Q: Indian OEMs have done and dusted with the BS-VI regulations and they are looking for the next challenge, which is RDE? What is your contribution to RDE?    

Urdhwareshe: Indian automotive industry has performed incredibly to meet BS-VI requirements in a short span of time and now, it is well on course to meet the RDE norms. The implementation of BS-VI emission norms has meant that carrying out RDE during Type Approval (TA) & Conformity of Production (COP) tests has become mandatory from 1st April 2020 for data collection. Further, Conformity Factor (CF) will be applicable from 1st April 2023. Apart from laboratory-only testing of engines/ vehicles, BS-VI also stipulates measurement of emissions in actual driving conditions on-road using a Portable Emissions Measurement System (PEMS). This ensures that the engine calibration is such that emissions are met under all operating conditions typically encountered on roads and not just on a specific driving cycle. RDE norms have changed the way vehicles are required to be calibrated and developed and have also broadened the boundaries of calibration parameters like uncertainty and randomness in driver behaviour; traffic conditions; road profiles; ambient conditions etc. More importantly, it has moved from the legislative requirements from predictable lab conditions to more realistic real world conditions.

ARAI had proactively commenced real drive measurements even before the regulations were put in place. This has helped ARAI in establishing test routes in different parts of the country. Two primary factors which were considered while doing so were (a) determining the effect of emissions with different ambient conditions and altitude and (b) determining routes close to auto manufacturing hub so that tests can be carried out on-site with minimum logistics arrangements. These routes have been determined so that all the test validation parameters (as per the standards) are easily met. They also satisfy European RDE requirements. Also, ARAI has contributed in formulation of RDE test procedure as per Indian driving conditions.

Q: Can you elaborate on your offerings for RDE?

Urdhwareshe: We offer a host of services such as RDE certification and development testing services; RDE testing at any location of already established RDE test routes for BS-VI calibration; RDE testing for OEMs as per European RDE regulations; Laboratory facility with capability to simulate different temperatures and humidity conditions encountered during real driving conditions for RDE calibration of vehicle; Simulate different RDE duty cycles which help OEMs to complete RDE calibrations in minimum possible time and Proficiency Improvement Programs (PIP) for industry personnel on RDE.

Q: Tell us about the testing facilities for RDE at ARAI?

Urdhwareshe: Portable Emissions Measurement System (PEMS) facility at ARAI is suitable for measuring pollutants, viz. CO, HC, CH₄, NO, NO₂, NOX, CO₂ & PN. In addition to recording additional data through data logger modules, it also has the capability to record the ECU data. PEMS facility at ARAI is suitable for different data formats of the OEMs, which help them in expediting data collection and vehicle calibration for BS-VI RDE requirements.

Virtual Test Bed (VTB) facility helps in carrying out robust calibration for RDE in a virtual environment. It is an integration of three different areas, viz. Real Time (RT) Simulation; HiL (Hardware-in-the-loop) based testing; and Calibration of Electronic Control Unit (ECU). VTB makes it possible to replicate RDE road tests; simulate RDE test scenarios & variety of vehicle configurations; automate calibration procedure on VTB for reducing time & efforts; and improve calibration quality. In addition to the ARAI selected RDE routes, other routes can also be selected virtually using real time GPS data from any part of the country, ensuring engine operations at all corners. It has the facility to vary the parameters for different traffic conditions; start and stop criteria; aggressive or moderate drivers; ambient conditions etc. In a VTB, the vehicle can be operated under all possible extreme conditions to avoid any last minute surprises before physical testing. ARAI is currently working on establishing a calibration strategy for Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicles for BS-VI Real Driving Emissions (RDE) using virtual technique, which can be easily extended to Passenger Vehicles category. VTB methodology has also demonstrated its usefulness in BS-VI OBD calibration and expedition trials. With the expertise, capabilities and facilities, ARAI is geared up to support the industry’s upcoming RDE challenges.

Q: How do you the increasing electronics and vehicles becoming more connected?

Urdhwareshe: Today’s vehicles are becoming more and more connected due to the increasing role of electronics. Automotive Indian Standard (AIS) – 140, implemented in January 2019, has made the connected feature in Public Transport Vehicle mandatory, for the safety of passengers. This standard mandates having Vehicle Location Tracking and Emergency Button to monitor PVT (Position Velocity, Time) data at Government back end Control System. India’s own IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) constellation is being used in these devices. Also, all new Public Transport buses under Urban Development programme need to have ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) having destination boards, bus driver console, vehicle tracking, security camera system, emergency buttons, connectivity integrated in single board computer system as per AIS 153 standard. In case of new models of Passenger Cars, OEMs are introducing Remote Engine Start and Remote Access features.

ITS and telematics devices have host of advantages for various stakeholders such as fleet operators, traffic regulating authorities, vehicle user, vehicle manufacture etc. Hence, Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Electric (CASE) will be the future of sustainable mobility in modern times. However, increased use of software, connected features, over-the-air (OTA) updates, may pose Functional Safety, Cyber Security, Data Protection and Data Privacy issues in operation of these vehicles. Standard formulation bodies such as WP29, ISO, IEC, SAE etc. have started developing regulations to handle these challenges and the outcome will help in type approval certification of these types of vehicles, in order to make them safe, secure and robust in operation.

Government of India has also introduced Personal Data protection Bill 2019 to protect personal data of individuals and to establish Data Protection Authority for the same. So, the vehicle manufacturers have the responsibility of ensuring cyber security across the entire product life cycle of vehicle (design, development, operation, post-production, maintenance, end of life, de-commissioning). Also, the vehicle manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers (of these connected electronics components) will need to have Cyber Security Management System (CSMS) in place to ensure security-by-design and security-by-default.

Q: What kind of facilities do you have for to test connected features?

Urdhwareshe: GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Simulator for simulation of GPS, Glonass, Galileo, IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) constellation – For testing of vehicle tracking devices as well as location awareness features of complete car insie Anechoic Chamber during EMC testing. We have Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) test facilities for component and vehicles as per AIS 004 Part 3, UN R 10.5, CISPR, ISO, IEC and SAE standards. Environmental test facilities for components such as temperature/ humidity, vibration, HALT/ HASS etc. We also have software code testing tool as per MISRA standards as a part of ISO 26262 functional safety evaluation.

Very soon tool chain required for Cyber Security assessment, secure Over-the-air update assessment, 5G data connectivity assessment etc. will be established too. Besides, our Automotive Electronics Department is well equipped with comprehensive facilities and equipment for testing & validation, certification & homologation, design & development and R&D for entire electronics parts and systems that are deployed in modern automotive vehicles ranging from 2, 3-wheelers to passenger cars to commercial vehicles to busses to tractors to construction equipment to earthmovers etc., be it IC engine driven or xEV, well supported by a  strong team of well trained and experienced engineers.

Q: What is your contribution to testing new energy vehicles – Battery Electric Vehicles and Hybrids?

Urdhwareshe: Government of India, through Department of Heavy Industry (DHI) under Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises is promoting Electric Mobility through its National Electric Mobility Mission to address emissions and oil security challenges. As part of this mission, DHI has supported ARAI in establishing certification and testing facilities for Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles. These facilities are part of ARAI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Green Mobility. This CoE supports the automotive industry in development, evaluation and certification of Electric Vehicles and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities required for 2/3-wheelers, passenger cars, buses and commercial vehicles; also their components like traction batteries, motors, controllers, chargers, etc. It also has capabilities in the area of light weighting, structural integrity, materials, simulation, etc. which are important for electric vehicle development.

ARAI has contributed significantly in formulation standards for Electric/ Hybrid Electric Vehicles type approval and Charging Stations (EVSE) approval. In India, Electric/ Hybrid vehicles need to be certified as per Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR). All Automotive Indian Standards (AIS) are notified under CMVR.

ARAI also has developed technology (Hardware and Software) for indigenisation of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), which will help in manufacturing them locally.

Q: What kind of testing service do you offer for new energy vehicles?

Urdhwareshe: We have battery performance and safety testing. Evaluation Testing of EV Traction Batteries as per AIS 048, AIS 038 Rev 2, AIS 156, GTR 20, ECE R100, USABC, FreedomCAR Battery Test Manual, SAE J2464, UN38.3, ISO 12405, IEC and UL standards at Cell Level and Battery Pack Level for different battery chemistries such as lead acid, Li-ion, NiMH, etc. under environmental conditions. In addition we have performance testing, life cycle testing, safety/ abuse (Thermal, Electrical, Mechanical) testing, material characterization of battery electrodes and electrolytes for elemental, thermal, topographical analysis. We also have Battery Abuse such as Electrical Abuse Test (Short Circuit Test and Over-charge Test) and Mechanical Abuse Test (Vibration Test, Mechanical Test, Roll-over Test, Penetration Test).

For Electric Motor Characterization we have tests as per AIS 041 &ECE R85 standards. We can test for reliability, durability, overload capacity, dynamic behaviour/measurements, evaluation of torque speed/analysis, power and efficiency maps of electric motors and converters/controllers, cold start performance measurement, regenerative braking, blocking test, thermal characteristics and overload capacity.

Besides, we have tests for vehicle performance and homologation as per CMVR on Chassis Dynamometer and Test Tracks; charger Testing and Certification; Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC): Vehicle level and Component level tests as per AIS 004 Part 3; Electric Vehicle Development including Component (Motor, Battery) sizing and specifications using simulation tools, Control System development, System integration, Vehicle calibration etc; Lithium Ion Battery Technology from Space to Automotive; Chassis Design and Development for Electric City Bus; Rechargeable Energy Storage System (REESS) Evaluation using CAE; Four Poster durability of Electric Vehicle in Climatic Chamber for structural adequacy.

Q: With the Covid19 the automotive industry is shattered and indications are that it may take long time for it to reach to the original levels. How are you planning to cater to them in these troubled times?

Urdhwareshe: The automotive industry is a crucial constituent of economic growth with extensive interconnections to various industries like steel, rubber, chemicals, textiles, repair, mobility services etc. Covid-19 is expected to have a lasting impact on mobility as it drives change in the macroeconomic environment, technology, consumer behaviour etc. Although it is currently a difficult time, the companies that are able to mobilize their Covid-19 response and take swift actions will be in a better position post-event and more resilient going forward.

Physical distancing will have a significant impact on mobility behaviour as many people will switch to a transport mode that reduces the risk of infection. People who own a private vehicle will use it increasingly, while those who previously relied on public transport might switch to another mode. They may tend to acquire vehicles for private transport or the number of public transport vehicles will increase to accommodate same number of passengers due to new norm of social distancing. Also, this crisis could delay the development of advanced technologies as companies may scale down innovation funding to concentrate on other financial requirements. Alternatively, more collaborative approaches for technology development will emerge. Further, it is now evident that even after we commence our operations, restoration of business will take some time.

In order to tide over this difficult period and to ensure business continuity, we at ARAI, have strategically planned and initiated various measures for lockdown and post operations commencement periods. Optimizing the use of available IT infrastructure, we have enabled engineering and support teams to execute from their homes a significant quantum of their work. Further, with easing of lockdown restrictions in sight, the preparatory work to ready laboratories, design centres and offices is being carried out in order to mitigate the risks associated with restart of operations. Various measures planned and initiated at ARAI for lockdown and post lockdown period include establishing a Digital Workplace – ‘Work from Home’ planned to strike the right balance of work force at work places and home. Phase-wise starting of labs and offices keeping in mind social distancing and hygiene; Instruction manual with operational guidelines with ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ circulated to the employees for awareness; Communication with customers is already going on. Updates are published regularly on digital media; Use of digital platform for conducting meetings – both internal and with customers; Remote testing through video initiated for both local and overseas customers while ensuring critical aspects of inspection and monitoring.

Besides, daily meetings of different work groups and leadership teams on digital platform; keeping in touch with customers for their work requirement, changing needs, technical discussions, proposals etc; meetings with the Ministry on various aspects like technical assistance, ongoing research projects, new proposals etc; preparatory measures for sanitisation of plant & office areas for employee safety, establishment of procedure for social distancing, PPE etc. initiated.

Operations at ARAI – Homologation & Technology Centre (ARAI-HTC), Chakan, Pune have commenced recently to serve the automotive industry for their requirements pertaining to Passive Safety, Power Train, Fatigue & Materials, Transmission & E-mobility. (MT)

As the world relies more on technology and data to tackle different situations or to streamline processes, loopholes exist inevitably. Orbitsys leverages its cloud-based platform, allowing centralisation of data along with remote access for the automotive industry to tackle dealerships and hurdles.

“We tackle connectivity and data hurdles in the automotive industry by offering a cloud-based platform. This allows dealerships and OEMs to centralise data, which eliminates scattered systems, creating a single source of trusted data for customer and vehicle information. Moreover, accessing data remotely enables secure, role-based and real-time data visibility across multiple locations, improving decision-making,” informed Harvinder Pal Singh, Chief Business Officer, Orbitsys DMS.

Dr Amitabh Saran reveals Altigreen’s plans for the ASEAN market and talks about ESG goals and more.

As part of Altigreen’s plans to enter the passenger vehicle market, do you plan to hire fresh talent?
Sometimes start-ups land up doing a lot of things at the same time. The money runs out because a start-up starts with one problem and migrates to a completely different problem. Sometimes it starts adding all kinds of features to its products. For example, by entering the passenger space, we are clear that we cannot do this with the existing funds that we have. That’s because it’s clear that we need to have more teams, a different space etc. Also, we will be in a position to hire more talent and have a separate line entirely for passenger vehicles within the same factory. Besides, we have ensured that there will be ‘common-isation’ of platforms where skills can be achieved. So we are in the process of hiring talent.

What are your plans for charging solutions/infrastructure?
We are very clear that we are a vehicle OEM and do not build charging infrastructure. However, we do partner with a lot of charging companies who are building this infrastructure. We ensure that we are working with them, where we go hand-in-hand and everyone benefits. I have always believed that we need to do this as an ecosystem approach.

What are your plans for the ASEAN market? 
We have always said that Altigreen focuses on India and the emerging markets. The emerging markets are South Asia, Africa and South America. The ASEAN market is very important to us, especially because one of our investors comes from Singapore, and they are going to help us a lot in our progress in ASEAN countries. Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore are four places where we have already been seeing a lot of demand coming, in both passenger and cargo three-wheelers.

A major concern around EVs is high cost. How do you plan to tackle it?
To promote cell manufacturing and electronic component manufacturing in India, the government has created the PLI, wherein even other companies are participants. Each of them will be making cells, and I think they will start creating cells made in India and for Indian conditions, 2024 onwards. That will bring down cell prices and we will see more parity.

Is it that the younger generation, which is interested in purchasing EVs, is unable to do so on account of costs?
I don’t think so. Gen Z may be more inclined to exploring new things. But it’s not like every kid on the block is driving/riding an EV. I think it’s the convenience, which people find as a great alternative and as long as the use case is the same.

How is Altigreen meeting India’s ESG goals?
Over the last nine years, we have been doing a lot of R&D. Our focus was never on the paradigms of ESG or how we fit into it. But we ensure that we are doing everything to make sure that we are focusing on a sustainability paradigm. For example, if one looks at our motor design, they will see that we chose that there will be no magnets in it. Not just because the import of magnets should not be encouraged but also because we want to ensure that the motors are serviceable and manufacturable. Therefore, we have been very conscious about this. Moving forward, now that we are in expansion mode, we have an entire ESG section. Battery recycling is also something that we are working on. We do believe that the batteries that come out of EVs should not be thrown away. They have a very strong use case in solar and other areas, where we have already started working.

Prashanth Doreswamy talks about future learning in the automotive industry, the company’s sustainability goals and how the future belongs to autonomous vehicles.

As an auto-parts manufacturer, how do you think automakers can prepare for the future of mobility?
The consumer would like to see the car as an extended IoT device. That’s because this is all driven by consumer preferences, except for electrification; electrification is driven more by regulations and the government. However, other trends like connected or autonomous are more consumerdriven. We have been seeing a lot of comfort in our homes and offices. Today, consumers expect to see that comfort inside a car because a car has become an extended living space.

With electrification, will jobs become obsolete for small auto-parts manufacturers? Can you tell us the work you’re doing in T-shaped skills?
I don’t think jobs will become obsolete. But this is a transformation that, as tier 1s and tier 2s, we will have to evolve with over a period of time. I’m sure that there are a lot of opportunities, because with EVs, while the number of components is decreasing, a lot of other content is increasing. How we reshape ourselves through this will be a challenge for every company. That’s where the differentiation will come from – who is spending more on R&D. Because whatever is spent on R&D today is not for today but for tomorrow. Those who spend more on R&D innovation are going to drive the future, and that’s something that Continental also strongly believes in.

When we talk of T-shaped skills, we’d like to develop people’s skill sets on the broader side as well as on particular segments, deep into the subject. There are a lot of programmes for this, one being the software academy that we began in around 2017-2018. You can’t put the millennials and Gen Zs just into a classroom; their way of learning is much different. That’s how these course curriculums are being designed.

Do you see autonomous cars happening at all?
Autonomous is always a challenge; it is not just a vehicle ready with all the technologies, but an ecosystem. A lot of things have to come in sync. There are certain hurdles and it’s taking a little longer than expected, but we strongly believe that the future is going to be autonomous.

While working with OEMs, the development time of a product is typically three years, and then the vehicle will be available in another six years. How do you make sure that technology is still relevant till then?
This is why we do a lot of research in terms of understanding the technology landscape and the consumer preferences. Not only within the automotive industry, but we do benchmark with a lot of adjacent industries as well. All of this is taken care of in the product planning process. At the same time, we look at how we can upgrade to the latest technology without modifying anything.

In terms of surface solutions, what alternatives are you looking at for leather (for seats) so that animals are not killed?
The surface solution that we have is an alternative for leather. It is at a much lower cost and gives the feel of a leather. It is much more durable than leather and meets all the other interior requirements. This application goes from the seating to the armrest to cockpit assemblies.

Can you tell us about some of Continental Automotive’s sustainability goals?
We are one of the first auto-component manufacturers to come up with a bold promise, which was made in December 2019. We made four promises. The first is that we’ll be carbon neutral across the value chain (from raw materials to the disposal) by 2050 and our operations will be carbon neutral by 2040. From December 2020, all of our 540+ manufacturing operations – including India – have been using only green power. The second is zero tailpipe emissions. The third is that we’ll achieve 95 percent circular economy by 2030 – whatever we use will be reused and recycled. The fourth is that we will be a responsible value chain.

What will shape the automotive parts and the automotive sector this year?
We’ll see a huge growth in electronics inside the car. There will be more connected features and ADAS functions. Besides, the industry will migrate from small cars to bigger sized cars, including SUVs, which is good news for the industry. We’ll still continue to have some challenges on the semiconductor parts. This crisis will come to an end sometime in the mid of 2024, maybe.

Hygge Energy has developed a marketplace for local players to trade renewable energy.

The last decade has witnessed a gradual transformation of the Indian mobility space. The influx of electric vehicles (EV) has added to this change. It has also aptly highlighted the adaptation of modern technology by the auto industry, among others, to close the gap between EVs and IC-engine vehicles.

With stress being laid on the creation of an efficient infrastructure, albeit in the form of enough charging solutions, efforts are being made to ensure early adoption of EVs as well as a sustainable user experience. Designing a software to unlock the monetary potential of renewable energy with an eye on EVs and terming it as ‘Zero Emission Electric Mobility’, Hygge Energy has developed a marketplace that paves the way for local players to trade renewable energy. It is an initiative that will be set up at CNG stations. In this direction, the company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Think Gas.

Prateek Saxena, Founder and CEO of Hygge Energy, mentioned, “The Indian EV charging business faces three major problems: the electrical grid is not resilient enough to allow charging; the grid energy mix is not renewables-centric, and hence the charging source is not renewablebased in any manner; and buying grid energy is not profitable for charging operators. When chargers are set up, the grid requires very costly upgrades. The resulting increased transformer size causes higher sanctioned load and electricity bills as well. The load factor on the grid is too high; as the demand peaks for EV charging, the grid often does not have the capacity to support it. There is also a lack of aggregation of carbon credits. The individual EV charging station operators are not in a position to consolidate carbon credits for monetisation. Our solution addresses all of these problems.”

Zero Emission Electric Mobility was designed with three essential objectives in mind: charging EVs using renewable energy; promoting zero-emissions mobility; and no upgrades for grid infrastructure, hence avoiding delays and expenses. This will decrease grid load dependency for charging stations by over 80 percent and improve grid resiliency.

Hygge’s solution is supported by an end-to-end immersive EV charging mobile app that facilitates the entire charging experience for both the driver as well as the charging station owner.

The platform
The platform addresses the lack of aggregation of carbon credits as well. As the platform will source renewable energy for EV charging, it will be used for maximising carbon credits for companies like Think Gas in the clean fuel business, informed the executive.

Hygge Energy enables entrepreneurs and large corporates interested in investing in the EV charging business to make money. The platform is plug-and-play. It instantaneously connects EV charging stations to next-gen technology, including IoT devices embedded with artificial intelligence and blockchain that reduce cost of operation, and an immersive EV charging app that drives traffic.

Hygge’s technology allows EV operators to become profitable at a very low cost. “We partner for long term with operators, and this association lasts throughout the lifecycle so that we can support their operations related to pricing, policy, regulation and technology,” said Saxena.

Bridging the gap
Hygge’s EV charging system is supported by a next-gen charging app that enables owners to book, reserve and pay for charging time slots in advance, avoiding waiting time and disappointments because of not getting a charging spot and chaos at charging sites. End-to-end planning and scheduling of EV charging will also allow EV owners to overcome the hurdle of range anxiety.

The gamified and community-centric app will enable like-minded individuals to come together and exchange ideas for creating a greener future. Zero Emission Electric Mobility is a highly adaptable system that provides 100 percent clean energy e-mobility by ensuring that EV charging is done with renewable energy, thereby allowing environmentally conscious EV owners to be in charge of their energy usage and carbon footprint.

Hygge’s charging app also enables tracking of payments as well as carbon credits earned by users each time they utilise Hygge’s network. This will open up access to an INR 750 billion carbon trading market for renewables-based EV charging.

“Now our end users also include drivers of CNG vehicles. Think Gas requested us to improve the customer experience at their CNG filling stations by using our EV charging app for providing a similar experience for CNG drivers. Our app for CNG users includes advance booking, cashless payment and loyalties, like our EV solution,” informed the CEO.

Zero emission transportation
Electric vehicle charging using coal-heavy grid power emits 50 times more carbon than doing it using solar photovoltaic solutions. Zero Emission Electric Mobility ensures that all EV charging is done using renewable energy as opposed to using other available energy sources, thereby drastically reducing the greenhouse emissions.

The system is facilitated by Hygge’s proprietary customer premises IoT device called the Hygge Box, which operates on embedded machine learning-based artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. It enables tracking, measurement, optimisation, allocation and accounting of renewable energy, hence ensuring that electric vehicles are primarily charged with clean renewable energy.

Zero Emission Electric Mobility is a highly adaptable system that provides completely clean e-mobility. The platform can not only be integrated to any EV charging or battery swapping system but also provides truly zero-emission transportation by ensuring the use of low-cost renewable energy for charging EVs and batteries.

The partnership
Zero Emission Electric Mobility (complete with the Hygge Box and Hygge Energy’s EV charging app), as well as Hygge Energy’s app for CNG filling, will initially be installed at a Think Gas CNG station in Uttar Pradesh, followed by other locations under discussion. This will be a big step by Hygge towards unlocking a USD 15 billion carbon trading market for service providers offering CNG and EV charging services in India, which will make these businesses profitable.

Hygge’s platform is integrated with on-site or off-site renewable energy and the distribution grid infrastructure. It enables tracking, measurement, optimisation, allocation and accounting of energy. This ensures that all renewable energy is directed towards EV charging. In the absence of EV charging, this energy can be redirected to other applications for maximum utilisation and savings on electricity bills. It also avoids the additional load that EV charging infrastructure puts on distribution transformers. As a result, renewable energy e-mobility can be accommodated without the need for additional investments in grid infrastructure.