Auto Expo is a platform for automobile manufacturers to showcase future technologies and innovations. Ashok Leyland has always presented interesting products at the expo. However, some of them have not gone beyond the conceptual stage. But Auto Expo 2012 is going to be different.
“We will showcase products which we are ready to offer the market”
– Mr. Vinod Dasari, AL Managing Director
Ashok Leyland is known for its innovative products that are more suited to Indian market operating conditions, be it trucks or buses. In keeping with this tradition, AL has come up with a path-breaking innovation in the city bus segment – The JANBUS.
The JANBUS is a front-engine, semi-low floor bus (entry plus one step) with air suspension (front and rear) and with a full-flat floor which can be packed. This is considered the first such innovation in the world on semi-floor platform at a floor height of 650mm. “We have 16 patents on this bus”, said Mr. Dasari.
The company has 16 patents on the JANBUS
In India, most of the standard buses have a floor height of 1100 mm, which is entry plus 3 steps. JnNURM was the first major effort to bring some standards in the bus segment by making floor height of 890 mm as standard in city buses, which is entry plus 2 steps. Ashok Leyland was the first to introduce, way back in 2005 at BEST Mumbai, a front-engine 890 mm floor height bus, and this has today become a standard bus as per the JnNURM specifications.
Globally and in India, semi-low floor buses with a floor height of 650 are usually rear engine-driven, and hence come with step seating on the rear side of the bus. This suits Western countries with fewer passengers and good roads and where there are no conductors for ticketing.
In India, buses are usually over-crowded, with more standees. Roads are bumpy, and the bus conductor used to walk from the front to the rear end of the vehicle a hundred times every shift. Also, from an operational standpoint, rear engine buses are considered more expensive to operate than front engine buses.
Considering all these aspects, Ashok Leyland has developed a semi-low floor city bus with front engine and full flat floor mounted on a chassis. Being a front engine bus, it offers better operational efficiency. It has a floor height of 650mm and hence it is very convenient for passengers.
AL is also providing the kneeling option, which will tilt the bus and make it even more convenient for the disabled people. It has full flat floor, making it convenient for both passengers and the conductor. It comes with air suspension has standard which makes for better ride comfort.
Apart from these basic features of JANBUS, Ashok Leyland also offers a fully loaded version of the vehicle, which will be on display at Auto Expo. With an automated manual transmission (AMT), it is a hybrid between the manual and the automatic. AMT offers all the convenience of an automatic transmission but at a much lower cost. This has many advantages. It reduces the initial acquisition cost for the operator as well as driver fatigue. It also enhances the overall travel experience for passengers.
Another important feature, which is very specific to India is that some corporations like BEST of Mumbai used to wash the buses inside-out every night. With the seats mounted on the floor, it was very difficult to reach the nook and corner of the bus for cleaning. In JANBUS, for the first time, the seats are mounted to the sides making the whole cleaning process easier. Mr. Dasari said, “the JANBUS is an Indian innovation at its best.”
The JANBUS can be loaded with other features like AC, vehicle tracking systems, and camera for monitoring inside and outside. But all these are optional. The vehicle available in BS3, BS4, diesel or CNG versions. Out of the 16 patents mentioned earlier, the frame and the design alone has 11 patents and the drive train optimization, configuration and packaging has another five patents.
U3723 – 10X2 Truck
The second innovation, which will be on display at Auto Expo, which is India’s first and possibly the world’s first, is a 37 tonner, 10X2 truck on a rigid chassis. The U3723 model, a 37 tonner with 230 hp engine, comes with a 10X2 or 10X4 configuration.
In the current tonnage of rigid trucks, there are the 4X2 with 16 tonne GVW, the 6X2 or 6X4 with 25 tonne GVW, the 8X2 or 8X4 with 31 tonne GVW and the Tractor trailers. So beyond 31 tonnes GVW its only Tractor trailers, with disadvantages in terms of maneuverability.
Also with the rated load regime and non-availability of drivers, operators are looking for higher tonnage vehicles, and some still prefer the rigid chassis to a tractor trailer. Hence the launch of 10X2.
The U3723 is a 37-tonne GVW truck offering 27 tonne payload compared to an 8X2 which offers 21.5 tonne payload. This offers much better value per tonne km compared to a 35 tonne tractor. It also involves a much lower cost of operation, faster turnaround time and better maneuverability. The U3723 also comes fitted with a lift axle, the first time on an AL truck.
“We always have a big presence at Auto Expo. This time we want to showcase what we are ready to produce and offer to the market. We are going to showcase an Indian innovation which is the first and best in the world. This year’s Auto Expo theme is ‘Mobility for All’ and these would be the right products to be showcased”
Optare Solo
The third new product to be displayed by AL at Auto Expo is a low-floor, full-flat feeder bus from the Optare stable. In July last, the company acquired 26 per cent stake in the UK-based Optare Inc. It has recently increased its stake to 75.1 per cent. The Optare Solo, to be showcased at Auto Expo, would help explore the market in India for feeder buses.