The International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT), set up under the National Automotive Testing and R AND D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) in Manesar, Haryana is currently working on four innovative, technology-driven research and development projects assigned by the Government. The agency is scheduled to deliver these projects by April 2012.
Director, iCAT, Dinesh Tyagi said regulatory matters, including type approvals and Conformity of Production (COP), have limitations and the centre would need to build its business and grow through developmental testing for the industry and sponsored R And D projects.
iCAT, which is an accredited type approval and homologation agency, intends increasing business from its non-certification work in the future. For the year ending March 2010, iCAT had 38 percent of its business coming from non-certification work.
The centre, which was the North Indian centre of Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI),till NATRiP took it over in 2006, has done five big projects in the past, said Tyagi, but added the four new projects the centre received this year are very interesting and technologically challenging projects.
The first project involves development of hybrid vehicles for MUV and LCV applications. The centre is developing the entire system in-house, with completely indigenous electric motors, controllers and software. This is one of the most challenging current projects. As of today, hybrids seem to carry more potential than electric vehicles, simply because EVs have limitations. Unless we are able to develop good energy storage technology, EVs would remain a restricted choice. I think hybrids would have an edge for at least the next decade: Tyagi said.
The second project is the development of an Atkinson-cycle IC engine that is expected to bring in about I5 percent improvement in fuel consumption. This engine will be developed for applications in small, medium or large cars and even trucks.
Tyagi explained, while normal engines are on auto cycle or diesel cycle, the difference with the Atkinson-cycle engine is that in the expansion stroke, we are able to expand beyond the normal expansion ratio. This ensures the energy, which otherwise goes waste in the exhaust, can be derived to mechanical work. The engine is named after its inventor, James Atkinson, who first demonstrated this engine in 1882.
This engine is currently being developed for one application, but depending on the customers needs, there will be new applications developed. Some of the elements can be carried forward, while some new ones might need to be developed, Tyagi said.
The two other projects currently under various stages of development are anti-glare system and intelligent speed adaptation system. In total, these four R AND D projects have attracted investments worth Rs35 crore.
This is most certainly the first step towards developing new technology. In order to deliver these projects, we have to have a good electrical and electronics laboratory. We will have a reasonably good electrical and electronics lab here within this year: Tyagi, who has several years of experience working with automotive companies in India, said.
Once delivered to the Government, Tyagi expects to commercialise these projects through a licensing and royalty route. We have a concept of licensing our technologies to any interested customer. The intellectual property however, would rest with iCAT. I also expect manufacturers to use our services once we are able to demonstrate our capability in developing new technologies: said Tyagi.
Building Capability
The centre is undertaking a rigorous, yet systematic procedure to ramp up capability as well as build credibility of its developmental work. This, Tyagi said, is paramount to grow business. Regulatory work is limited, and in sync with NATRiPs objectives, we need to focus more on developmental work: he said. iCAT has set a target to grow its non-certification work comprehensively and aggressively over the next five years, aiming for a 70 percent share of its overall revenues. Thirty percent would come from regulatory work, Tyagi said.
In another significant development, iCAT would start issuing certifications online from the first week of July this year. It may be noted that ARAI had also initiated online certifications some time back. Our system is already under trial, but we are quite different from what ARAI had done. Our system is very comprehensive where our clients would be able to make applications or download forms, make payments and submit documents sitting at their premises. They can also monitor the progress of their dockets online. Physical presence will only be required to submit the test property and receive it once certification is completed Tyagi explained.
Once initiated, the time taken to complete a certification process is expected to come down from 75 days currently to less than 60 days; eventually reaching a 45-day schedule. Beginning July, ERP would also be implemented at iCAT.
The centre is also planning collaborations with leading universities and design houses for the two centres of excellence (COEs) iCAT houses. The agency is now in the process of identifying such institutions, which could also be institutions from abroad.
Lot of the local design houses have good CAD and CAE capabilities, but do not have prototyping facilities, which we do. As of now, iCAT has limited capabilities in CAD and CAE, which we intend to build up in the coming years: said Tyagi adding that collaborations would start happening this year. In fact, the first such MoU was recently signed with the automotive division of HCL Technologies for the component COE.
Excellence Centres
NATRiP has conceptualised nine centres of excellence across various centres it is setting across the country. iCAT has two such COEs for NVH and component development. Tyagi clarified these are not related to homologation or certification work. The kind of facility and capability that we are going to build in the centre will be focussed on this. COEs are all aimed at developmental work, not at homologation work: he said.
For component development, iCAT will have special capabilities for CAD/CAE work, prototyping and validation. The idea is to assist component makers that do not have these capabilities. iCAT intends to pick up such projects for companies based on their clients requirements, and offer them a solution based on which, they can manufacture.
Similarly, the NVH facility can be used by system/ sub-system suppliers or even OEMs. Tyagis aid iCAT would set up capabilities both for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. The idea is to be able to provide a solution to a new vehicle programme based on this capability: he said.
Apart from the two in iCAT, the Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) in Chennai houses COEs for Infotronics, EMC and Passive Safety, while ARAI has two COEs aimed at powertrain and fatigue tests.
Expansions on Track
With the intent of becoming a full-fledged R AND D and testing centre, iCAT is currently making investments worth Rs 500 crore, which is likely to be equally split between certification and R AND D work. iCAT recently acquired a 46-acre piece of land, about seven kilometres from its existing centre. At the new centre, which will start functioning sometime in May 2011, iCAT plans to set up test tracks required for homologation work, crash lab, NVH lab and a EMC lab.
At the current site, expansion work is under way for powertrain, engine test cells, emission test cells, vehicle test dynamometers as well as mileage accumulation dynamometers for all kinds of vehicles. We are also putting up a full-fledged fatigue test lab in addition to lots of equipments in the certification lab informed Tyagi.
The centre has already seen investments worth Rs 60 crore, while the new investment of Rs 500 crore is expected to be equally distributed for both sites. Expansion at the existing site is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with some of the facilities operating by the third quarter of the year.
Commenting on the centres financials, Tyagi said iCAT is a self-sustained organization today, and need no grants to operate. Recently we rolled out a five year business plan, at the end of which we intend reaching Rs 70-odd crore in revenues. We finished with Rs 21 crore on 31 March, 2010 he said adding he expects a CAGR of over 25 percent during this period.
Meanwhile, the National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) centre in Indore would have the worlds largest proving ground spread over 4123 acres. The General Motors Milford Proving Ground was the industries first dedicated automobile testing facility when it opened in 1924 in Milford, Michigan. It covers a land area of about 4,000 acres.
At NATRAX, the high speed track will be 13.6-km-Iong, capable of speeds up to 360 kmph. Tyagi said Indore will have all kinds of test tracks, but only related to development work. This centre in Indore will be the COE for vehicle dynamics, and is likely to attract investments worth Rs 430 crore.