Automobile research body to set up testing centres

Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) will establish testing and validation centres across the country in association with the ministry of heavy industries under the aegis of National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP).

With its parent facility in Pune, ARAI will now have five new centres in Chennai, Indore, Delhi, Rae Bareilly and Silchur.

In addition to certification and homologation, the centres, equipped with the latest autombile engineering technology, will be involved in automobile research and development.

The ministry of heavy Industries has sanctioned Rs 1,718 crore for NATRIP project to create a state-of-the-art test race-track in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh.

The race-track, to be built at a cost of Rs 350-400 crore, will be equipped with prototypes of different road conditions and tools to test and develop better endurance, safety and braking systems for automobiles. The initiatives of the NATRIP will become operational within five years.

According to Shrikant Marathe, director of ARAI, such measures are inevitable since several multinational companies are setting up their manufacturing base in India, making India a global automotive hub.

"Rapid spurt in demand and stringent regulations have posed challenges before the automotive industry to produce safe, fuel-efficient and less-polluting vehicles in a stipulated time-frame. This calls for extensive research and development involving advanced technologies,"he said.

ARAI will also upgrade its Pune facility. With homologation and certification norms being revised regularly, the association has mooted an upgradation plan to ensure a smooth transition process for automobile manufacturers.