There are numerous challenges DaimlerChrysler faces and overcomes when it builds those beautiful machines, packing them with the best of safety features. However, there has been one aspect that radars on their automobiles cannot detect - cows.Daimler has equipped its cars with technology that detects any metal objects such as truck or cars on the autobahns and activates safety features such as automatic slowing. However, as cows aren't made of metal, this is one of the numerous challenges Bharat Balsubramanian, vice president (VP), group research & advanced engineering (electrical & electronics, IT & processes), is currently working on.Balasubramanian said: "I keep having various conversations with my executive VP Thomas Weber and this is one element. We are addressing this concern by coupling the radar technology with camera which will certainly detect cows."Daimler has been developing various out-of-the-box technologies at its research centres across the globe, and the decade-old Bangalore centre has been one of them.The Indian centre is the largest Daimler laboratory outside of Germany, and has been working on areas of active safety such as road condition sensing, accident-free driving, IT for engineering and logistics besides advanced vehicle engineering. The centre also engages in advanced vehicle engineering, passive safety, virtual manufacturing processes and alternate propulsion such as fuel cell and battery.Another area of concern for DaimlerChrysler as it introduces its latest diesel version (BlueTec) models is the quality of diesel available in India. BlueTec enables a vehicle to drastically reduce the emission of hazardous gases based on good quality diesel.Thomas Webber, Global Head of Technology of DaimlerChrysler, said: "The technology is ready and it is running in vehicles in the US as the quality of fuel is pretty good. In India, the quality of diesel is not of that standard and we urge the authorities concerned to better it."Daimler doubles sales in 2006DaimlerChrysler AG has doubled its sales growth in India in 2006 and is bullish about its prospects and exploring the domestic market for opportunities, senior company executives said today.DaimlerChrysler India's CEO and managing director Wilfred Aubur said the company sold 2,121 units in 2006, a growth of 11% over the previous calendar year."We have doubled our sales growth. We are happy with the growth," he said. "We see huge growth potential in India."Aubur said the company is studying the Indian market for growth opportunities. "We are very positive, and there is an untapped potential.""We see India as a future market," Thomas Weber said, as the company celebrated the completion of ten years of operations of DaimlerChrysler Research and Technology Centre (DCRTI) located here."Technology is at the heart of Daimler's market leadership and DCRTI embodies this spirit of research," said Weber, who saw good market for the company in diesel technology in India.(PTI)
