WABCO, global leader in safety, efficiency and connectivity solution for commercial vehicles, is betting big on its PAN range of air disc brakes for the Indian market. WABCO has one of the widest range of solutions for enhancing safety and efficiency and is on the cusp on a forward-looking transition phase in the Indian CV market, primarily driven by the new BS-IV emission norms which have paved way for the company to offer many of its advanced technologies in a hitherto conservative and cost-conscious market.
Sharing his views on the relevance of WABCO’s air disc brake introduction in the Indian market, Mr. P. Kaniappan, MD, WABCO India, says: “The time has come for some of advanced WABCO products to be introduced in the Indian market. Our main value proposition is to improve the safety and efficiency of vehicles and when we bring in any new technology, we do not do it for the technology’s sake but always focus on adding value to our customers. Our air disc brake is one such product that enhances safety, improves fuel efficiency and reduces the operating cost for our customers.”
WABCO’s PAN range of air disc brakes come with proven performance for over 20 years and is available for 16 inch wheels up to 25 inch wheels. The largest version of the air disc brake is powerful enough to manage a torque level of 50,000 Nm using a single piston and goes to show the capability and reliability of the single piston technology.
Mr. Sven Horak, VP, Wheel End Solutions, WABCO, adds: “We are pioneers in the single piston air disc brake technology and are fully convinced for over 20 years that the single piston technology is indeed superior. We have been delivering air disc brakes to customers in Europe, the US, Brazil, China, Japan and many other countries, while in India we have been running extensive field trials with the OEMs and have received very encouraging feedback from fleets of not just buses but also light duty and heavy duty trucks as well.”
WABCO’s air disc brake has undergone over a million kilometres of testing over the last one year and has been validated and tested by all the OEMs. Renowned coach operators namely SRS Travels and Orange Travels have tried out the new brakes and have reported complete satisfaction and delight over the enhanced safety and comfort delivered by the product.
WABCO’s PAN air disc brake offers a host of advantages to customers including improved safety, better serviceability, enhanced comfort and lower total cost of ownership. The air disc brake significantly reduces the stopping distance compared to drum brakes, thereby enhancing the safety of the vehicle. While its robust and road-proven design ensures a much longer life of the product and also of the brake pads, the serviceability of the product is also a lot easier and faster when compared to drum linings. In terms of weight reduction, the PAN range’s single piston construction, coupled with further design changes, has made it possible for a 25 kg weight reduction per axle in trucks running in India, which translates to a weight saving of 50 kg per axle, thereby significantly increasing fuel and operational efficiency.
The Air Disc Brake penetration in commercial vehicles across key global markets clearly indicates that the Indian market holds huge potential for the technology to come in:
Europe – already over 85 per cent
US – currently around 15 per cent, expected to reach 30 per cent by 2021
China – currently around 8 per cent, expected to reach 35 per cent by 2021
India – currently around 1 per cent, expected to reach at least 10 per cent by 2020