While the value of a vehicle depreciates as years pass by, the luxury added to it definitely counts. Also, customers are willing to pay for the luxury element in their vehicles today, and the details of the luxury differ from customer to customer. Tropicool Car Gadgets, a product development company, has been into enhancing the on-road experience for vehicle owners by adding the safety and luxury quotient to them. In a tete-a-tete with Khushboo Shinagare, Director at Tropicool, we find out the need for luxury gadgets in vehicles, their need in terms of safety, how their refrigerators for vehicles stand out and more.

The definition of luxury has changed today. Earlier, only the well-off could afford it, but now many from different backgrounds and sectors can. When it came to luxury in the automotive industry, it was perhaps more about comfort and interior. While that hasn’t changed today, there is still so much more, especially in terms of enhanced technology when it comes to better safety and comfort.

Boosting the driving, commuting and travel experience further, whether they are passenger vehicles or private vehicles, they also come with luxury gadgets and other accessories, with those for safety as well. Founded only 10 years ago, Tropicool Car Gadgets, a product development company, has been into enhancing the on-road experience for vehicle owners by adding the safety and luxury quotient to them. It provides innovative products for vehicles, from vehicle CCTV surveillance systems to rear-view cameras and from parking sensors to refrigerators, to put in the vehicle.

Luxury gadgets – are they really needed in vehicles?
But luxury holds a different definition for everyone, and many might ask how necessary that factor is in vehicles and passenger transportation today. Throwing some light on this, Shinagare explains, “There is definitely a need for luxury car gadgets in passenger transportation. If we look at the numbers, then 40 million of India’s population still uses public transport. There are several reasons behind this – for one, they probably don’t find public transportation comfortable enough. Or maybe there aren’t enough luxuries or facilities in it. So there is certainly a need for luxury in passenger transport. Everyone, from the lower class to middle class people, want to travel well – especially when they travel every day, day in and day out.”

“Besides, many elements come under luxury, from refrigerators to entertainment in the passenger vehicle. And now basic communication systems are a necessary. Moreover, our safety gadgets ensure that the driver  is well taken care of, who, in fact, endures more than the passengers. Therefore, a lot of our systems essentially help the driver make the whole journey safe,” she says.

Keeping driver safety and comfort in mind
Shinagare cites that Tropicool’s products are definitely targeted at certain customers that own vehicles. But as far as public transport is concerned, they are targeting everybody. “We want every vehicle to be equipped with our systems. Moreover, the basic safety and comfort of the driver is covered when they are driving,” she asserts.

Turning to localisation
Most of Tropicool’s products are manufactured overseas. However, the company has already gone local with about 30 percent of its products. “We are manufacturing them in Pune and have an R&D team set up now,” Shinagare informs us and continues, “Our product line comes with very advanced technology. In India, however, we have a lack of resources for these kinds of products. In fact, the whole world relies on China and Taiwan for such products, and we are no different.”

“However, we are looking at localising our cameras and other products slowly. Yet, at the same time, we also need more volumes to manufacture here. Hence, from a cost point of view, it’s actually cheaper to get these products from China at this point. Because we know that China has already been 25 years ahead of us in these technologies. So we have a roadmap to cover that as well,” she shares.

However, Shinagare tells us that these are still niche products. “You will only find 50 percent of vehicles with such systems installed, while the other 50 percent will neglect having such systems,” she avers and continues, “Thus, with 100 percent adoption, there will be volumes for sure. And volumes are what one really needs to bring costs down for manufacturing in India.”

Making its products suitable for Indian conditions
Not just targeting localisation, Tropicool also focuses on making its products apt for Indian conditions. “The major role our R&D plays is identifying what the requirements are and customising the products at the stage of manufacturing in order to suit and comply with regulations (like the automotive standards in India),” she explains and goes on, “In truth, the Indian automotive industry is quite evolved when it comes to standards and compliances. It has some really rigorous tests that electronic products undergo. It has one of the most stringent compliances compared to even countries like the US or those in Europe.”

Product customisation
As mentioned by Shinagare, all these products can also be customised by Tropicool. The customisation requests typically come from OEMs, who understand how the people in India use their vehicles.

Sharing an interesting example with us, Shinagare recounts, “Our first refrigerator project was for the Tata Safari SUV, which had a child seat at the back of the SUV. So we were requested a customisation where the child seat could be converted into a refrigerator box. And we provided them with that customisation.”

EV fridges
We soon turned to refrigerators, another product by Tropicool. We all know that refrigerators contribute to greenhouse gases, but Tropicool also provides EV fridges, where EVs play the role of sustainable mobility.

Explaining two such contradicting elements coming together in a product, Shinagare highlights that when it comes to Tropicool’s products, they have extremely low-powered, energy-efficient refrigeration systems that can run off the EV battery.

“That is where Tropicool stands out,” she points out and goes on, “That is why we are able to load up on an EV. Because most refrigeration systems are fuel-dependent, and unfortunately, have no alternative today.”

 

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