Brakes India, part of the TVS Group, has been known for its commitment to deliver the best products to customers. The company has consistently upped the ante by pushing itself to innovate and come up with path-breaking technology for the evolution of the market. Having unveiled some interesting new innovations at Auto Expo earlier this year, the home-grown supplier hopes to stay ahead of competition by leveraging its technology expertise and global partnerships with some of the best in the business.
Mr. Sriram Viji, Deputy Managing Director, Brakes India, shares his views on the evolution of braking technology in the Indian CV market, Brakes India’s presence in the space, its co-operation with fleet operators, and more.
Excerpts:
Where do you think our country is headed when it comes to road safety?
It is evident that our Government has recognized the need for improving road safety and the same is reflected through regulations coming into effect for the safety & crash norms and also for braking systems. While the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) has already been mandated for HCVs and buses, it will be mandated for PVs by April 2019. As we move forward, we will see a greater shift not just towards ABS but also towards Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
How has the Indian commercial vehicle space evolved in terms of braking technology and what are Brakes India’s main offerings for the segment?
Over the last few years, there has been quite a diversification in the Indian CV market with the load-carrying segment moving 
towards 37- & 41- ton multi-axle vehicles and buses becoming more customized based on the distances covered and the type of application. We also have the mining and construction vehicles. The braking requirement differs based on the vehicle and the application. In buses, the focus is on better comfort, low noise and high-speed stability. Long-haul trucks call for minimum drag and long brake life. For mining and construction vehicles, the main demand is for durable brakes that can withstand heavy operations in challenging conditions. At Brakes India, we try and work with our customers to customize the brake to suit their needs and offer the right value proposition to ensure the ROI for the end customer is good.
Among our product offerings for the CV segment is the Super S-Cam that is a superior and far more rigid version of our drum brake which is well suited for mining and construction vehicles and also for certain bus applications. We also have an air disc brake, licensed from our partner Meritor, for high-speed inter-city buses which demand extremely good braking stability, especially for down-hill conditions.
Moving down from larger trucks & buses, we have recently launched an exciting and innovative product, a Unibooster combined with four calipers for the ICV segment. This new product provides better stability and improved performance of the vehicle. Compared to a traditional pneumatic system, our product is around 120 kg lighter and gives an ROI in a matter of months for the end customer. The product has been very well received with two major OEMs giving the nod for the new technology.
How closely do you work with fleet operators in validating and getting feedback about your products?
We work very closely with fleets, especially when we are validating a new value proposition. We have got valuable feedback on some of our products from our fleet customers; and their feedback is very honest without any sugar-coating which is why we value it a lot.
Apart from our wheel-end brakes, one area wherein we have worked closely with fleets is on our electro-magnetic retarders. We partnered with a Spanish brand Clam and introduced an electro-magnetic retarder suited for the Indian market. We have fitted our retarders in STU vehicles and private fleets and have received outstanding feedback on its performance. Encouraged by the results, we worked on making the retarder an OE offering by Ashok Leyland in some of its vehicles.
Though the retarder volumes are still small, there are some fleets which appreciate the value proposition and use the technology. Working with fleets educates us a lot about the value propositions that are likely to be accepted by the market.
Talking about retarders, how successful has Brakes India been with the electro-magnetic retarder technology? How about the market acceptance?
Our retarders have been quite well accepted by the market, and we are hoping retarders become mandated at least on inter-city and long-haul buses. While we see growing acceptance for retarders from fleet owners, the real difference is the impact the technology has on the drivers. They are so much more confident while driving a retarder-equipped vehicle, the reasons being it provides much better progressive braking, and reduces heating of the brakes during high-speed stops, which results in the brake performance being far better and sharper, leading to better vehicle control.
We currently offer a 1,200 Nm retarder in the market and can scale up the torque for certain applications such as construction and mining vehicles where the benefit of using a retarder is purely from a brake lining life perspective. Because of the heavy use conditions, the lining wears off very quickly in the absence of a retarder, whereas, with our product, the lining life is almost tripled.
Lastly, do you think the Indian CV market is heading towards a more TCO-driven approach than the traditional acquisition cost-driven approach?
The TCO mindset is setting in with some fleets, and we see the shift towards TCO-driven buying happening in select segments with larger fleets going for fleet tracking, connectivity and other specifics. However, looking at the overall market, we are still a far cry from adopting a TCO-driven approach.
TCO works in tangible things; if fleets can see engine efficiency improvements and better fuel economy on day one, then TCO is an easy serve; but when it comes to certain other intangible aspects, it is still quite hard to convince customers and the buy-in is still not there.
We have made quite a lot of progress on TCO focus, but compared to developed markets, especially the US and Europe where fleets track TCO so well using the right spare parts, most efficient oil, etc., I think we are yet to get to that level of TCO tracking in our market.
In my opinion, as an industry, GST and other changes will get us there much quicker. TCO as a concept is gaining attention quickly, and it certainly benefits all stakeholders – fleets, OEMs and component makers. That’s what pushes technology, and it’s also a big benefit to the economy and the environment.