Motown India November 2013

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EDITOR’S NOTE

T

P. Tharyan

he November 2013 issue of Motown India is an F1 special of sorts.

Apart from the extensive report on the Airtel Indian Grand Prix 2013, what is equally remarkable are the pictures that have been taken by our senior photo journalist Mohd. Nasir. Every picture used in the cover story is our own! The organisers of the F1 race are very stingy when it comes to media accreditation. Only a maximum of two media accreditations are allowed per publication. A reporter’s job is relatively easy compared to that of a photo journalist. The latter has to move around the venue, taking pictures from different angles. One moment, he would be at the paddock area, the next in the pit lane, next at some strategic location around the circuit....it’s a gruelling affair that requires loads of physical stamina. Nasir moved around with his cameras, at times carrying a lens bigger than a bazooka. It was no mean feat!

The cover story on the F1 race delves upon Vettel’s performance and a lot on the activities centred on a race. We have an in-depth interview with Guy Lovett of Shell who talked us through the activities that happen at the Shell test laboratory attached to the Ferrari team. The research and testing that happens at this lab are incredible.

We have interviews with leading personalities associated with the race. Marc Nassif of Renault was excited about Renault’s participation in the race. Sameer Gaur of Jaypee Group was confident that the F1 race would come back in 2015.

Sanjay Sharma of JK Tyre felt that a facility like the Buddh circuit should have been in place a long time back in India.

COVER PICTURE: Race winner and 2013 Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing celebrates in front of the crowd on the main straight following the Indian Formula One Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit on October 27, 2013 in Greater Noida. (Photo by Getty Images)

Editor Punnoose Tharyan Editorial Advisors Salil Sharma, Alexander T., Annie Jacob -------------------------CONTACT For editorial editorial@motownindia.com For advertising sales@motownindia.com +91-9958125645 For subscription subscription@motownindia.com --------------------------

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-------------------------Motown India is printed, published, edited and owned by Punnoose Tharyan and published from 4058 / D-4, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. Printed at Pearl Printers, 52, DSIDC Shed, Okhla, Phase 1, New Delhi. This issue of Motown India magazine contains 68 pages including both covers and a 68-page booklet.

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CONTENTS

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Bull’s Eye INFINITI RED BULL’S VETTEL WINS; INDIA NEEDS A WIN TOO

ENTRY LEVEL XUV500 MODEL ‘W4’ LAUNCHED FOR 10.95 LAKH

GM INDIA PROBE CONTINUES; HEFTY FINES AND POLICE ACTION COULD FOLLOW

12

BUSWORLD KORTRIJ 2013 BRINGS TOGETHER GLOBAL BUS AND COACH MANUFACTURERS

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TUTU’S FINE TUNES

F1: Master promoter, aggressive technology

T R.K. DHAWAN (TUTU)

10 / November 2013

he Airtel Indian Grand Prix 2013 held recently at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida was historic in every sense. Sebastian Vettel won the 2013 championship and joined the elite club of Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher. It was Vettel’s fourth consecutive championship win. There are lessons to be learnt plenty from an F1 race. To begin with, one has to admire the man behind the entire F1 event---Bernie Ecclestone. He is an astute businessman. Not many are aware of the fact that F1 is the only sport in the world where the person (driver) participating in it has to find his own sponsors! Yes, if you are a good cricketer or a football player, a host of companies would queue up to sponsor you. That’s the reason why the Dhonis and the Tendulkars find it so easy to make tonnes of money. In F1 racing, a potential driver who feels that he has earned his stripes wining some great races around the world, whether it is go karting or F3 or F2, will have to find his own sponsors. Once the sponsors are convinced that he can win races for them, they endorse him and go to Bernie and pay him to participate in the big F1 circus. For the sponsors, whether it is a lubricant maker or an engine maker or even a car maker or a drinks major, the benefits are plenty being part of an F1 race. Can you imagine the publicity that has come the way of Renault after Vettel and his team won the 2013 championship? Renault has supplied its

engines to four teams for the 2013 F1 races.

While Ecclestone is a great businessman, so are the Gaurs of India.

They were always of the view that F1 was the only global event that would get the attention of a global audience to its Jaypee Sports project in Greater Noida.

Around 2,000 acres of land have been earmarked for sports related activities in Greater Noida. Formula One takes only one third of that space. Ever since the F1 circus has come to town in Greater Noida, land prices have soared and will continue to soar. It is a matter of time before all the land (owned by the Jaypee group) around the sports project, appreciate in value. It is unfortunate that F1 is not coming to town next year. One can imagine how miserable the Gaurs are feeling about it!

But whatever said and done, an F1 event brings to India immense benefits.

India gets recognised as a country to reckon with. Besides, the sports itself represents the best technology and research have to offer. Just a couple of hours of racing enables the scientists and researchers to accumulate data on every part of the vehicle, whether it is tyres, the fuel, the oil or the lubricant or the several mechanical parts that make up the vehicle. Thus, from the point of view of technology, there is lot to learn and assimilate for everyone. Purely from the point of view of sports, Indians can experience the thrill of motorsports at its best!

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HIGHLIGHTS

Entry level XUV500 model ‘W4’ launched for 10.95 lakh P. Tharyan The best way to compete in a price sensitive car market is to get your pricing right and keep your quality intact. That is what Mahindra & Mahindra has done with its popular and best seller XUV500 sports utility vehicle. It has introduced an entry level ‘W4’ model of its XUV500 sports unity vehicle at a rock bottom price of 10.95 lakh (exshowroom, Delhi). The entry level W4 model is powered by the 2.2 litre mHawk turbo diesel engine that churns out 140Bhp of maximum power and 330Nm of peak torque.

The entry-level XUV500 is front wheel driven, through a 6 speed manual gearbox and delivers a mileage of 15.1km per litre (ARAI-certified). The Indian utility vehicle maker has also retained the other variants of the XUV500--W6, W8 and W8 AWD--without any changes.

With such a low price tag, the model is expected to give a direct competition to some of the successful sports utility vehicles like the Ford EcoSport, the Renault Duster and even the newly launched Nissan Terrano. Compared to these vehicles, the XUV500 stands out as an aggressive and value for money product.

The XUV500 up-market features include micro-hybrid technology, integrated music

12 / November 2013

system with CD/MP3 & with 4 speakers, projector headlamps with LEDs, dual airbags, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), side impact beams, crash protection with crumple zones, all wheel disc brakes, twin HVAC, power & tilt steering, power adjustable ORVMs, remote central locking, 6-way adjustable driver seats, fully foldable 2nd & 3rd row seats, et al.

Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director & President, Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. noted, “The

XUV500 has resonated very well with our customers since its launch and has since become a trendsetter within the Indian automotive industry. With over 74,000 vehicles on the road within two years of launch, the XUV500 is one of our most successful launches. As a customer centric organisation, we have incorporated customer feedback at every step and evolved and today’s W4 model launch bears testimony to the same”.

Pravin Shah, Chief Executive, Automotive Division,

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “Since its launch in 2011, the XUV500 has carved a special niche for itself in the minds of Indian consumers.

The launch of the W4 model makes the XUV500 proposition accessible to more customers who aspire to be proud owners of the cheetah-inspired XUV500.

Inspite of being an entry level model of the XUV500, the W4 model is technology laden and with this launch, we aim to attract sedan & compact SUV buyers who wish to upgrade to the XUV500.”

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HIGHLIGHTS

GM India probe continues; Hefty fines and police action could follow In what is being considered as one of the biggest white collar crimes in the Indian automobile industry, a three-member government panel headed by NATRiP CEO Nitin Gokarn has figured that General Motors India had flouted emission and specification norms for the Tavera MPV vehicle and those in the top management of the company from 2005 to 2012 were aware of the “corporate fraud”.

Even though the panel has suggested a fine of around 11 crore, the government has now reportedly put the ball in the court of the state governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra to figure out the real picture. GM India has plants in Halol in Gujarat and Talegaon in Maharashtra. The flouting of emission norms and other specifications had eventually led to the company recalling 1.14 lakh Chevrolet Tavera vehicle (BS III- 2.5 litre and BS IV 2 litre capacity).

Police action against erring officials have not been ruled out.

The company’s top management including directors, CEOs and managing directors from 2005 to 201112 were involved in the said ‘corporate fraud’, according to the government panel report.

Those at the helm of affairs during that time include Rajeev Chaba who is now

14 / November 2013

with GM China and Karl Slym who now heads Tata Motors as its Managing Director.

Chaba when contacted elarier had denied being sacked by GM. The current Managing Director of GM India Lowell Paddock is the one who actually brought the matter to light by going to the government with an internal audit report.

When Motown India contacted Ambuj Sharma, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, he stated, “They have been imposed with stiff penalties as per CMVR Act. I understand that the actual amount is 1,000 multiplied by the number of vehicles sold. In that case, that amounts to around 11 crore. Individual culpability was not part of the commission findings.

The testing agencies were absolved of this because of three reasons. GM has said that no testing agency is involved in this (fraud). The internal auditor of GM has also given in writing that they have not found any involvement of the testing agencies.

The

committee also followed the entire procedure followed by iCAT and ARAI. In the letter they have found they have followed the said procedure.

As far as wrongdoing by any personnel, that has not been pointed out,” Sharma noted that though the testing agencies have not been blamed in any manner, the government would ensure that the agencies are a bit more vigilant when it comes to testing for which they will come out with random sampling and training of personnel.

When contacted, Nitin Gokarn refused to comment on this matter. It is understood that there was no evidence of any sort that pointed out to the involvement of the testing agency, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).

A GM India spokesperson stated, “We determined there was an emissions

problem. We investigated it and identified violations of company policy. We developed a solution to the emissions problem and recalled the vehicles to serve our customers. We have held people accountable. “ “The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) must come forward with its decisive action so that these offences by the auto majors are not repeated in future and the government must set up a comprehensive mandatory auto recall mechanism in the country in which all stake holders and the interested groups should be directly involved in its finalisation rather than making it a private affair between the Ministry of Heavy Industry and Society of Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), which appears to be present status.,” S.P. Singh, Sr. Fellow and Coordinator, IFTRT, said in a communiqué to the media.

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HIGHLIGHTS

What’s wrong with Volvo--the world’s safest brand?

Mahindra First Choice Wheels’ ‘Highline’ store

Volvo brand, the synonymous with safety-rich technologies, is now busy salvaging its image in India.

On October 30, 2013, around 45 people, who were travelling in the Volvo 9400 XL bus coming from Bangalore to Hyderabad, were charred to death as the bus burst into flames after its fuel tank caught fire in Mahbubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh.

Volvo Buses India spokesperson refused to offer any comments saying, “Currently, the investigations are going on and it would be premature to say anything on that.” Forensic experts too reached the spot after the tragedy to carry out investigations.

However, a company official requesting anonymity maintained the fuel tank in the bus was not made of metal but roto-molded plastic, which rarely explodes under pressure. Unlike metal fuel tanks, which get compressed and explode due to built up pressure, the plastic fuel tank only cracks, spilling the fuel but not causing a massive explosion. Volvo has also said its team visited the accident site to find out how this mishap occured.

Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), in its statement mentioned, “As per the information collected by IFTRT, the bus while negotiating a car hit the median (Central verge) at the bridge on the highway, which resulted in tyre burst and subsequent blast in the diesel tank to be followed with entire bus being engulfed with fire and within almost 45 minutes the Volvo luxury coach was reduced into ashes.”

The statement further added, “The IFTRT urges that such mass casualties from bus catching fire cannot be treated as a mere accident, but it is a criminal negligence on the part of greedy bus manufacturers and tourist bus operators to recover the investment on bus purchase and maintenance at shortest possible time. The authorities must carry out investigation into such accidents under section 135 of the central motor vehicles act so that such fatalities are averted and culpability of stake holders is fixed. It is urgent that bus body code is implemented/ notified and type approval of buses is made more stringent to bring in true safety and comfort for the passengers and road users.”

Mahindra First Choice Wheels Ltd. (MFCWL) introduced its first exclusive ‘Highline’ store with ‘Prestige Auto World’ on MG Road in Gurgaon. The facility features a range of certified premium vehicles under one roof, where trained staff would cater to the specific needs of customers. Services would also include finance options and warranties on these vehicles. Yatin Chadha, Sr. Vice President, Retail Business Mahindra First Choice Wheels Limited, stated at the launch, “The facility highlights the importance of the northern market for our company and its future growth plans. Our network in the north has now grown to 99 outlets”.

The company will offer two unique warranty products, Warrantyfirst for all major mechanical and electrical components of the car and Certifirst which covers the car’s engine and transmission. The company has also launched a new product called the Indian Blue Book (IBB). IBB is the most comprehensive used car price guide currently available in the country. It is beneficial for consumers, finance companies and car dealers who are planning to buy or sell cars by helping them determine the value of their used cars. Another innovative product for car evaluation called ‘Autoinspekt’ has been launched. This is based on the famed 118 point check list for vehicle evaluation.

16 / November 2013

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HIGHLIGHTS

Vettel claims F1 title at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

T

he winning spree for 2013 world champion Sebastian Vettel continued at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where he scored a convincing victory, leading every single lap to finish 30secs ahead of teammate Mark Webber. It was the seventh victory in a row for the German and his 11th of 2013, the third 1-2 for the team this season and the 50th win for the Renault RS27 engine.

Lotus F1 Team’s Romain Grosjean finished fourth, making it three Renault-powered cars in the top four.

Vettel and Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg were able to race past on either side of Mark Webber’s RB9 in the early stages of the race. Webber spent his time fending off Lotus’s Romain Grosjean (who pushed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton down to fifth), coping with a minor KERS overheating problem, and then moving ahead of Rosberg. Eventually on the 20th lap Webber made it a Red Bull one-two. Rosberg came in third.

The only non-finisher was Kimi Raikkonen, who hit the back of Van der Garde of Caterham on the opening lap and damaged his Lotus car’s right-front suspension. As Vettel was making his first pit call on lap 14, the Finn was seen leaving the circuit.

Vettel now has 347 points, followed by Fernando Alonso with 217, with Raikkonen still third on 183 from Hamilton on 175, Webber on 166 and Rosberg on 159. Red Bull have 513 points, Mercedes 334, Ferrari 323, Lotus 297, McLaren 95 and Force India 77.

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

18 / November 2013

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HIGHLIGHTS

Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing has his hands set in concrete after winning the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on November 3, 2013 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

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COVER REPORT

BULL’S EYE INFINITI RED BULL’S VETTEL WINS; INDIA NEEDS A WIN TOO Report P. Tharyan, Photography Mohd. Nasir

20 / November 2013

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COVER REPORT

“Many people think a car is only an assembly of four tyres, an engine and some shaped metal around it. A car is designed by heart and mind; it is then driven by a pilot’s heart and mind. A car is alive and lives in perfect harmony between its designers and those that lead it to victory across the finish line.” ENZO FERRARI

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COVER REPORT

F

or Renault-powered Infiniti Red Bull Racing it was a double whammy at the recently concluded Airtel Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit, situated in Greater Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi. Formula One racing, still construed as a rich man’s game, did not see Indian spectators come in droves at the Buddh circuit, in spite of the fact that the race would not be there in 2014. If India has to win on the automotive technology front, it has to embrace F1 not just as a fast paced sport, but as a sport that would usher in a technological revolution in the automotive space.

Meanwhile, not only did their race driver Sebastian Vettel win the Indian GP and thereby the 2013 title, but the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team also won its fourth consecutive Constructors’ World Championship title. At the end of the race in India in 2013, the team had scored 10 wins, 8 pole positions, 10 fastest laps and 470 points.

According to Renault F1 communication, it is the first time in over 20 years that a constructor-engine partnership has achieved such an unbroken run of success. In fact, only once in the history of the sport has a partnership achieved a similar feat (McLarenHonda from 1988 – 1991).

The 2013 season will also bring to an end the era of powerful V8 engines. With new regulations in force in 2014, the engines become smaller (V6), yet more powerful. For Renault, the title concludes the V8 engine era on a high note. The French manufacturer secured the first-ever title under the V8 engine regulations in 2006 with Renault F1 Team, and now comes full circle to win the final title. With five of the possible eight crowns and 57 wins, Renault is now the most successful engine manufacturer of the V8 engine formula, says the Renault F1 communication.

RENAULT’S F1 TITLES 1992: 1993:

Williams-Renault (3.5l V10) Williams-Renault (3.5l V10)

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1994: 1995: 1996: 1997: 2005: 2006: 2010: 2011: V8) 2012: V8) 2013: V8)

Williams-Renault (3.5l V10) Benetton-Renault (3.0l V10) Williams-Renault (3.0l V10) Williams-Renault (3.0l V10) Renault F1 Team (3.0l V10) Renault F1 Team (2.4l V8) Red Bull Racing-Renault (2.4l V8) Infiniti Red Bull Racing-Renault (2.4l Infiniti Red Bull Racing-Renault (2.4l Infiniti Red Bull Racing-Renault (2.4l

For Sebastian Vettel, having claimed the 2013 Formula 1 World Championship crown, it was his fourth consecutive drivers’ title. The 26-year-old German drove his Renault-powered Infiniti Red Bull Racing to victory in the Indian Grand Prix, clinching the title with three races remaining. (He also won the race at the Abu Dhabi circuit) Sebastian’s win now brings him level with Renault Ambassador Alain Prost’s tally of four drivers’ championship wins. Alain Prost won the F1 titles in 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993. When the V8 engine era started in 2006, Fernando Alonso won the title for Renault F1 Team in 2006 with Vettel winning in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Vettel also joined the elite club of Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher who have each won the F1 title four times in a row. Fangio won the world titles five times in 1951 and from 1954 to 1957 with four different teams. The record stood for 46 years Schumacher won the F1 world title seven times, two with Benetton (1994-95) and five consecutive times for Ferrari from 2000-04.

THE INDIA STORY Sadly, India is out of the 2014 F1 race and is hopeful of being a part of the 2015 F1 schedule. A race that is so rich on research and technology, is often misunderstood as a rich man’s sport. Unless this mindset changes, India will continue to shield itself from all forms of progress and development. Formula One is an amalgamation of skills, technology, precision, discipline, engineering, research, strategy and high levels of stamina. Glamour and wealth

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COVER REPORT

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COVER REPORT

are just one part of this sport.

Each race brings to the venue, not just the drivers and cars, but a retinue of engineers, scientists and mechanics and logistics experts.

The rest is all support staff, whether it is designer Mandira Wirks’ creating some fabulous dresses for the grid girls, or the Apollo Hospital doctors waiting to step in case of a mishap, or the JCB drivers ready to extend a helping hand in picking up cars and crates. But what stands out in this midst of all the noise from screeching tyres and screaming engines, is the very purpose of an F1 race, to bring to the world the best of cars and the technology therein.

Even as the race goes on, tonnes of data is collated and analysed and experts sitting both at the venue as well as research centres situated globally are in constant touch trying to ensure that the drivers and their vehicles are not at a disadvantage.

Each of the pit lane garages turns into a virtual research centre on the first day of a race. After the practice sessions, the cars are dismantled and almost every mechanical part is tested for a whole host of reasons. Except for the engine, almost every bit of the vehicle is opened up for analysis.

The tyre specialists (Pirelli) are there at every pit garage, waiting to record the temperatures post race, the wear and tear etc. The fuel and lubricant specialists do their own analysis, while the engineers test and analyse the wear and tear of the several components.

In India, Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) Limited is the organiser of Formula 1 race

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in India and has signed a fiveyear contract with Formula One Management (FOM) to host the championship in India. Established in October 2007, JPSI, a subsidiary of Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL), constructed the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) which hosted India’s first F1 Grand Prix in 2011. The 5.14km JPSI circuit has been designed by renowned German architect Hermann Tilke.

BIC is a part of the Jaypee Sports City which is spread over 2,500 acres.

“The Indian GP will not be there in 2014 for logistical reasons. We wanted to do the 2014 race in October but FIA (the governing body) wanted it in March 2014 so that it can club it along with other Asian venues like Sepang, Shanghai, Suzuka, etc. For us October is the right time and not March, so we decided to not have a GP next year. We will be back in 2015,” says Sameer Gaur, CEO, JPSI. He further adds, “We will still insist to host it around the festive season. We think October end is the right moment for the Grand Prix to be scheduled here. And if he (Bernie) says that India is among the top two circuits in the world, why should he not agree to our demands. These are discussions which are still going”.

Gaur is committed to bringing in the F1 again in 2015. But the government needs to step and assist by providing the right incentives. The growth of a nation cannot be measured by merely providing subsidies in buying food and gas. Technology needs to be encouraged. No progress happens without superior technology. F1 brings that in huge quantities!

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COVER REPORT

Vettel Speak “First of all I would love to say thank you to the crowd. Unbelievable reception today. It’s a shame we are not racing here next year...” “...There have been so many people that I have to thank along the way from go-karting, junior formula categories, up to now, that have been teaching me a lot...” “...I am not taking all the credit myself. I am very thankful for what these guys are doing. If you look at their pay cheque at the end of the month, you’d be surprised if you could do the amount of hours that they do. I think it’s better to work at McDonalds than to do what they do! It’s one hundred per cent commitment...” “...What I want to say is that I would actually love to take the time out and travel to India, travel around here, because I think this country has the possibility to teach you so much. The majority of the people are very poor, if you compare the living standards to Europe. I think it’s within human nature that you always find something to complain about but you come here, the majority of people have a very difficult life you would say, but they are very happy...” “...Whether you finish first, second, 15th or last, it doesn’t really matter, but I think it’s something unique, that we get to feel, we get to enjoy.

I appreciate that and hopefully that this kind of feeling never changes...”

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COVER REPORT

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COVER REPORT

“

To achieve four double World Championships is the culmination of an enormous amount of dedication and commitment from the whole team. For Sebastian to have joined the illustrious names of Fangio, Prost and Schumacher is an incredible achievement, especially at such a young age and it’s a privilege to work with him. It’s an enormous day for the Team to have won its fourth consecutive Constructors’ World Championship. Without the dedication and determination of all the staff from all of the departments throughout the company and from all of our Partners and the backing of Dietrich Mateschitz and support of Red Bull, none of this would be possible. There’s going to be an awfully lot of happy people in Milton Keynes and Salzburg this evening. We’ve got three races to go and we’re just going to go for it. The most disappointing thing today was obviously the failure on Mark’s car when we were set for a 1-2 finish; we had a sudden alternator failure, but sometimes that’s racing. It was just desperately disappointing to happen while we were on course to achieve a 1-2 finish. I think it’s going to take quite a few days for this success to sink in and it’s important for the Team to enjoy the moment – we will be pushing all the way to the chequered flag in Brazil.

CHRISTIAN HORNER, Team Principal

28 / November 2013

”

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It’s difficult to verbalise what these Championships mean to be honest. Coming into the weekend we knew we had a good chance for both titles, but it’s one thing thinking you have a good chance and quite another to achieve it.

It’s almost a relief that we’ve done it, it’s going to take a while to sink in. It’s a tribute to all the hard work, talent and focus of the guys and girls back in Milton Keynes.

We started off with a very good season in 2009, against all expectations, and to have built on that with four consecutive doubles is absolutely stunning. More than anything I’d like to thank every single member of the team for that. Sebastian must now be considered one of the alltime greats. He makes mistakes sometimes, but he always learns from them; he’s very humble and the success and fame he has achieved over the last few years has never gone to his head; he remains with both feet firmly on the ground. The atmosphere we have in the team is very good; we’re just a straight forward team and we don’t pretend to be anything we’re not. These four Championships are a result of all the hard work, creativity and enthusiasm of everyone in Milton Keynes.

ADRIAN NEWEY, Chief Technical Officer

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COVER REPORT

The designers behind the costumes and the trophy

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t the Airtel Indian Grand Prix 2013, two things stood out, besides Vettel winning the coveted title----the costumes for the grid girls and the trophy for the champion.

THE UNIFORM: “Express Yourself”-This was the whole idea behind creating the uniforms for the grid girls for the Airtel Indian Grand Prix 2013 this time. Being known for elegance, feminity and sensuality, Mandira Wirk expressed herself in designing these uniforms. Considering Airtel F1 as a chic sport in itself, she experimented and created uniforms keeping the latest fashion trends in mind. Fall winter being the coming season, the uniforms were inspired from trendy trench coats which Mandira herself is very fond of. She felt that they were very elegant as well as stylish. Use of jersey, made it comfortable as well as added the oomph factor to the garment.

Belt, buttons and lapel made it different and created a sporty

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style statement. To make it more chic, the Airtel logo printed scarf was added.

THE TROPHY: Bengaluru-based designer Michael Foley crafted the trophy for the event. The final trophy was an interesting combination of sports, technology, glamour, entertainment and youth - and the trophy reflected each of these elements. The conceptualisation stage lasted over a month.

The cup was created with 24 metal slivers that were assembled around an axis, inspired by the 24 spokes of the ‘chakra’. The material used to aptly depict this fusion was aircraft grade light-weight aluminium. The colours green, white and saffron were imbedded in the gaps between the slivers depicting a subtle expression of the Indian flag. The final avatars of the cup used a resilient ion-plating and anodising of aluminium to create a unique blend of metallic black, red and silver.

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COVER REPORT

Style Quotient at F1

JK Tyre Chairman Raghupati Singhania (R)

McLaren’s Jenson Button with his girlfriend Jessica Michibata Eye candies at the Sahara Force India pit

Sahara Force India’s Vijay Mallaya greets a friend

34 / November 2013

Subrata Roy of Sahara Group with his family

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COVER REPORT

Gul Panag

Bollywood actor Gulshan Grover (L) with Sameer Gaur of Jaypee Group F1 is always hot news

Shashi Tharoor with his wife Sunanda Pushkar

Goodies for distribution

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FMSCI President Vicky Chandhok with a friend

November 2013 / 35

COVER REPORT

36 / November 2013

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COVER REPORT

Marc Nassif,

Country Head and MD, Renault India Your Renault engines are powering cars belonging to four teams at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix. These are Infiniti Red Bull, Williams, Lotus and Caterham. Are all the engines identical in specs and quality?

We supply the power unit for the cars and we supply it in exactly the same quality and definition. We do not do any special Red Bull masala or something like that. The transmissions might be different. But yes, we supply exactly the same level of technology in tuning to all the four teams. The difference is what they do around it.

What are the benefits derived out of racing these engines in an F1 event?

So far, a lot of benefits were percolating down from F1 to mass produced cars. Even some of the components inside the F1 engine went into the K9 engine of ours. But now we are going to see benefits percolating from mass produced cars to the F1. The direction the new F1 regulations are taking, we find it very fruitful for our cars. In terms of technology we

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are miles ahead of where we were two or three years ago, especially with the technology around KERS. Can you tell us about Renault’s association with MRF for the races?

The 20 cars racing in the MRF 2000 series are using Renault engines. We know that if any car comes first, it’s surely going to be powered by a Renault engine. All the 20 cars have the same finishing and the same F3 kind chassis. The engines are two litre Renault Sport engines. Besides this, we have taken three cars and three drivers with complete Renault branding. This is the second year running for the MRF race wherein we are seeing the Renault engines.

Is all the popularity and fame associated with F1 rubbing off on Renault’s performance in India?

Yes, we do believe so. It is very difficult to measure. It’s like the masala, there are spices that you do not feel directly that they are there. But if you remove that, then there is something missing. I believe that the Renault brand is so deep in our DNA. When you visit our dealerships, you will get to see our involvement

with F1. At the same time it is a combination of technology and emotion. F1 is technology and emotion at the same time.

We believe that what we give to everybody is technology and emotion. Through technology there is efficiency, reliability and quality.

In India, is the performance of your company going in the right direction?

Absolutely, yes! Hopefully, we shall double our sales this year. We were 35,000 units last year, we should be around 70,000 unit by the end of this calendar year.

The Duster is obviously the main pillar in terms of growth and volume, but our other models like Scala and Koleos are also doing well. Scala is a beautiful car. I am a great fan of Koleos. The Fluence model gives you a silky ride.

You do not have one market in India, you have many.

You do not have one kind of buyer in India, you have many kinds. They are all after value.

But their definition of value differs. The Koleos buyer has a different definition of value as compared to the Duster

buyer. The thing is to deliver to both what they want.

What about exports?

I do not control the growth of the market where we export. What I can control is my performance, cars with good value, good costing, and obviously I shall promote India abroad. We also export components. We export many different kinds of parts. We also export wheels out of India. We do that to Brazil.

Not only small components but also big ones we export.

India is very competitive.

What is your view of the compact SUV segment, will to continue to grow?

The past one month has not been good for this segment.

But we are doing well. India has surprised us so much in the past of being able to go from minus 10pc to +13pc in six months. There is a strong movement towards SUVs and MUVs. I am controlling Renault in India and my plate is full with that.

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COVER REPORT

Renault gears up for new F1 regulations

T

he year 2013 will mark the end of the famous V8 engines in Formula One racing. Beginning 2014, the 2.4 litre V8 engines will give

38 / November 2013

way to 1.6 litre V6 engines.

It was at the Paris Air Show that Renault presented its innovative new power unit designed to the new technical regulations to be used in the FIA Formula One World

Championship from 2014 onwards.

The new generation power unit has been officially named Renault Energy F1. The maximum power of the new power unit will exceed the

output of the current V8 F1 engines. Fuel efficiency will also be radically improved.

With only 100kg of fuel permitted for the race, the new units will use 35pc less fuel than their predecessors.

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COVER REPORT ENGINE Displacement Rev Limit Pressure charging Fuel flow limit Permitted fuel quantity per race Configuration No. Of cylinders Bore Stroke Crank height No. of valves Exhausts Fuel No. of power units permitted per driver per year

RS27-2013

ENERGY F1-2014

2.4 litres

1.6 litres

18,000rpm

15,000rpm

Normally aspirated, pressure charging is forbidden

Single turbocharger, unlimited boost pressure (typically maximum 3.5 bar abs due to fuel flow limit)

Unlimited, but typically 170kg/h

100kg/h (-40pc)

Unlimited, but typically 160kg

100kg (-35pc)

90 deg V8

90deg V6

8

6

Max 98mm

80mm

Not regulated

53mm

Min 58mm

90mm

4 per cylinder, 32

4 per cylinder, 24

Twin exhaust outlets, one per bank of cylinders

Single exhaust outlet, from turbine on car central line

Indirect fuel injection

Direct fuel injection

8

5

ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEMS Unlimited (38,000RPM)

Max 50,000rpm

Max 60kw

Max 120kw

Energy recovered by MGU-K

Max 0.4 MJ/lap

Max 2MJ/lpa

Energy released by MGU-K

Max 0.4 MJ/lap

Max 4MJ/lap

----

>100,000rpm

---------

Unlimited (>2MJ/lap)

MGU-K rpm MGU-K power

MGU-Hrpm Energy recovered by MGU-H

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November 2013 / 39

COVER REPORT

Shell laboratory at the F1 garage

S

hell’s technical partnership with Ferrari is one of the most successful partnerships in Formula One history. Having contested more than half of all the Formula One races ever run, they have together amassed 12 Drivers’ Championships and 10 Constructors’ Championships. This strong historical footing provides the basis for what is also one of the most forward-looking partnerships in contemporary motorsport.

Shell’s Formula One project team continues to grow, with more than 50 Shell technical staff now contributing to the Shell Formula One programme with Ferrari. These team members work together around the world in Shell laboratories and facilities, at all the race tracks on the Grand Prix calendar and at the heart of Scuderia Ferrari at the Maranello headquarters.

Many of the Shell scientists who develop products for Scuderia Ferrari are also working on their road going equivalents – ensuring that any technological advantage developed for Ferrari is passed directly through to the motorist. The most obvious examples of this are Shell V-Power fuel and Shell Helix Ultra engine oils – both of which owe a large part of their development to the Formula One programme.

Shell provides Ferrari with a full analysis of fuel and oil samples at every race, using cutting-edge technology and expertise. Every time a Scuderia Ferrari car returns to the pits, the Shell engineers are on hand to take samples for the Shell Trackside Laboratory, located within the Ferrari compound in the Formula One paddock. In the Track Lab, highly skilled Shell scientists conduct more than 70 tests per weekend on the Shell race products used in the cars with the aim of ensuring that the drivers will be able to get peak performance at all times.

Test after test, race after race and season after season, Shell works with Ferrari exclusively to craft the best performing fuels and lubricants

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COVER REPORT

Guy Lovett (centre) with his team at the Shell Track Laboratory

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November 2013 / 41

COVER REPORT

in Formula One. Formula One has some of the tightest regulations on fuel composition in the world of motorsport. The chemical and physical parameters are prescribed by the sport’s governing body, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), with the specific objective of making the development of racing fuels relevant to fuels used on the road. All chemical ingredients are closely monitored, with specific power-boosting chemical compounds banned from use.

In line with FIA regulations

42 / November 2013

imposed on all teams, the Shell V-Power fuel used by Scuderia Ferrari contains 5.75pc by weight of biooxygenate, for example.

FUELS: Once developed, a fuel is rigorously tested by Shell and Ferrari and then submitted to the FIA for approval. The FIA can take a sample of fuel at any time during a race weekend. If a sample taken by the FIA doesn’t match the preapproved fuel profile, the team can ultimately be disqualified. Using a gas chromatography method,

Shell engineers regularly analyse the fuel, taking extreme care to ensure that it remains legal and in prime condition during the race weekend. Working within FIA boundaries, Shell chemists still have scope to excel, and improve fuel in the constant battle to increase performance.

LUBRICANTS: There are fewer regulatory restrictions on engine lubricants than there are on fuels. This gives Shell chemists and engineers more freedom to explore new formulations to get

the most out of the Ferrari.

Shell’s lubricant analysis in the Trackside Laboratory is a valuable addition to Scuderia Ferrari’s track-side activity, offering instantaneous information to help the team understand the condition of its engines.

The RDE (rotating disc electrode) oil analyser – which uses a technique called optical emission spectroscopy (OES) – is an extremely sophisticated instrument that detects an increased concentration of wear metals in the oil and warns the team if there is excessive wear that

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COVER REPORT needs to be addressed.

KERS: Scuderia Ferrari has decided to use a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) – optional since the 2012 season. KERS devices capture energy released by braking, store it and then use it to boost acceleration. This boost can be deployed by the driver in a burst of up to about 7 seconds in each lap.

Shell is also involved with this relatively new technology, providing Scuderia Ferrari with a bespoke fluid that cools the KERS battery and prevents electrical charge escaping, and ensures high safety standards are maintained.

Interview with Guy Lovett, Shell’s Technology Manager for Ferrari In an exclusive interview with Motown India, Guy Lovett, Shell’s Technology Manager for Ferrari, talked at length about the work carried on by his team of two scientists during the practise session weekend of an F1 race. “This is one of a kind in the paddock.

We are with Ferrari and supply them with bespoke fluids. In fact, we supply all the fluids in the car, barring the brake fluids. On the track side we primarily concentrate on the fuels and the engine oils. For all those fluids, we have an ongoing, year-long development process. We are always trying to innovate, always trying to bring in new ideas, new products and better performance to Ferrari

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predominantly through the use of oils,” he says.

Lovett informs that back at the tech centre in Europe around 50 scientists are working on the Ferrari programme, investing around 21,000 man hours every year.

“We are here to capture all the technology and innovations that come up with our work with Ferrari and apply that to our road going products,” he notes.

Fuels in Formula One are tightly regulated purposely so that they are in line with and representative of normal road going fuels. The technology transfer is inevitable. “Before we come to racing, we have to supply a sample of the fuel we are going to race to FIA, the governing body of Formula One. They then make sure that they are legal within the tight rules. They also take a digital fingerprint of the fuel.

At any point during the race, the FIA can come and take a sample from here, or from the garage, or the drums and run a check and see if the digital fingerprint matches. If it does not, then there could be very serious consequences that can lead to disqualification.

So as an insurance package, every time we move the fuels during a race, we will also take a sample to ensure that the fuels are perfect. That acts as an insurance policy for us,” states Lovett.

Oils, on the other hand are totally unregulated. It’s a broad field for Shell to innovate. Typically Shell brings a suite of oils for the race weekend. Each driver

is allowed eight engines per season. “It’s really a fine balance between protection and performance. We protect them so as to get as much value out of them after the race but we do not want to compromise performance. We want to enable performance.

“Normally on a Friday, we formulate an oil which is more protective because the engines have seen a lot of action in the past. It’s bit more viscous. When an engine is newer, we use oil which is more aggressive. These are typically on a Saturday and a Sunday because it is much more focussed towards performance. Still it is great protection. These oils we just blend them for Ferrari.

The building blocks that we have available to us are practically same as that we have for commercial oils like Shell Helix. The application is different but the technology behind it is absolutely the same,” he explains.

Since Ferrari F1 engines rev up to 18,000rpm, the Shell team also keeps a data on the wear and tear of the metals within an engine that happens. Regulations do now allow any team to take the engines apart to measure this wear. So the only way to measure the health of the engines is through the oils, the sensors and the telemetry.

After the practice time, the qualifying race starts. Once the car starts qualifying, no team can change any other hardware or it would invite penalty.

“After Practise 3, we take

a sample from the car very quickly and we analyse it very quickly to see that there are no problems. If there is, the team has only two hours to change an engine or a gear box,” he adds.

Every time the car goes out during the weekend, the Shell team takes samples before and after. Every time the car is started, a sample is taken.

For the oils, the team takes around 30 to 40 samples. For the fuels too, a similar number of samples are taken. “We are measuring throughout the race weekend. The tests take anywhere between 30 seconds to half an hour. We gather so much data from this laboratory that the data not only helps the team but also gives them competitive advantage. No one else is doing everything that we are doing here. We also share this with the team that is working on commercial fuels and oils.

“We are working with Ferrari on the new FIA regulation on powertrains. The activity has accelerated a lot in the last one year. We are making some very good progress. We have seen some incredibly, interesting and promising performance available from the fuels. The turbocharger also has its own challenges.

We are working with the team in Maranello (Italy) day in and day out to develop bespoke oils for Ferrari. We share all the data, the technology and the techniques with the team there in order for them to develop commercial oils like the Shell Helix,” signs off Lovett.

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COVER REPORT

Sanjay Sharma, Head of Motorsports, JK Tyre

“I

t is an unfortunate situation in India that there are just a few of us who have been at it for the last two decades to encourage motorsports in India.

Suddenly with the Gaurs putting up the facility that they have and which is world class, I would say we were caught napping. We had the best of facility here and we did not have the production line happening. There were only two kids who were on the radar of Formula One. In the first year itself we knew who was standing where. And now after two years when we are trying to consolidate, and we are trying to figure out or take advantage of the situation, of being host to the world’s most popular motoring sport, we really do not have a plan.

We do not have a driver whom we can say in the next four years is going to be on the radar of the big boys and would also be a winning driver. Viswanathan Anand taught Indians how to follow chess, Mahesh Bhupathi and

44 / November 2013

Leander Paes taught us to follow tennis, this is how it happens. We need heroes.

Unfortunately, we are lacking on that front.

Now with infrastructure and access to technology, we can hope that whatever is now happening is more by design and less by default.

The future champions, I won’t mind naming them, Jehan Daruvala of Force India,Kush Maini, Arjun Maini and Vishnu Prasaad—whenever they make it , they will not be also rans, rather they will be kids you will be proud of.

We always had less access to technology. We used to run cars which were makeshift arrangements, and I am not here to criticise, because we have produced Narains out of these karts. The infrastructure we were surviving on was far wanting and it was far away from the real world. And suddenly when the world’s best track happened in India, our boys, our technology, our racing...nothing was ready to take advantage of that.

We don’t need more F1

tracks. One is enough for the country. We have to make sure there is more fan following for this sport for that promoter to make money. We have to ensure that because someone has stuck his neck out. Somebody has done something which no one ever did till now. We need more of two stroke karting tracks in the country simply because they attract kids from the age group of 8 years onwards. Here, accessibility makes a major contributor.

We are geographically a huge country. You cannot expect a kid in Arunachal Pradesh to go to Delhi or Chennai to pursue go karting.

Even if there is a circuit in Hyderabad, don’t expect a kid from Odisha to access that circuit. The country has to invest more in professional karting. Then you will see more Narain Kathikeyans and Karun Chandoks of the world coming out.

We started with 4 stroke engine go karting in order to popularise the sport.

Then came stage II that

motorsports is all about technology. It is a combination of man and machine. Neither can win without the other.

That’s when it was time to bring the two stroke go karting in. But it took us a lot of time. In the first year we ran the championship with eight karts. This was in 2005. We have moved up from eight to 50 professional karters. Our Kush Maini finished second in the world karting championship. Jehan just won the British karting championship. The next Narain is going to be more by design.

I am proud of working for a company which had a commitment, because at the end of the day we just did our job. You have to give the promoters and the brand its due. The promoters simply stuck to their commitment through thick and thin in their pursuit to promote motor sports in the country. It is a great feeling to be associated with motorsports in India and to be leading it, is a double pleasure.

”

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COVER REPORT

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COVER REPORT

Sameer Gaur,

CEO, Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) Limited When did this idea of building a world class circuit cross your mind? And what are your thoughts on the third Indian GP? The idea crossed my mind in the year 2007.

The Buddh International Circuit brings pride to our nation as it has helped India make its mark on the global racing scene. While racing enthusiasts have been partaking of the thrill of F1 for two seasons now, very few have been privy to the hard work and dedication that have gone into the making of this sporting extravaganza.

How much have you invested for this circuit?

When are you planning to run into profits?

On a 250-hectare land, around 200 hectares of land has been earmarked for this circuit.

It cost us around 1,800-2,000 crore to build this circuit. The land cost set us dearer by another 400-500 crore additionally. If you count the licensing fees, the total amount borne by us is around 4,000 crore. Until now, we have pumped in 3,000 crore. As far as the profitability is concerned, JPSI is already running into profits. Looking at the current scenario, we should break even in another 3-4 years.

As there are other tracks in the southern part of India (Coimbatore and Chennai) which are also into motorsports events and go-karting, do you plan to buy those assets out? And do you have any plans to build more circuits in other part of the country?

The circuit that we have built here at Greater Noida is in tune with global standards and we don’t intend to buy out any tracks to complement our business. We are planning to build an in-house track that will be earmarked for go-karting kind of races. And right now we are only focussing on our existing track and don’t intend to build any more circuit anywhere else.

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COVER REPORT What are the biggest challenges that you are facing right now?

There are certainly quite a few challenges.

Some of the key among them are the infrastructure bottlenecks. Although we have world-class roads, we don’t have a proper connectivity to the venue. If we can have the metro connectivity towards the circuit (from Noida) or atleast till a point at Greater Noida, then travelling hassles get sorted out. Even though people want to come over (to watch the F1), they are dissuaded by the lack of proper transport (metro) connectivity.

The second major challenge is to create a festive atmosphere around the F1 season. Moreover, the period of OctNovember is also known as the festive season here. For example, when an F1 is hosted in Singapore, a lot of tourism related activities are promoted there in and around the race. I would also be happy if the government refunds the customs duty (on imported equipment) on a quicker basis.

If we had a national F1 champion, will there be mass acceptance of these kinds of sports?

Definitely, an Indian F1 driver who is able to hit the podium can pull in a lot of crowd to the GP. It will give a fillip to the motorsports culture of this country.

Take the case of cricket. When India became the World Cup champions in 1983, cricket, as a sport, started gaining prominence. Children started playing it at each and every corner of the country.

Now it is the most popular sport in the country.

Are you expecting the Formula One

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Management (FOM) to lower the licensing fees to host the event?

We share a good rapport with the Formula One Management (FOM) and the discussions are on with them to work out a solution which is mutually beneficial.

They have been helpful to us and we are looking at other aspects besides licensing fees.

You are also building a world-class cricket stadium with a one lakh capacity and you want to host a World Cup final. Are you confident about it?

Yes, I did say that I want to host a World Cup Final. We have already started constructing the stadium nearly two years back (in 2011). Last year, we kept it on a slow track. But this year again we are fast tracking the whole process and the construction activities are in full swing.

Let’s see how things pan out.

Are you concerned that you are unable to host the F1 for next year?

No, we are not. The Indian GP will not be there in 2014 for logistical reasons. We wanted to do the 2014 race in October but FIA (the governing body) wanted it in March 2014 so that it can club it along with other Asian venues like Sepang, Shanghai, Suzuka, etc. For us, October is the right time and not March, so we decided to not have a GP next year. We will be back in 2015.

As you are hosting the event in 2015, will you be comfortable with the March season or would to prefer to have it during Oct-Nov? We would love to have it in October every year. We will still insist to host

it around the festive season. We think October end is the right moment for the Grand Prix to be scheduled here. And if he (Bernie) says that India is among the top two circuits in the world, why should he not agree to our demands. These are discussions which are still going on and we couldn’t agree for this year.

How are you planning to keep the circuit occupied for next year?

We are planning to host another motorracing event next year. We are in the last stage of finalisation to hold a superbike series. WSBK is something which we are actively pursuing next year. The World Superbike Championship, a top notch motorcycle race held in several parts of the world, will be a treat to the eyes of motorsport enthusiasts in India. There are many enthusiasts in India who are passionate about bikes. I am sure they would love to watch famed motorcycle drivers compete against each other here at their own world class racing circuit. Teams of renowned superbike makers such as Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Aprilia, and BMW take part in the World Superbike Championship which is regulated by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the international governing body of motorcycle racing.

When are you planning to host other events like MotoGP and WRC, etc?

We are not planning to host any event like MotoGP or WRC in the near term.

Yet, we are exploring all opportunities to bring international events to India.

Avishek Banerjee

November 2013 / 47

GLOBAL REPORT

Busworld Kortrij 2013 brings together global bus and coach manufacturers

T

A total of 50,000 sqm of space was available for the exhibitors According to Mieke Glorieux, Director of Busworld Kortrijk, around 351 exhibitors from 32 countries participated. Exhibitors included players like MAN, Iveco, Volvo, Van Hool, Scania, among others.

While the Western European market is around 10pc of the world’s annual demand for buses and coaches, above 8.0 tonnes gross, the influence of Western European manufacturers, in global terms, is far wider. They are present throughout the world with direct exports, subsidiaries, local assembly, licence agreements and joint

ventures. This includes an active presence in the world’s two largest markets, China and India, where Busworld organises the leading trade fairs with local partners. While Busworld Kortrijk started out mainly for Belgian bus and coach operators, it has now grown into the most international event of its kind.

Cummins reveals latest Euro 6 engines Engine major Cummins displayed its latest Euro 6 diesel and gas engines.

For Euro 6, Cummins ISB engines use proven engine technologies of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable geometry turbocharging (VGT). The

Pictures courtesy Busworld Kortrij 2013

he 19th edition Busworld Kortrij 2013, the world’s largest bus and coach exhibition, was held in Belgium from October 19 to 24, 2013. The Busworld show is an initiative that started in 1971 by a Belgian federation for bus and coach operators. The emphasis was on buses and coaches fitted with Euro 6 engine. Euro 6 norms come into play in Europe early 2014.

Manufacturers and suppliers of components and services around the world recognise that Busworld Kortrijk is the most important event in the calendar for launching products and meeting customers, old and new.

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GLOBAL REPORT

Cummins VGT is optimised for high torque and low speed capability, delivering significant performance and driveability improvements. It works as an exhaust brake, allowing the OEM to simplify their installation.

The engine works with the latest Cummins designed exhaust aftertreatment technology, combining a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to meet the ultra-low levels of emissions. The patented SCR design uses Copper Zeolite technology for very high conversion efficiency, even at low temperatures.

Both the engine and after treatment are controlled by the same electronic control module to meet the legislated on-board diagnostic (OBD) requirements for Euro 6.

The 4-cylinder ISB4.5 engine is available up to 210 ps, with good power to weight ratio and delivers a strong peak torque of 760 Nm. The 6-cylinder 6.7 litre ISB engine extends up to 310 ps for

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coach installations, and 280 ps for bus applications. Peak torque remains at a high level of 1100 Nm. For Euro 4 and 5 Cummins adopted a very successful emissions strategy using SCR. ISB engines delivered class-leading levels of fuel economy with low Adblue usage. For Euro 6, Euro 5 fuel consumption levels will be at least maintained, and Adblue consumption reduced to around 2-3% of diesel.

Also on display were the 8.9 litre ISL G natural gas engine, available from 250 to 320 ps for alternative fuel bus applications, with a peak torque of 1356 Nm. It uses a combination of cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) with stoichiometric combustion. Cummins cooled EGR lowers combustion temperatures and reduces engine out emissions and noise. Stoichiometric combustion, where fuel is burned completely, ensures an oxygen free exhaust. It enables the use of highly efficient three-way catalyst

aftertreatment. The maintenance-free, threeway catalyst technology is an effective, simple, passive device, packaged as part of the exhaust muffler, providing consistent emissions control across the operating range.

Livingstone: the discovery of the new way of sitting Drivers in public transport spend a lot of time behind the wheel. These drivers differ a lot, but all have to sit properly. Height, weight, posture are all factors that

play a role. Therefore, Savas Seating of the Netherlands developed an advanced seat of which each component can be electronically adjusted through a simple remote control. Of course the seat is also available in a basic version that can be set mechanically.

This innovative chair from Livingstone can be supplied with a total of 10 internal motors. These ensure that every individual with a key driver seat can set their personal seating preference.

The memory is virtually

November 2013 / 49

GLOBAL REPORT unlimited. Everything on the seat is adjustable. These include the seat-cushion depth, front seat cushion, complete back cushion, upper back cushion, lumbar support, headrest, tilt, slides and the entire height of the seat.

The armrest is attached to the seat pan. This ensures stability. Adjustable by a gas spring, the armrest also has a tilt movement and is foldable so that drivers can leave the seat easily.

The Savas/Livingstone is the state of the art servo driven seat for public transport drivers. The seat is suitable for a full range of operator sizes.

The settings of each driver can be stored in the memory functions of the seat. Each operator drives the vehicle in his own seat settings. The personalised memory function saves time and prevents potential personal health.

Integralia introduces a new concept of luxury The Spanish bodywork company displayed a number of innovations at the 2013 edition of Busworld. Its new

50 / November 2013

in-urban, which was recently presented at the company’s facilities, is aimed at the urban transportation sector. Several units of this new model, which is the result of a different concept of the spaces applied to passenger transportation in cities, have already been sold. The major revolution that Integralia presented at Busworld was its new vehicle aimed at the luxury niche, which is the most exclusive and demanding portion of the market. The new in-delux displayed at this edition was completely different from what had been seen up until now. Integralia has always differentiated itself through its design concept, which provides solutions that help improve the profitability of customers by reducing their maintenance costs with vehicles of maximum quality and design. More than 1,500 of the company’s minibuses are currently being driven on European roads.

Composite Mobility Composite Mobility presented the CM Mission 150E, a 16

seat Composite Electric driven bus.

It combines full automotive proven technologies; build out of extreme light weight and durable sandwich composite material, being chassis-less and there for creating a full flat and very low floor.

The Bus has a flexible interior and an full electrical drive system that is the best in the market.

Volvo 7900 Articulated Hybrid Lower energy consumption, lower environmental impact, cleaner exhaust and more silent operation are properties that are highly interesting to both bus operators and society.

Volvo showed the articulated version of the hybrid bus, a model which is already in high demand in many European cities.

The Volvo 7900 Articulated Hybrid is 18 metres long and seats 154 passengers. Its fuel consumption is approximately 30pc lower than the equivalent diesel variant.

In electric mode, its carbon dioxide and air pollution emissions are equivalent to zero. Even in diesel mode, particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions are much lower as a result of the new 5-litre Euro 6 diesel engine.

With nearly 1,200 examples of the Volvo 7900 Hybrid sold to 21 countries, Volvo Buses has, in a short space of time, secured the lead in the global market for hybrid buses and is currently the largest supplier in Europe.

More than 800 Volvo hybrids are now in traffic around the world. Recently Volvo sold 200 hybrid buses to Bogota, capital of Colombia.

At the show, Volvo also displayed the coaches Volvo 9700 and 9900 which have received new design to the front and rear.

Hella, the leaders in lighting Automotive lighting major Hella presented its range suitable for assembly in and on buses and coaches. The awarded L4060-series LED headlamps were on display at

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GLOBAL REPORT the Hella booth. The company showed its innovating solutions in the field of electronics and LED lighting.

Hella launched five new full LED headlamps to complete the successful Ø 90 mm headlamp range with fog light- daytime running light, position light and cornering light functions. The LED modules can simply replace the halogen and Xenon technology used in previous 90 mm modules. Thanks to the compatibility of the model series users of the 90 mm headlight range, such as fleet operators, can convert to the efficient LED technology without any problems. The light output corresponds to natural human seeing habits, thus improving visibility in the dark and leading to safer driving. The use of LEDs means that expensive light source replacement is now a thing of the past. Thanks to first class engineering power consumption and weight have been reduced to take over environmental responsibility.

Passively cooled, without any fans in place, the modules

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are designed for the vehicle lifetime.

Continental third generation tyres Continental presented a milestone in the premium segment of commercial vehicle tyres with its newly developed third generation tyres. With the three new tyre ranges Conti Coach, Conti CityPlus und ContiUrban, Continental is providing customer-oriented solutions for the specific uses of everyday bus travel.

The Conti Coach HA3 will be available for long-distance usage in the sizes 295/80 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 for fitment on all axles.

Also graded “A” in wet grip is the new Conti CityPlus HA3. This tyre specially developed for regional transport usage, precisely meets the requirements of this demanding and growing segment. Developed for use on all axles, Conti City Plus is available in the size 295/80 R 22.5. Continental offers the Conti Urban HA3 for demanding public transport

tasks in the sizes 275/70 R 22.5 and 315/60 R 22.5 for fitment on all axles. The new tyres feature further reinforced sidewalls for effective protection against damage from curbstones and allow up to 20pc higher mileages.

ZAwheel gearless inwheel hub drive for electric buses Ziehl-Abegg, the electric motor manufacturer from Southern Germany presented ZAwheel, the drive system for city buses that has won many awards, at the Busworld in Kortrijk. “Ziehl-Abegg has set new standards in efficiency and emission behaviour in city buses”, stated Ralf Arnold, Managing Director of ZiehlAbegg Automotive. With this new drive system, 90pc traffic noise is eliminated, the emissions of CO2 and NO2 are zero and the efficiency reaches previously unknown levels, he added.

European Coach and Bus Week Held on the eve of the Busworld exhibition, the

world’s largest bus and coach exhibition, was again the European Coach and Bus Week. Six buses and twelve coaches participated in this competition, which was one of the biggest ever. The Grand Award Bus was given to the Van Hool Equi.City 23 meter long hybrid articulated bus for combining a new vehicle concept with a hybrid driveline concept, and a high level of comfort for the passengers.

The Van Hool Equi.City was also awarded the Bus Comfort Label and the Design Label.

The Grand Award Coach was granted to the Setra Topclass 517 HDH, a completely new development

by Daimler-subsidiary Evobus.

The Comfort Label Coach was awarded to the Van Hool TX16, the Safety Bus Label to the Citaro. Ecology Labels Bus were granted to the BYD, the Ebusco and the Van Hool Fuel Cell bus. An Ecology Label Coach went to the Van Hool TX16. The Design Label Coach was not awarded.

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Gulshan Ahuja Secretary General, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA)

Report: Avishek Banerjee, Photography: Mohd. Nasir FADA has recently entered its 50th year. How has it evolved over the years?

The automobile retail has come a long way in India as its dynamics are changing very rapidly. The dealers are equipping themselves to stand up to the changing dynamics of the automotive industry. Gone are the days when dealers were merely distribution houses. Now it is a buyer’s market and a lot of marketing efforts need to be put in by sellers to remain viable in business owing to intense competition in the market.

How many dealers are registered with FADA? And how many are there in the organised sector?

FADA represents around 6,000 dealers while the total strength of automobile dealers in the country would be around 8,500-9,000 nos.

In terms of revenues, FADA represents over 80pc of the auto retail business in India.

The remaining 20pc are small dealers who are yet not registered with FADA. Recently, the FADA president said that less than

52 / November 2013

50pc of his fellow dealers expect to make profit during the FY 2013-14. Are these tough times for the dealers?

The dealers’ margins in India are miserably low. The current slowdown, which is happening for 18 months, has aggravated the existing problems faced by automobile dealers. The problem is that automobile dealers cannot play around with the cost structure.

They cannot reduce their workforce simply because when there is a slowdown of sorts, more marketing efforts are required. So on one hand their (dealers’) expenses are shooting up, on the other hand their (dealers’) manpower costs are not going down. In addition to that, they (dealers) have to spend more on inventory holding by way of warehousing costs, etc. So it is a double whammy for them in the current situation.

So most of the dealers are talking to OEMs to come up with incentives and increase margins. One of the OEMs is offering an interest-free credit for inventory procurement.

In this difficult time when the footfalls and the retails sales at the showrooms are on

the decline, the automobile dealers have to cut costs and plug leakages to stay afloat. To enable dealers do that, FADA is organising training and development programmes across the country. These programmes focus on processes and systems with a view to improving efficiency & productivity of automobile dealerships and, thereby, cutting costs.

With auto sales plummeting to an all-time low, (FADA) has said it wants average margin on sales of vehicles to go up to 5pc from 2.5 per cent at present. When do we see that happening?

The sales margins worldwide range from 5-10pc. What we expect is that manufacturers should come forward and raise the margin to atleast 5pc if not 10pc. It is a continuous process. However, I don’t think the end buyers will get affected because of this move.

It doesn’t really mean the entire hike will be borne by the customers.

Why is FADA opposed to the idea of FDI in multi-brand retailing? Don’t you think it

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) is the apex body of automobile dealers engaged in the sale, service and spares of two/three-wheelers, passenger cars & multi-utility vehicles, commercial vehicles, and tractors. FADA was founded in 1964 by four regional auto retail associations with Late T.S. Santhanam of TVS Group as its founder President, to protect and promote retail automobile trade in India. Currently, FADA has on its rolls, around 1,600 members comprising 21 state/ city level associations of automobile dealers and over 1,500 individual automobile dealers from across the country in addition to four founder members.

will be a boon than a bane?

No, we are not opposed to it.

At the same time, it (multibrand retailing) has to be commercially feasible. The margins (on a car sale) are so poor that it is inconceivable for any multinational multibrand retailer to foray into such a business here. No such company could be here for the long haul as it is not a profitable proposition.

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Are used car or bike outlets also under FADA’s ambit?

I think all automobile dealers are running a used vehicle vertical within its existing business. Since they are a part of the sales outlets run by dealers, it definitely comes under FADA’s ambit.

There has been a series of massive recalls in the last two years. How are dealers coping with them considering the fact that it involves no additional cost to buyers?

I really don’t think it matters much to the dealers. It’s a part and parcel of their business and they have to do it. I

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would say it’s a hazard of a business and they really have no choice.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has claimed that carmakers are using their dominant position to sell spare parts only through authorised dealers, leading to exorbitant prices in the market. What is your take on it?

We don’t have any particular view on this. The authorised dealers don’t have any problems if the spare parts are freely available in the market.

But there is a downside to it.

Some of the manufacturers

feel that they would not like to compromise with quality of their parts as well as its fitment. The roadside garages will not be competent enough to undertake and replace the sophisticated parts that are used in present-day vehicles.

The OEMs are of the view that their authorised centres have the technical competence to deal with their products. They are apprehensive that once their high-quality components are readily available in the open market, there may be rampant piracy (of their vehicles’ parts).

Do we see more dealership outlets being established

in tier-II and tier-III cities than tier-I cities as most of the OEMs are expecting a higher uptake in the countryside? If yes, will they me merely touchpoints rather than dedicated 3S facilities?

It’s a natural progression that once the dealership network gets ramped up along with the expansion of any vehiclemaker, more tier-II and tier-III cities are explored. As the penetration levels are so low, most of the automakers would like to have a wider footprint in the country.

And yes, there will be an enhanced focus by OEMs in the countryside.

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Sanjay Walia & Sudhir Jain Sanjay Walia is VP-Corporate Marketing and Sudhir Jain is Executive Director-Group CFO of UNO Minda

Report: Avishek Banerjee, Photography: Abhijeet Singh Are you expecting any uptake in orders from the OEMs in the foreseeable future?

SW: This is a question which nobody could answer today.

Everyone (carmakers) is counting on the upcoming festive season. And let’s see how things shape up. We are also enhancing our presence in the CV segment where we have focussed less as of now.

As the rupee depreciates against the dollar, are you working on enhanced localisation in your product lines?

SJ: Yes, the rupee depreciation has definitely led to a hike in prices of our products as well as of the vehicle makers’. But there is an opportunity in this. And as you pointed out in the question, localisation is the answer to that even though we don’t import much. That is a continuous process. With the rupee depreciation, the whole process has been preponed. As more localisation exercises will be carried out, we stand to benefit as a domestic supplier. At the same time, we are looking forward to enhance our

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exports as well.

SW: Barring some electronic components like diodes or capacitors, most of our other products like switches are developed in-house. We are investing very heavily on tool rooms for the last 15 years.

We have done the entire validation for all our product lines. Those are the heavy investments which are paying us off today. So all these process are helping us during the Rupee devaluation.

Have you scaled back your expansion plans?

SJ: We have been reviewing our short-term, medium-term and long-term plans. Even though there are short-term headwinds, the investments that we have already committed are going on as per our original plan. Nearly 75-100 crore will be invested by us.

Are you looking at more inorganic growth overseas?

SJ: As you are aware, UNO Minda has acquired Clarton Horn S.A.U., Spain from PMAn Domestic AG, an entity affiliated to Quantum Kapital on April 15, 2013.

The estimated cost of the acquisition is Euro 7.5 million approx. An acquisition of such kind is made keeping certain long term objectives of the organisation in mind.

Accordingly, the target companies are identified.

So we just don’t intend to increase the turnover or add new geographies. The ultimate objective of the acquisition is to bag new clients and source nextgeneration technology or to achieve design capabilities. By meeting these objectives, you can fill in the gaps wherever necessary. So if there is any such opportunity, we will definitely look at it.

Would you consider coming up with a dedicated brand name for your aftermarket vertical?

SW: It depends on our product lines. In future, we can put product specific branding in the aftermarket.

But we have ‘UNO Minda’ as the principal brand. We are focussing on the aftermarket in a bigger way. However, we are still in the drawing board stage for the leapfrog.

Is there any key initiative

UNO Minda UNO Minda is a tier-1 auto component supplier which manufactures two-wheeler switches and handle bar assemblies, electronics and sensors, four-wheeler switches and heater control panels, cigar lighters, automotive lamps, automotive horns, alternate fuel systems and CNG-LPG kits, automotive batteries, blow moulding components, seat belts, alloy wheels, wheel covers, air filtration systems, die casting components, SRC, cylinders, steering wheels, airbags, fuel caps, body sealing, car infotainment systems, air brakes, clutch actuation systems and automatic gear shifters for OEMs technology.

that you have taken in your existing product lines?

SW: Yes, we are working on weight-reduction of our product lines. Light weighting our portfolio is well appreciated by our clients. We are working in a collaborative manner with the OEMs to reduce the weight of the car which will ultimately enhance the fuel efficiency of their vehicles. We have also started working on airbags for the CV industry. By the end of next year, we have a plan to put up

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

the project. That should really boost our presence in the CV segments.

How difficult will it be for you to crack the upcoming car infotainment biz?

SW: Fujitsu, our JV partner, is a renowned brand worldwide.

This would help enhance our product range and quality.

Fujitsu in fact is the largest supplier to Toyota worldwide.

Then is the pricing, we have put up a manufacturing unit in the country which will ensure that our products are

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priced competitively. In fact, we are the first company to locally produce car infotainment systems.

Will you be supplying your products to the Datsun brand?

SW: As far as the Datsun brand is concerned, many of our existing products have gone into it. They are switches, horns, headlamps, tail lamps and other parts.

We have been nominated as their key supplier in their future line-up too. We have

also invested sizeable sums in Indonesia and Vietnam for building a plant, etc. So that plant be supplying to the made-in-Indonesia Datsun products too.

What is the turnover that you are eyeing for the UNOMinda Group?

SJ: We are looking to clock a turnover of 10,000 crore in the next 4-5 years. More than that, we would like to be considered as a benchmarked company in the domestic auto component industry.

So the quality of operations would be in tune with global standards. And at least 25pc of the Group turnover should come from the international business that comprises both exports and overseas operations. The aftermarket vertical will constitute about 15pc (at 1,500 crore) of the aforesaid amount by 2017-18.

And lastly, any plans to go for an IPO? SJ: No, there are no such thoughts for an IPO in the immediate future.

November 2013 / 55

TECHNOLOGY

MINI driver

The new assist systems Intelligent networking between the MINI, the driver and the outside world create new ways to enhance driving pleasure, extend the range of comfort functions and provide the latest services in the area of in-car infotainment.

Since its launch, MINI Connected has been marketing leading in the area of in-car technology, pioneering access to apps and services to both assist and entertain driver and passengers.

In future models MINI will roll out a number of innovative driver assist systems that also use intelligent networking for the exchange of information between

56 / November 2013

driver and vehicle. The new functions transform the MINI more than ever into its driver’s assistant and offer innovative comfort and safety technology.

When it comes to the development and configuration of new driver assist systems, MINI exploits the BMW Groups’ worldwide leadership in innovation

in this area. Networking technology has been used for the targeted exchange of information between driver, vehicle and the outside world for more than 40 years.

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TECHNOLOGY Innovations like the radarbased distance warning device (1972), the world’s first onboard computer with exterior temperature display (1980), the first navigation system fully integrated in the vehicle from a European manufacturer (1994) and first Emergency Call system, still unique to this day, first introduced in 1997, are among the milestones set by the company in this area.

As early as 2007, interface technology for integrating the Apple iPhone in the MINI operating system was introduced. Since 2011, additional online-based functions can be integrated in the MINI Connected package with the help of apps.

The MINI head-up display helps the driver concentrate on what is happening on the road by displaying relevant information right in the driver’s line of vision.

This can be seen quickly and conveniently without having to take your eyes off the road. The collision warning and pedestrian

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warning systems, including city braking function make it easier to avoid dangerous situations, particularly in city traffic. The MINI parking assist feature offers maximum comfort in searching for and using parking spaces, while the reversing camera gives drivers a better view when manoeuvring.

Other innovations in the driver assist systems for MINI

include the video-based speed and distance control which automatically keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front, and the speed limit information system, which detects and displays speed limits as they apply to the current section of road. This system is supplemented by the no passing display and traffic sign memory functions.

The digital headlight assist

function contributes to optimum visual conditions when driving at night.

This system helps the driver use the full range of headlight functions.

Oncoming traffic and preceding vehicles are registered by a camera, while automatic switching to dimmed headlights avoids causing a nuisance for other drivers.

November 2013 / 57

TECHNOLOGY

Toyota to launch Advanced

Driving Support Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a next-generation advanced driving support system, Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA), which uses automated driving technologies to support safer highway driving.

AHDA links two automated driving technologies to support safer driving and reduce driver workload: Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control, which wirelessly communicates with preceding vehicles to maintain a safe distance; and Lane Trace Control, which aids steering to keep the vehicle on an optimal driving line within the lane.

Toyota recognises the importance of the driver being in ultimate control of a vehicle and is therefore aiming to introduce AHDA and other advanced driving support systems where the driver maintains control and the fun-to-drive aspect of controlling a vehicle is not compromised. Toyota plans to market the newly developed AHDA in the mid-2010s and other driving support systems as soon as possible to provide safe and secure means of transportation.

In addition, to enable prompt market introduction of next-generation driving

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support systems, Toyota will make use of the cutting-edge component technologies and know-how acquired through automated driving research conducted with the advanced active safety research vehicle unveiled at the 2013 International CES in Nevada, United States in January this year.

COOPERATIVE-ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL In contrast to standard radar cruise control (which uses millimeter-wave radar to detect other vehicles), Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control uses 700-MHz band vehicle-to-vehicle ITS communications to transmit acceleration and deceleration data of preceding vehicles

so that following vehicles can adjust their speeds accordingly to better maintain inter-vehicle distance. By reducing unnecessary acceleration and deceleration, the system improves fuel efficiency and helps reduce traffic congestion.

LANE TRACE CONTROL Lane Trace Control, which features completely new Toyota automated driving technologies, employs high-performance cameras, millimeter-wave radar and control software to enable an optimal and smooth driving line at all speeds. The system adjusts the vehicle’s steering angle, driving torque and braking force when necessary to maintain the optimal line

within the lane.

AUTOMATED DRIVING TECHNOLOGIES RESEARCH At the 2013 International CES, Toyota displayed the advanced active safety research vehicle, a test vehicle for automated driving technologies that Toyota is researching under its Integrated Safety Management Concept*. The test vehicle, based on the Lexus “LS”, is being used in research at the Toyota Research Institute of North America in Saline, Michigan, and is capable of autonomous driving. It is fitted with forward-looking cameras to detect traffic signals, as well as front-mounted

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TECHNOLOGY sensors to detect vehicles, pedestrians, and obstacles to determine traffic conditions, such as intersections and merging traffic lanes, in the vehicle’s vicinity. Such research on various elemental technologies is aimed to help drivers choose the safest routes possible.

Toyota has been researching automated driving technologies since

the second half of the 1990s, and has been conducting public road tests in the U.S. for a number of years. Within Japan, Toyota has been testing its next-generation Intelligent Driver-support System on public roads for approximately two years.

Based on the insights gained from automated driving research, Toyota aims to provide advanced driving

support systems optimized to help enable safer driving and contribute to realizing the ultimate goal of any society that values mobility: the elimination of traffic fatalities and injuries.

In anticipation of the super-aging populations of the future, these advances will also be used to develop technologies that support senior drivers

with recognition, decisionmaking and vehicle operation, with the aim of achieving a mobility society where they can lead fuller lives. Furthermore, Toyota is working to provide more stable driving environments that contribute to the alleviation of traffic congestion, thereby reducing economic loss and CO2 emissions.

Toyota develops new pedestrian safety technology

Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a Pre-collision System (PCS) that uses automatic steering in addition to increased pre-collision braking force and automatic braking to help prevent collisions with pedestrians.

The new PCS with Pedestrian-avoidance Steer Assist can help prevent collisions in cases where automatic braking alone is not sufficient, such as when the vehicle is travelling too fast or a pedestrian suddenly steps into the vehicle’s path.

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An on-board sensor detects pedestrians and issues a visual alert on the dashboard immediately in front of the driver if the system determines that there is a risk of collision. If the likelihood of a collision increases, the system issues an audio and visual alarm to encourage the driver to take evasive action, and the increased precollision braking force and automatic braking functions are activated. If the system determines that a collision cannot be avoided by braking

alone and there is sufficient room for avoidance, steer assist is activated to steer the vehicle away from the pedestrian.

The number of traffic fatalities in Japan has declined for 12 consecutive years, reaching 4,411 in 2012. However, of that total, pedestrian fatalities are the most common, accounting for 37.0pc.

Last year, Toyota developed a system that uses increased pre-collision braking force and automatic braking to

help prevent collisions with pedestrians. The system, which was adopted on the Lexus “LS”, warns the driver when it detects a potential collision with a pedestrian or obstacle. If the driver does not take action to avoid the collision, the system activates.

TMC aims to make PCS (Pedestrian-avoidance with no steer assist) more affordable and roll it out by 2015 on a wider range of vehicles, before introducing PCS with Pedestrian-avoidance Steer Assist.

November 2013 / 59

TECHNOLOGY

Volvo Car Group makes

conventional batteries a thing of the past

Volvo Car Group has developed a revolutionary concept for lightweight structural energy storage components that could improve the energy usage

of future electrified vehicles.

The material, consisting of carbon fibres, nano structured batteries and super capacitors, offers lighter energy storage that requires less space in the

car, cost effective structure options and is eco-friendly.

The project, funded as part of a European Union research project, included Imperial College London as

the academic lead partner along with eight other major participants. Volvo was the only car manufacturer in the project. The project team identified a feasible solution

A composite blend of carbon fibres and polymer resin is being developed that can store and charge more energy faster than conventional batteries can. Materials development project launched by Imperial College in London that brings together nine European companies and institutes. Volvo Cars is the only car manufacturer participating in the project.

The project started early 2010.

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TECHNOLOGY to the heavy weight, large size and high costs associated with the batteries seen in hybrids and electric cars today, whilst maintaining the efficient capacity of power and performance. The research project took place over 3.5 years and is now realised in the form of car panels within a Volvo S80 experimental car.

THE BREAKTHROUGH The answer was found in the combination of carbon fibres and a polymer resin, creating a very advanced nano material, and structural super capacitors. The reinforced carbon fibres sandwich the new battery and are moulded and formed to fit around the car’s frame, such as the door panels, the boot lid and wheel bowl, substantially saving on space. The carbon fibre laminate is first layered, shaped and then cured in an oven to set and harden. The super capacitors are integrated within the component skin.

This material can then be used around the vehicle, replacing existing components, to store

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Finished boot lid with carbon fibre material and super capacitors. Close up. Volvo Car Group has developed revolutionary lightweight energy storage components. It is a carbon fibre material that stores energy as a lightweight, space efficient, cost effective and Eco-friendly power storage option.

and charge energy.

The material is recharged and energised by the use of brake energy regeneration in the car or by plugging into a mains electrical grid.

It then transfers the energy to the electric motor which is discharged as it is used around the car.

The breakthrough showed that this material not only charges and stores faster than conventional batteries can, but that it is also strong and pliant.

THE RESULTS SO FAR Today, Volvo Car Group has evaluated the technology by creating two components for testing and development.

These are a boot lid and a plenum cover, tested within the Volvo S80.

The boot lid is a functioning electrically powered storage component and has the potential to replace the standard batteries seen in today’s cars. It is lighter than a standard boot lid, saving on both volume and weight.

The new plenum demonstrates that it can also replace both the rally bar, a strong structural piece that Close up boot lid carbon fibre composite. stabilises the Volvo Car Group has developed revolutionary car in the lightweight energy storage components. It is a carbon fibre material that stores energy as a front, and lightweight, space efficient, cost effective and the startEco-friendly power storage option stop battery.

This saves more than 50% in weight and is powerful enough to supply energy to the car’s 12 Volt system It is believed that the complete substitution of an electric car’s existing components with the new material could cut the overall weight by more than 15%. This is not only cost effective but would also have improvements to the impact on the environment.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Imperial College London ICL United Kingdom (project leader) Swerea Sicomp AB, Sweden Volvo Car Group, Sweden Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung undprüfung BAM, Germany ETC Battery and FuelCells, Sweden Inasco, Greece Chalmers (Swedish Hybrid Centre), Sweden Cytec Industries (prev UMECO/ ACG), United Kingdom Nanocyl, NCYL, Belgium

November 2013 / 61

TECHNOLOGY

Crafting comfortable car seats at GM Crafting comfortable car seats takes more than hightech tools like seat pressure mapping systems and a multi-part mannequin that feeds data into a comfort dimensioning system.

As helpful as they are, there is no substitute for an element of human fine-tuning, or putting butts in seats.

General Motors’ human factors engineers who understand biomechanics, psychology, quantitative research and ergonomics, applied all these disciplines to help make the seats comfortable in the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.

Customers for each car segment want more or less support and rigidity in their car seats. What the car will be used for – such as commuting, city driving or track racing – helps engineers establish precise parameters of comfort.

Finding the “sweet spot” for each vehicle doesn’t come easy.

For the new Impala, volunteer seat testers ranging from 5th percentile females (5 feet tall, 110 lbs.) to 95th percentile males (6 feet tall or taller, 223 lbs.) spent hundreds of hours and logged thousands of miles in prototypes of the redesigned flagship sedan to evaluate seat comfort.

Seat testers typically drive

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TECHNOLOGY

or ride in prototype vehicles for several 60-minute intervals at a time recording initial feedback after the first 10 minutes. At each 60-minute interval, they numerically rate every aspect of the seat: cushion, backrest, lumbar support, headrest and side bolsters.

But tester feedback is subjective and design changes are often subtle because seat designs evolve from past programs and reams of data collected with precision instruments.

“Developing comfortable seats is both an art and a science,” said Jill Green, GM seat comfort lab manager.

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“Knowing how to translate a physiological impression into tangible design elements is the art, and knowing how to execute the design is the science.”

Seat tester evaluations alone would have been insufficient to achieve such results. That’s where tools like Oscar come in hand. The mannequin-like tool made of steel, plastic and aluminum is assembled in 18 removable parts weighing up to 170 pounds. Early in the Impala’s development, Oscar helped determine the overall dimensional layout of the interior, allowing engineers to make the best use of space.

State-of-the-art digital

pressure-mapping technology was used to scan the rear-end impressions of people of all shapes and sizes over the seat surface, creating a map with more than 4,600 data points.

A laptop computer used the data to generate graphics illustrating how occupants sit in the seat statically or while driving.

The Impala’s front seats are heated and ventilated, and bolstered for greater support. The seat cushions are designed to provide a firm, premium feel. LS models feature cloth seats, while LT comes standard with cloth/ vinyl seats. Sueded microfibertrimmed seats are available

on LT and LTZ models, which feature standard perforated leather seating. Standard on LT and LTZ models, rear-seat headrests fold to improve rear visibility when there are no back-seat passengers.

Car reviewers have noticed the attention paid to Impala’s seats.

“After hours in the driver seat, we found ourselves just as fresh as we were before we set out,” wrote Mark Takahashi, automotive editor, Edmunds.com. “The outboard rear seats have enough head- and legroom for the average adult male to remain comfortable for extended trips as well.”

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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW PASSENGER VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - September 2013) 2,09,804 Units

COMPANY

%

Maruti Suzuki

44.51

Hyundai Motor

24.50

Nissan Motor

6.28

Honda Cars

5.20

Tata Motors

4.83

Toyota Kirloskar Motor

4.58

Ford India

3.11

Volkswagen India

2.48

General Motors India

2.45

OTHERS

2.06

Skoda Auto India (0.64%) Fiat India Automobiles (0.52%) Mahindra & Mahindra (0.43%) Renault India (0.39%) Hindustan Motors (0.08%)

UTILITY VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - September 2013) 62,334 Units

COMPANY

%

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

33.32

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

18.59

Tata Motors Ltd.

15.19

Ford India Pvt Ltd.

12.33

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd.

9.91

Renault India Pvt. Ltd

6.43

General Motors India Pvt. Ltd

3.05

Others

1.18

Force Motors Ltd (0.49%) Hindustan Motors (0.27%) Honda Cars India Ltd. (0.22%) Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (0.10%) Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd (0.07%) Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (0.03%) Based on SIAM figures

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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW TWO WHEELER MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - September 2013) 14,53,369 Units

COMPANY

%

Hero MotoCorp

32.25

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India

22.63

Bajaj Auto

22.28

TVS Motor

13.03

India Yamaha Motor

4.13

Suzuki Motorcycle

2.88

OTHERS

2.80

Mahindra Two Wheelers (1.41%) Royal Enfield (1.17%) Piaggio Vehicles (0.21%) H-D Motor Company India (0.01%)

THREE WHEELERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - September 2013) 80,549 Units

COMPANY

%

Bajaj Auto Ltd.

54.55

Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd.

21.95

TVS Motor Company Ltd.

9.52

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

8.06

Atul Auto Ltd.

4.18

Scooters India Ltd.

1.48

Force Motors Ltd.

0.26

Based on SIAM figures

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November 2013 / 65

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - September 2013) 41,180 Units

COMPANY

%

Tata Motors

50.34

Mahindra & Mahindra

35.41

Ashok Leyland

6.11

Force Motors

3.06

Piaggio Vehicles

1.72

VECVs - Eicher

1.68

Mahindra Trucks & Buses

0.90

SML Isuzu

0.74

Hindustan Motors

0.04

MEDIUM & HEAVY COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - September 2013) 17,794 Units

COMPANY

%

Tata Motors Ltd.

56.54

Ashok Leyland Ltd.

26.50

VECVs - Eicher

12.12

Asia Motor Works Ltd.

1.77

SML Isuzu Ltd.

1.69

Mahindra Trucks & Buses Ltd.

0.98

VECVs - Volvo

0.40

Based on SIAM figures

66 / November 2013

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