the system for 40 different vehicles and variants, the company is perfecting a two-wheeler system 56 56 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n NOVEMBER 2019
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SPECIAL REPORT a 45 seconds demo. This level will give the trainee, the required time to get used to the driving simulator and the immersive environment of Virtual Reality. The actual driving levels commence only after one has gone through the demo. Each module lasts for three minutes with the software specially designed and developed for Indian road scenarios.
The fifth generation brings in motion control to give the driver a 300-degree view along with a real-world feel
q The simulation
In the first five levels, the demo trains for safe driving. It is then that the vehicle’s physical dynamics come into play. The simulators, additionally are expected to increase the efficiency levels of the RTOs making the task of driver training easier. The computer itself will analyse the driving skill sets of an individual easing the pressure of the officials thus helping in bringing out the best in the driver. After completing each level, the trainee gains access to a detailed performance analysis report with pointers to areas of strength and scope for improvement based on how many rules are followed, how many road etiquettes are adhered to and their overall behaviour exhibited on the road simulation. Based on this score, a driver qualifies and graduates to the next level immediately or are told to retake the same level after an interval of 24 hours, until such time they qualify. With the launch of the simulators, the company is claimed to be getting enquiries for the same from different departments of the government and from the defence sector. The new simulators, opined Gopal, need to be highly customised based on their requirements. Once customised, they can be used for selected requirements to help the concerned drivers, he stated. “The biggest challenge for this simulator is that it cannot be sold off the shelf as we have to create and understand why a customer wants a simulator and then customise it
according to their needs,” Gopal added. The Tamil Nadu Health and Transport Departments is said to have approached the company with enquiries coming in from defence headquarters among other corporate companies. A single simulator will
q MTC And Ambulances Under the Safe Drivers Campaign, AASI will train 200 Ambulance drivers free of cost. They were also approached by Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) of Chennai to train the drivers. With a lot of research in place, the company is said to have gained a lot of information which it is incorporating in the simulators.
cost an estimated Rs.2.5-20 lakhs. The company is looking out for a possibility to cut costs.
q The fifth Generation
About bringing in Asia’s first 5th Gen Virtual Reality based Advanced Driver Training Simulator, Vinod said, “The first generation was from the 1970s and had a single monitor. They moved from one monitor to three, giving them a 135-degree view. This is the second-gen. The view is better, but the driver feels he
is sitting at the centre of the vehicle. Then came in the third generation where we fitted dome projectors. For example, a typical full truck body is kept inside a room and videos were played before it. Though the drive feel was better, the experience was not. The fourth-gen came along with the physics, which we can now see in the game parlours. The fifthgeneration brings in motion control. We are very close to reality. When a person is inside the simulator he can have a 300-degree view along with moving cars with a real-world feel. Going forward, the sixth generation will be augmented reality. One can sit inside a room and train him or herself using these.
q Future plans
The company has plans to expand its simulators range and make it available at various places. In talks for customised simulators, and interested in training the next generations to build awareness for safe driving practices, the company is expected to touch base with schools with this technology and impart skills on road safety. We do not want to give them a simulator because we do not want them to drive a car or bike. By this, we are making them question adults when they drive bad and convert them to the better driver,” he concluded. ACI 57 57
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