Future Of Automotive Transmission Technology – An Indian Perspective

The automotive technology space is awash with commentaries, speculations and observations on trends in automotive transmissions, as the automotive world is predicted to witness significant disruption.

Biogenous Ethers – Production, Operation In A Diesel Engine

Biofuels from lignocellulose can significantly contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction of the trans port sector. Oxygenated fuels like Di-n-butyl ether and oxymethylene ethers are among the most promising alter natives for diesel engines. The suitability of these compounds is investigated in a research project conducted at the Institute for Powertrains and Automotive Technology at Vienna University of Technology and the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology at Graz University of Technology. The fuels show CO2 saving potential by up to 70 % and remarkable soot reduction properties.

Spicing Up The Sub-compact SUV Segment

Unlike some of the mid-to-high-end SUV segments, UV major Mahindra & Mahindra’s product introductions in the compact and sub-compact SUV segments haven’t had much of a bull run in the Indian market. The Quanto, introduced in 2012, failed to attract the desired market response, while its smallest product – the KUV100 – didn’t have too many admirers as well. The company needed to find a strategy to capture a sizeable chunk of this ever-growing segment, and turned to its subsidiary SsangYong Motor with the idea of bringing the highly successful Tivoli to India. Almost three months after its launch, the XUV300 – built on the Tivli X100 platform – has continued to excite customers with its strong credentials.

How City Sensors Contribute To Understanding Traffic Conditions

Everyone tends to get frustrated getting stuck in traffic. As the global population increases, the time people spend in traffic jams also increases. Cities that were once built for small population sizes are now made to plan anew to adjust for more traffic jams. To cite an example, in 1982, it was estimated that people living in the US spent around 18 hr per year sitting in congestion. In 2015, US residents spent around 42 hr per year.

India Is Well Placed To Take Advantage Of Decent Digital Literacy

Tata Motors’ ‘Turnaround 2.0’ programme has worked wonders for its commercial vehicle segment as it has delivered a robust sales performance on the back of a slew of new product launches across various segments. Auto Tech Review recently spoke to RT Wasan, Vice President, Sales & Marketing (Domestic Operations), Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors Ltd to know about how it is bracing up for the future.

Mahle Adopting A Dual Strategy To Shape Future Of Mobility

Mahle India inaugurated the Mahle IT & Engineering Centre – its third IT and Shared Services Centre in the country – at its Pune facility in February 2019. Spanning across 55,000 sq ft, the Mahle IT & Engineering Centre has emerged as an integral part of the global Mahle R&D network and will be offering services for conventional as well as electrified powertrains.

A Global Innovation Hub For Portfolio Beyond Mobility

Bosch recently conducted its Beyond Mobility 2.0 seminar, where it showcased technologies beyond the mobility business with smart solutions based on growing infrastructure and consumer demand. The company focusses on energy efficient solutions and connected products, while pursuing a “3S” strategy of Sensors, Software, and Services. Bosch noted that conventional business areas are shifting to digital mode by transforming businesses beyond mobility, as a result of impetus from the Indian government amidst structural reforms.

Methods For Analysis Of HC And Particle Emission

The combination of electrification and alternative operating fluids offers considerable optimisation potential for future powertrain concepts in terms of efficiency and emission behaviour for sustainable mobility. To examine the effects of new lubricating oil and fuel formulations in this context, the APL Group uses state-of-the-art, highly dynamic exhaust gas measuring technology and new development methods.

Improving IC Engines, Adopting EVs To Mitigate Emissions

There is a crying need to control emissions; probably more than ever before, given the rapid rise in vehicular pollution and the stringent regulations governments across various countries are imposing on the amount of emissions permissible from the automotive sector.

Focussed On Sustainable Electromobility Solutions

Electromobility has been generating a lot of buzz in India, although it has not made much headway.

Betting Big On Sintered Components

Pune-based Sintercom India has made its presence felt in manufacturing sintered components in areas such as engine, transmission and chassis.

JTP Tigor, Tiago Exude A Wow Feeling

Tata Motors first showcased the performance-oriented models of its Tiago hatchback and Tigor compact sedan at the Auto Expo earlier this year.

Empowering Mobility Via Safety And Intelligent Technologies

Mobility is the movement of persons or goods from one destination to another, and while the starting point and finish point are not too relevant, it is the journey that is taken into account.

Additive Manufacturing – Time Is Now For Auto Companies

Over the years, India has emerged as a strong automotive technology and product development base, riding on a gifted talent pool, among other tail winds.

A Look At What Doesn't Meet The Eye

Hyundai recently launched the next generation Santro compact hatchback in India.

Cargo Ground Buildup System

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras developed a solution to support cargo handling operations at austere locations. This innovative idea helped the team win the “Student Innovator of the Year” award in the Indian Automotive Technology and Innovation Awards (IATIA) 2017.

ACMA National Conference Deliberates On Auto Sector Landscape

The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) recently organised a ‘National Conference on Inorganic Growth: Exploring M&As, JVs, & TAs to stay competitive’ in New Delhi.

Virtual Environment Simulation For Autonomous Driving

As the industry moves towards deployment of autonomous driving, challenges are emerging in all areas.

Testing In Automotive Industry Is Diversifying Drastically

Formed in 2005, the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) was a major initiative of the Department of Heavy Industry, Government of India aimed at enhancing as well as bringing in top-of-the-line testing, validation and R&D infrastructure in the country. Auto Tech Review caught up with Neeti Sarkar, CEO and Project Director, NATRiP to know how it is addressing the diverse testing requirements of the automotive industry in the current scenario.

Accelerating Warm-up Through Active Management Of Engine Lubricant

The high thermal capacity of engine lubricant has a negative impact on warm-up times and hence emissions. This article shows how Castrol’s Nexcel innovation business has addressed this challenge by developing a new active lubrication system. The architecture of the system also allows a replace-and-return ecosystem that will reduce the volume of drained oil lost into the environment, while facilitating a significant increase in the volume of used oil that can be returned to its original grade.

Nuclei Of Energy Efficiency

Increase in energy efficiency, better energy management along with lower carbon footprint are strongly influenced by reduced frictional losses, better thermal and wear management, robustness of components and optimisation of combustion components.

Design Optimisation Of Automobile Crash Box

Muskan Taneja, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani University, KK Birla Goa Campus, has diligently focussed on developing a solution to minimise im pact on a vehicle and the passenger in case of a car crash. This eye-catching innovation has been widely appreciated within the automotive industry, and helped her win the Indian Automotive Technology and Innovation Awards (IATIA) 2018 ‘Student Innovator of the Year’ award.

Refinement, Efficiency Hallmarks Of Mahindra's 4D15 Marazzo Engine

SUVs are known to offer a more practical answer to mobility across tough conditions, while vehicles in the MPV segment are essentially large people-carriers offering comfort and convenience. This required Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) to develop a vehicle much different from its usual offerings, for which the Mahindra Research Valley (MRV), along with the Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA), Detroit, and Pininfarina carried out collaborative engineering. The Marazzo was thus born as the company’s first multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in September 2018.

Mahindra Addressing Climate Change With Smart Manufacturing Initiatives

Climate change today is one of the biggest concerns for humanity. The impacts of industrialisation and global warming have played a definitive role in the evolution of how businesses are done. In India, one of the foremost industrial groups to make strong commitments towards climate protection is the Mahindra Group. Spearheading the movement for the Mahindra Group is its Igatpuri facility, which recently declared its carbon neutral status without the purchase of carbon credits.

Future Materials To Enable Automotive Industry Move Towards Megatrends

The functionality and robustness of a mechanical component is as good as the materials used to manufacture it. This holds well in the automotive industry, where cost is an important criterion for the selection of materials used in manufacturing.

Future Of Mobility - Smart, Connected, Customisable

The mobility sector has been witness to major disruptions in recent times, so much so that global leaders from the industry have been talking about the pace of development in the last decade being as much as the entire development over the preceding 50 years.

Paving The Way For Increased Fast Charging Deployment

Mobility of tomorrow will include a gamut of futuristic solutions and technologies. A lot of these would be in the realm of alternate propulsions systems. For now, the one that is most promising is electrified mobility, which is set to witness large-scale adoption globally. While battery cost and their range continue to be high on everyone’s priority, charging mechanism, standards and infrastructure is no less important. We take stock on developments in the fast charging area.

Ever-Increasing Penetration Of Electronics In Automotive

Electronics is becoming all pervasive – the way we communicate, what we work on, how we watch entertainment, and also in the way we drive vehicles.

All-In-One Propulsion Solution For Hevs, EVS

BorgWarner has launched its first eDM (electric drive module) and is expanding the corresponding family by developing the iDM (integrated drive module). The company’s all-in-one propulsion solution for electric mobility combines transmission, electric motor and inverter technologies, while offering a compact, integrated design.

iNVH 2019 Deliberates On Future NVH Optimisation

The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) recently organised the fifth edition of its International Seminar on Noise, Vibration and Harshness (iNVH) at its Manesar facility.