The Indian commercial vehicle industry has always showed a lot of promise when it comes to the adoption of new and advanced technology but has not quite lived up to the expectations in many cases. One evident case is the transmission technology in the country’s trucks and buses, most of which are Manual Transmissions (MT) which cost a lot less when compared to the more sophisticated and advanced Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) and Automatic Transmission (AT).
However, the recent upgradation to BS-IV emission norms has opened the gates for better adoption of new technology that call for specialized electronics in the vehicle, one such being the AMT technology. In the mass market segment, while Ashok Leyland already offers AMT in its JanBus, the other two leading players in the CV space Tata Motors and Eicher have gone the AMT way in buses, both partnering global leader WABCO for the technology.
Reinforcing its vision of driving modernization in commercial transportation, Eicher, part of VE Commercial Vehicles, has introduced AMT in its buses, with the breakthrough technology being adapted based on the OptiDrive technology designed and developed by WABCO, renowned for its services in Driveline Automation.
The AMT technology will be available in the complete range of LMD and HD buses (from 9T to 16T) and medium duty haulage truck application in the first phase, and the same will be extended to other applications later on. WABCO’s OptiDrive is modular automated manual transmission technology for trucks and buses that increases fuel economy while reducing emissions. A breakthrough in AMT technology, it transforms a manual transmission into a highly efficient, integrated solution for commercial vehicles, which automatically shifts gears and operates clutch actuation at optimal speed.
This technology frees drivers from frequent gear-shifting, reducing their stress and fatigue. This means drivers can focus more on road and traffic conditions, resulting in increased driver comfort while improving vehicle control and road safety.
OptiDrive systems also minimize any performance gap between highly skilled and less experienced drivers. Commenting on this milestone development, Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director & CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles, said: “It’s a matter of extreme pride for us to be one of the pioneers in introducing a break-through technology in the Indian CV industry. Eicher vehicles are known for best fuel efficiency and the introduction of this technology will further enhance this advantage. Apart from fuel efficiency, this technology will also improve comfort, safety and efficiency that are the most critical aspects of driving these days.”
Jacques Esculier, WABCO Chairman & CEO, said: “We are proud to further extend and deepen our partnership with VE Commercial Vehicles, particularly through WABCO’s OptiDrive modular automated manual transmission solution, a breakthrough technology for our industry. The award-winning OptiDrive for trucks and buses enables improved fuel economy and reduced emissions, as WABCO supports the leadership mission of VE Commercial Vehicles to continuously improve commercial transportation efficiency in India and other markets through technology, safety and environmental care.”
Commercial vehicle market leader Tata Motors also took a step further in developing comfortable mass transportation solutions, by launching AMT technology in its Starbus and Ultra brand of buses, ranging from 12 m and 9m. Developed especially for city applications with heavy traffic, Tata Motors BS-IV compliant AMT buses are available in multiple variants, for diverse applications.
The Tata AMT buses come with Manual and Automatic with Economy and Power modes. In power mode, the Automatic Gear Detection (AGD) emphasizes sufficient engine torque capability, to maintain agility and drivability even in case of demanding duty cycles, while the economy mode ensures optimal fuel consumption.
The AMT technology of the bus coupled with a powerful new generation engine, automatically engages the vehicle’s clutch and shifts the gear. It also considers the driver’s operation, engine torque, vehicle load and road inclination, resulting in optimized gear shifting and hassle -free driving experience.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director – Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors said, “Tata Motors has always led the transformation in the Indian Commercial Vehicle Industry with the introduction of innovative new products and services. The launch of our range of AMT buses is yet another example of how best we understand our customers. Having developed the AMT technology for our buses with WABCO, we will continue to work with partners like them to develop and introduce products with best-in-class value proposition, delivering world-class solutions for the Indian customer.”
Dr. Ajit Kumar Jindal, Head Engineering, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors said, “At Tata Motors, we constantly engage with our stakeholders to develop and integrate new and future-ready technologies for our broad spectrum of commercial vehicles, that enhances connectivity, safety and fuel economy. With rapid urbanization and environmental concerns, there is an increasing focus towards efficient public transportation. As the cities get congested, especially during peak hours, the average speed of the vehicle is drastically reduced with frequent start stop, causing delays, discomfort for passengers and drivers and more so cuts down on the fuel economy of the vehicle. The new AMT buses from Tata Motors will address these issues, also bringing down the TCO.”