The Gurgaon-based tyre major has received accreditation for the wet grip and coast by noise tyre tests on the track. It has already been aggressive in the European market with two manufacturing plants and one R&D centre. With investments, Apollo Tyres is ramping up its testing capabilities to develop tyres for across the segments, including premium passenger, commercial vehicles, high-end motorcycles and off-highway tyres. “The tyre manufacturers are depending on the international labs for advanced characterisation and labelling tests specific to tyres. Thus, investment in both advanced tyre testing as well as labelling infrastructure is needed in this country for quick product development, not only for compliance to latest Indian regulations but also to meet the stringent regulations in other countries and thereby promoting tyre export,” says Daniele Lorenzetti, Chief Technology Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd in an interview with Motoring Trends.

Last month, Apollo Tyres became the first Indian tyre manufacturer to get the coveted accreditation from NABL for outdoor labelling tests in India. The company has now been accredited with ISO/IEC 17025 for the wet grip and coast by noise tyre tests on the track. This accreditation is extended for testing different tyre categories for vehicles such as passenger, light truck, commercial (C1, C2 & C3) classes, farm and motorcycle. This testing capability is linked to the Indian government’s plan to implement the ‘Star Rating’ of tyres, in line with the tyre labelling regulation in Europe.

According to Daniele Lorenzetti, Chief Technology Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd, the growing focus of the automobile manufacturers on fuel efficiency, higher performance on ride and comfort, and safety is fuelling demand for more tyre component level testing. “Light-weighting in automobiles can alter transfer path for noise and vibration into the cabin, calling for corresponding modification in tyre design. Along with the introduction of AIS 142 standard, similar to EU R117 for labelling of the tyre, huge outdoor testing infrastructure is required, especially in proving grounds,” said Lorenzetti.

Electric Vehicle (EV) related challenges of higher weight, NVH concern, higher torque requirement and subsequent wear rate and battery life would be substantial concerns to tackle during the development process, stated the Apollo Tyres executive. “Similarly, for reducing the number of physical tests, simulation and modal development need to be evolved. Adequate testing infrastructure for validation of simulation and advanced characterisation is also simultaneously required. Hence, more indoor advanced testing infrastructure is required for NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness), F&M (Force and Moment) and traction performance validation,” added Lorenzetti.

Today, safety and convenience features are not limited to premium vehicles but are also provided in mid-level and entry-level vehicles, and the same trend is evident in India. Hence, while increasing capability, testing capacity also needs to be enhanced, thinks Lorenzetti.

Indian tyre manufacturers and testing services have basic levels of testing capacity such as safety requirements, durability, braking strength and dimensions. With the Indian government’s NATRIP (National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project), vehicle and component level testing facilities have improved. “The tyre manufacturers are depending on the international labs for advanced characterisation and labelling tests specific to tyres. Thus, investment in both advanced tyre testing and labelling infrastructure is needed in this country for quick product development, not only for compliance to latest Indian regulations but also to meet the stringent regulations in other countries and thereby promote tyre export,” explained Lorenzetti.

Like the automobile industry, the tyre industry’s evolution at a broader level depends on economic, social, cultural, technological and climatic changes. The Indian tyre Industry is also evolving with the Indian macro-economic growth, advancements in technology, increasing emphasis on sustainable environmental practices and policy, and institutional and regulatory requirements.

Currently, the tyre industry is going through a highly challenging period, with lockdowns across Indian states owing to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. While this impacts the demand side, pressure on the margin front is also felt due to the rising raw material prices.

However, with the Indian government’s reinvigorated policies and programmes such as “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, localisation push, EV subsidy, economic stimulus package to thwart pandemic crisis and vehicle scrappage policy, the automotive industry in India is poised to grow at a higher trajectory. “Shift in customer preference to private vehicles from public transport and shared mobility owing to Covid might also generate an uptick. We are optimistic with the and its positive effect on the tyre industry,” said Lorenzetti.

Tyre technology is also evolving in tandem with the automobile industry to pursue higher fuel efficiency, higher performance, driver safety, vehicle stability, light-weighting and heavy load carrying capacity. Additional advanced features such as vehicle connectivity and electrification of functions are also taking place at OEMs, which calls for intelligent talking tyres.

“Unlike in the past, the Indian vehicle market is now fast evolving. Earlier, customers had very few variants/choices available. Now, many models are introduced that call for higher bandwidth of resources. The premium segment is also poised for faster growth, and so comfort, without compromise on traction and durability, is added into the performance requirement list for tyres,” said Lorenzetti.

Indian government’s policies and regulations for sustainable growth are now major drivers for evolution in India. It has already issued a draft notification proposing new tyre norms as a part of the Automotive Indian Standards (AIS) 142:2019. The proposal states that tyres of all cars, buses and trucks shall meet the requirements of rolling resistance, wet grip and rolling sound emissions, in line with the limits of the European regulations.

Virtual testing is also gaining traction in the auto industry as it saves development time and money and gives flexibility to engineers. Global launches, stiff competition, legal compliance to emissions, demand for more electrification and self-driven vehicles push the development process shorter than ever. The time available for development is becoming shorter and shorter. At the same time, the demands set for the characteristics of a car are becoming increasingly stringent, as is the bandwidth required for various models and variants of vehicles. So, virtual proving is the key to faster product development while tackling tyre testing capacity constraints.

“However, simulation is as good as its verification and validation. Verification is the process of determining that a model implementation and its associated data accurately represent the developer’s conceptual description and specifications. Validation is the process of determining the degree to which a simulation model and its associated data are an accurate representation of the real world from the perspective of the intended uses of the model. Hence, adequate characterisation testing capability is also simultaneously required for wide-spread application of simulation,” said the CTO of Apollo Tyres.

Apollo Tyres is an Indian company that has been expanding aggressively in the European market. Today, the company has seven manufacturing plants – five in India and two in Europe (Hungary and the Netherlands).

Being a preferred partner for global OEMs, Apollo Tyres is continuously enhancing testing capabilities at its state-of-the-art R&D centres. With the two global R&D centres at Chennai, India and Enschede, Netherlands, the company aims to meet discerning OEM needs. “With the synergies between the two R&D centres, and its advanced testing capabilities, we continuously develop winning products and new technologies while also being at the forefront of meeting new regulatory requirements,” said Lorenzetti.

The company’s extensive investments in tyre testing not only help it in developing tyres for premium luxury passenger and commercial vehicles but also high-end motorcycles and off-highway tyres (OHT). “At our R&D centre, characterisation capabilities are continuously developed for the determination of traction, NVH, F&M, ride and handling, comfort, tread wear, fuel efficiency, durability and footprint,” added Lorenzetti.

Automotive test centres with large proving grounds funded by the Indian government are already evolved in India. Its NATRIP project aims to create core global competencies in the automotive sector in India by facilitating seamless integration of the Indian automotive industry with the world through setting up of state-of-the-art automotive testing, homologation and R&D infrastructure facilities.

Collaborations at various levels are also taking place to further enhance the vehicle test centres to tyre-specific test facilities. Earlier, Apollo collaborated with one of the test centres of the Indian government to pioneer the indigenisation of tyre labelling and certification tests in India. Similar collaboration would be beneficial for the industry to evolve faster.

“While large vehicle OEMs have their own limited proving grounds, the massive investment and maintenance requirement for this kind of infrastructure may be challenging for tyre companies to set up. Though collaboration among leading tyre companies would be a welcome scenario, the scale and size of the industry need to be evolved for such a tie-up,” said Lorenzetti.

The EV segment brings its own challenges with the higher weight of vehicles, NVH concern due to fewer and lesser noisy components, higher torque requirement and subsequent wear rate, and battery life. Apollo Tyres is gearing up for the same with capital intensive testing facilities such as “flat track” for traction, F&M tests and hemi-anechoic chamber for NVH tests. Apollo Tyres’ test machines are specially designed with multiple features, such as the very high torque ramp-up rate to match the futuristic EV requirements.

“It is heartening to note that major premium OEMs wholeheartedly partner with Apollo Tyres for joint development of products, featuring advanced technologies and engineering. We are committed in our endeavour to be the trusted partner for our esteemed customers and society at large by enhancing value with best-in-class efficiency through sustainable models for environment conservation,” said Lorenzetti. (MT)

India’s automobile industry has witnessed a dip is sales number in the passenger and commercial vehicle segments in FY24 and H1FY25. However, experts from CareEdge Ratings opine that this dip is no alarming for the overall industry as it is a cyclical downturn and the industry will bounce back. 
Commenting on the same during a virtual press conference, Senior Director Ranjan Sharma said, “The automobile sector has exhibited a mixed trend in H1FY25. While the two-wheeler industry has zoomed ahead at a healthy year-over-year growth rate of 16 percent, primarily driven by strong rural demand on the back of higher rural income levels, the passenger vehicle (PV) industry after witnessing healthy growth in past 2-3 years, has entered the slow lane during H1FY25 with wholesale volume growth slowing down to 2 percent on year-over-year basis due to subdued demand for entry-level cars and elevated inventory levels at dealer’s end. While two-wheeler volume growth is expected to remain healthy during FY25, overall PV volume growth is expected to continue to remain muted in FY25.”
“The commercial vehicle (CV) sector experienced significant growth post-pandemic, with approximately 30 percent growth in FY22 and FY23. FY22's growth was driven by a low base effect due to the pandemic's impact in FY21, while FY23 saw robust growth on a higher base. However, the momentum appears to have plateaued. Last year, the sector recorded a slight decline of around 1 percent and the current half-year shows a further decline of approximately 3 percent, primarily driven by a drop in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment. Meanwhile, the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) segment has remained relatively stable,” he added. 
He also noted that infrastructure spending and increased construction activity in the second half of the fiscal year, supported by heightened government investment, could lead to some improvement. Nevertheless, for FY25 as a whole, CV volumes are expected to remain in negative territory, with an estimated decline upto 3 percent.
Commenting on how the dip in sales will fare for the overall automobile industry, he stated, “The two-wheeler segment is performing well overall. However, major CV and PV players are doing well individually, though volume growth is expected to remain neutral for a year or two, as this is cyclical. The sectors witnessed such fluctuations every 2-3 years but there is no alarming concern for the overall sector. Moreover, there are no significant concerns from a credit quality standpoint. These companies are large, have diversified portfolios and maintain a strong financial risk profile.”
He added, “The PV sector witnessed significant growth in the past couple of years, driven by its cyclical nature. The growth rate for FY25 is projected to be around 3 percent with a similar trajectory expected for FY26. The LCV segment, being more price-sensitive, has been particularly affected, showing sharper declines. For FY25, the sector is expected to close with a decline of about -1.5 percent to -2 percent. Looking ahead to FY26, even under the best-case scenario, growth is likely to remain subdued, with only minimal improvements expected, driven by the same underlying factors.”
Alluding to the performance of the electric vehicle (EV) segment, he said, “EV volumes have shown healthy growth, particularly in two-wheelers and e-buses. However, this growth has come from a very low base. Even in FY24, EV penetration remains modest with two-wheelers at approximately 5.4 percent and other segments, including passenger and commercial vehicles, at around 2 percent each. The slower pace of growth and penetration can be attributed to challenges such as underdeveloped EV charging infrastructure and the high cost of EVs compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which continue to act as significant bottlenecks.”
 

Image for representative purpose only.

Dana India has announced the completion of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Chakan, Pune. The initiatives aimed at improving road safety and infrastructure in accident-prone areas and reiterates Dana India’s vital role in promoting sustainable development and community safety, both in Maharashtra and across India. 

In an effort to lower the risk of accidents for over 3,600 residents and tourists, Dana India built 30 tall solar lighting at Chakan's Alandi Phata Chowk. This project is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, including Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. Additionally, Dana India put up metal barriers and traffic safety signs in the industrial region of Chakan. Approximately 250,000 commuters are anticipated to benefit each day from these actions, which also support Goals 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. 

More than 300,000 individuals now have better road visibility and safety thanks to the installation of road divider railings at strategic locations like Endurance Chowk. This programme promotes Goal 3: Well-being and Good Health. Goal 7: Accessible and Sustainable Energy Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals and Goal 15: Life on Land. In order to significantly improve evening safety for an estimated 300,000 people, Dana India additionally installed street lighting in strategic areas across Endurance Chowk and the Chakan Industrial Area. These initiatives support both Goal 15: Life on Land and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. 

Gajanan Gandhe, Country Head and Vice President, Dana India, said, “These initiatives represent a significant step towards improving road safety and promoting sustainability in the Chakan community. At Dana India, we are committed to driving meaningful change and enhancing the quality of life for the people of Pune while supporting the global sustainability agenda.”

aerpace Industries Ltd has announced that Sanjay Takale, Director of aerpace Racers and a distinguished racer, will compete in the four-wheel category of the Dakar Rally 2025, which is recognised globally as the pinnacle of motorsport.

Takale's long motorsport career spans three decades and includes over 75 national and international triumphs. Among his numerous achievements is the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Production Cup from 2013. In 2022, he became the first Indian invited to the FIA Motorsport Games, finishing 8th in Rally4 among participants from 72 nationalities. Takale's involvement in the Dakar Rally is a landmark success for Indian motorsport, cementing his position as a global hero. This development also demonstrates aerpace's dedication to nurturing cutting-edge talent and innovation.

Apart from his personal accomplishments, Takale is committed to developing new talent through aerpace Racers, an initiative of aerpace Industries. As Director, he aims to develop an innovative and sustainable motorsport culture.

Takale said, “Dakar is more than a race – it’s a dream that pushes the limits of human and machine capabilities. Representing India on this unparalleled platform is both a privilege and a responsibility. With aerpace’s unwavering support, I hope to inspire a new wave of motorsport enthusiasts to chase their dreams and redefine boundaries.”

The Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), the apex body representing passenger transport operators across the country, has re-elected Prasanna Patwardhan as its National President and announced its new National Committee list for a three-year tenure. The other key members of the National Committee include A Afzal (National Vice President), Dharmaraj D R (General Secretary), Harsh Kotak (Treasurer) and Babu Panikar (Additional Secretary).

Since its founding in 2016, BOCI has played a significant role in promoting the settlement of important problems that transport companies confront, such as infrastructural difficulties, taxation and regulatory barriers. The company is also leading new projects to improve passenger last-mile connection and encourage the use of environmentally friendly transport options like electric vehicles (EVs). With a vision that is firmly based on sustainability, innovation and teamwork, BOCI hopes to solidify its position as the force behind revolutionary developments in the passenger transport industry. 

Outlining the association’s vision for the betterment of the passenger transport industry, Patwardhan, who retains his position as National President, said, “I am deeply honoured to continue serving as the National President of BOCI, and I thank the members for their continued trust and support. The passenger transport industry is at a transformative juncture, requiring concerted efforts to adapt to evolving mobility needs. Public transport, as a pillar of sustainable and inclusive mobility, is central to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. BOCI is committed to strengthening the ecosystem by advancing solutions such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and enhanced last-mile connectivity, ensuring that public transport becomes more accessible, seamless and efficient for all. This tenure will focus on fostering innovative practices, driving meaningful collaborations, and establishing international partnerships to ensure our industry remains aligned with global advancements and emerging trends. As we gear up for 2025, our collective efforts will be directed toward addressing industry challenges, enhancing operational efficiencies, and creating a sustainable roadmap that empowers both operators and passengers. Together, we will continue to elevate the standards of the sector, ensuring it significantly contributes to India’s growth story.”

The complete list of members of the new National Committee is as follows:

1. Prasanna Patwardhan, National President
2. A Afzal, National Vice President
3. Dharmaraj D R, General Secretary
4. Harsh Kotak, Treasurer
5. Babu Panikar, Additional Secretary
6. Gurmeet Singh, Joint Secretary
7. D Maran, Joint Treasurer
8. Siddiq Gandhi, Joint Treasurer
9. Harish Sabharwal, Senior Vice President – North
10.  Anurag Agarwal, Senior Vice President – East
11.  Kiran Desai, Senior Vice President – West
12.  Manoj Padikkal, Senior Vice President – South
13.  Anjit Bora, Sr. Vice President – North-East
14.  Rajesh Parashar, Vice President – Stage Carriage
15. Kanwarjit Singh Sawhney, Vice President – Tourist Buses
16. Anil Dixit, Vice President – PPP Model
17. Malik M Patel, Vice President – Tourist Taxi
18. Navsharan Garcha, Vice President – School Bus
19. M Ramanathan, Vice President – Maxi Cab
20. Rijas A J, Vice President – Intercity
21. Sartaj Lamba, Executive Member
22. Mahendra Jalwania, Executive Member
23. N P Gautam Kiran, Executive Member
24. Hari Prakash Dubey, Executive Member
25. Ameet Sahoo, Executive Member