A game-changing technology that raises the bar on fuel efficiency, driver comfort, efficiency and safety factors
One of the buzzwords doing the rounds in automotive circles these days should undoubtedly be AMT – an acronym for Automated Manual Transmission. It has been predicted by the domain pundits and many others opine rightly so, the technology could effect a paradigm shift in the overall driving experience and as well as improve significantly the vehicle performance. The option offered as one of the upgradation features in passenger vehicle (PV) variants is causing an understandable excitement and its introduction in the CV domain has definitely not lagged behind. The same has been introduced for the local market by Wabco, a leading global supplier of technologies and control systems for safety and efficiency of CVs thro’ its Indian arm Wabco India. AMT in the transmission technical parlance occupies the space between Manual Transmission (MT) and Automatic Transmission (AT). However its commercial market entry for the popular applications has been after MT & AT; nevertheless, it is likely to challenge both in the space by offering significant advantages. The CV customers incessantly scanning the tech horizon to cut down the operational costs should definitely latch on to the AMT offering and the same could as well become one of the popular default choices in their vehicle purchase decisions.
Wabco the pioneer and world leader for AMT in the CV segment is upbeat about the market potential for the product launched for market trials and field performance study during 2012. The focus has been on the bus segment to start with and in collaboration with OEMs and customers installed it in about 500 buses; and expects 2000 more buses fitted with AMT under the JNNURM to be in operation soon. Buoyed up by the favourable response, Wabco has decided to take it to wider markets and in this regard demonstrated the advanced of AMT OptiDrive at its world class test track, a 200 acre state-of-the-art facility near Chennai. The demo was organised for the customers from private and govt. sectors and media on 21st May 2014 in the presence of Mr. Leon Liu, President Asia Pacific Wabco, Mr. P. Kaniappan, Whole-time Director, Wabco India and Mr. Jorge Solis, Vice President – Wabco Europe, Belgium. The program included product presentations, sub-assembly/component exhibits, ‘ride and drive’ in the bus at test track and interactive discussions – read on for the unfolding of event.
Mr. Kaniappan welcomed the gathering for the first ever demo and said: “It’s a big challenge to manage a vehicle fleet today with about 70% of operational costs accounted by fuel, its price perpetually increasing and compounded by shortage of skilled drivers. Considering the situation, Wabco has come out with an award winning, unique and innovative product, viz., AMT OptiDrive. Wabco has been working on AMT programs with major CV manufacturers for their respective truck and bus platforms. The field feedback report has been encouraging with diesel savings up to 8%; and interestingly the drivers of AMT buses are unwilling to go back to MT buses, impressed by the stress-free driving experience”.
Mr. Liu during his address indicated that AMT was introduced as early as 1985 by Wabco for European customers. He added: “The initial system was for a specific gearbox of the customer and the same integrated working closely with the OEM. However, since then over 2 million systems have been supplied all over the world for diverse markets; and over 60% of the trucks in Europe adopt it. Wabco remains industry’s sole independent supplier of compressed air-powered AMT systems and OptiDrive continues to gain acceptance globally among makers of trucks, buses and transmissions particularly in North America & Asia”.
Mr. Solis talking on the subject commented: “Wabco is a global tech company with HQ at Brussels, Belgium and clocked a sales turnover of $2.7 billion in 2013. It employs 11,000 people worldwide and has 21 manufacturing locations. In India Wabco has been associated for over 4 decades with the market thro’ TVS joint venture and which became Wabco India in 2011. Wabco has two main customer values, viz., advanced safety & driver efficiency and vehicle efficiency & environmental support. Though at Wabco different things are also happening like development in braking and collision systems, fuel efficiency project takes the top priority; and of course not forgetting the associated issues like looming shortage of skilled drivers-AMT addresses these issues. AMT OptiDrive was introduced in its adaptable design for any gearbox during 2008 and Wabco supplies AMTs to all the leading OEMs though they may brand it with other names in its integration with their transmission systems”.
Mr. S. Balachandran, Sr. Vice President – Aftermarkets who spoke about the AMT installations, said: “I started from the driver level and moved thro’ various positions in my career including heading the division in a govt. transport organisation and managing a fleet; I know the difficulties a drive faces and it’s indeed a strenuous and thankless job; care given is ‘last and the least’ and the job perceived to have a low esteem in the society. More than 70% of the unfortunate accidents are attributed to the driver supposedly due to rash and negligent driving; and the driver invariably fails to defend himself due to financial constraints – well, AMT is likely to change all that and usher in a sense of dignity, respect and admiration to the profession it rightly deserves like others on a similar platform”.
AMT advantages
What are the special features of the AMT OptiDrive and how does it function to enhance vehicle and driver performance? The answers to the above and several other features were explained at length in the products exhibit hall by Wabco technical team ; products displayed included MT and AMT cut section working assemblies, control elements, actuators and multifarious components that form a part of AMT.
“AMT automates manual transmissions for M&HCV. Its unique modular architecture will accelerate market introduction, reduce development efforts and lead time; and once a design is configured for a particular gearbox, it can be retrofitted in the model within a short time under the supervision of Wabco and OEM technicians. Its adaptability to existing MTs makes it cater to most of the local/global CV manufacturers. Bus or truck fitted with AMT does not have a clutch pedal and gear shifting lever – instead there is the short control selection lever that can also be utilised for manual override gear selection command; and the clutch control and gear shifting are taken over by the AMT system. Gear shifting is done by electro-pneumatic actuators receiving control commands from the computer. AMT like an experienced driver performs gear shifting taking inputs such as engine torque, vehicle load and road gradient. It optimises clutch and gear actuations reducing wear of mechanical components and thereby lowering TOC”, explained Wabco tech team.
They added: “The direct and indirect benefits of using AMT include fuel savings, reduction in maintenance costs and increased safety factors on the vehicle side; AMT fitted buses have clocked well over 1.5 lakh km with the original clutch fitment and expected to cross over 2 lakh km or even much more before coming for replacement – unlike in the MT case where replacement is typically done at 1.0 lakh km. AMT relieves the drivers from frequent clutching and gear shifting manoeuvres thereby reducing their stress and fatigue levels. This ensures better driver alertness that leads to safety of passengers and vehicle; and despite varying degrees of driver skills, vehicle performance is at the peak leading to the benefits on all fronts. Optimised gear shifting also reduces emissions and contributes to the cause of a cleaner environment”.
Ride and Drive
This was essentially a walk the talk demo. VRL Logistics Ltd., a leading transport company had retrofitted AMT in two of its buses for field trials and found the results impressive; and gone ahead for AMT fitment in 200 of its buses in the fleet. One of the buses with retrofitted AMT was on the test track for the customers and media to experience the ride.
The enthusiastic young tech team of Wabco aboard the bus explained the details of the fitments and operations amidst plethora of inquisitive questions from the travelling team. As for the drive, the start/stop, acceleration/deceleration and cruise at higher speeds were smooth and significantly different from that of MT buses. Gear shifts were not noticeable and the absence of the laborious clutching and gear lever manoeuvres definitely allowed the driver to focus on the road. The economy/power mode options, manual override selection, impressive dashboard panel displaying gear selection, engine speed, et. al., are bonus plus points for the driver to look forward to the trip rather than getting out of his cabin at the first available opportunity to take a breather– definitely a game changer tech in the offing as it addresses many of the critical issues involved.
Future trends
What are the benefits of AMT over MT and AT? Wabco’s management team of Mr. Kaniappan, Mr. Liu and Mr. Solis interacted with the audience to answer the above and many other queries. “MT is a positive drive, has minimum no. of components, simple in construction and costs the lowest when compared to AT & AMT. AT is a complex mechanical assembly comprising torque converter, hydraulic pump, valve, epicyclic gearbox and computer controls. It has more components and is not a positive drive – losses are more and hence at least 10-15% less fuel efficient as compared to MT. Also AT repair works can be attended only by specialist service centres and is the costliest of the three versions. AMT is an improvement over MT and provides benefits of AT at lower costs. It can be integrated in the existing MT and provides significant advantages in improving driver and vehicle performance. And yes, it can be repaired easily at any of the workshops that can handle MT”, summarised Wabco mgt team.
What about the investment payback and ready availability of AMT? Wabco mgt team responded: “Typically the payback is between 6 to 12 months depending upon the bus operation period. Reduction in driver employment costs, health issues related costs and better productivity are also some of the key factors that have a bearing on the faster payback. Wabco is working closely with OEMs to get the AMT approved for a particular gearbox model and this could take about 18 to 24 months. The exercise comprises matching various engine parameters with respect to transmission and driving conditions and carrying out extensive field trials to finalise the hardware and software designs. Once done and approved, the kit is available to customers for integration”.
Wabco India has team of over 300 engineers involved in the software and system design and development work; and hardware currently imported would also be taken up for local manufacturing based on volume off-take, which appears imminent. Wabco expects to satisfy the growing market demands and expand its current customer base that includes OEMs and fleet operators. It has become amply clear that the future belongs to AMT and we should see the other segments like haulage, tipper, special carrier etc., also switch over to AMT over a period of time.
It has become common practice in the car domain familiar with the popular AT in the high-end variants, to refer AMT as Automatic Manual Transmission-an oxymoron that could bring out a grin alright but the reference is not far off the mark vis-à-vis basic functioning of AMT; it is possibly a compliment to AMT as being the culmination of best of the features in AT and MT. As the news and use of AMT tech innovation spreads, MT could well become one of those base options to gradually fade out in the fog of history; and possibly AT restricted to PV and to some special CV applications. AMT though a late bloomer has definitely come to stay; and has been appreciated and welcomed by drivers, passengers, OEMs and fleet operators due to a win-win situation for all concerned. Yes, AMT has made a strong statement that has been noticed in the domain and it should come as no surprise if it shares the limelight along with other recent innovative market introductions, for a long time to come in the road ahead.
WABCO fully acquires Transics International
WABCO Holdings Inc., a leading global supplier of technologies to improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicles, has announced its successful acquisition of the remaining 3.16 per cent of Transics International of Belgium.
On February 13 last, WABCO had acquired 96.84 per cent of Transics International shares for a net consideration of EUR 95.8 million. It subsequently made a public offer to acquire the remaining 3.16 percent of outstanding shares, consistent with the Belgian takeover rules.
As a result of the successful takeover procedure completed recently, WABCO now owns 100 per cent of the securities issued by Transics International. This means WABCO paid the total amount of EUR 99.9 million for the 100 per cent acquisition of the company.
“We are pleased to complete WABCO’s acquisition of Transics International as planned,” said Nick Rens, WABCO Executive Officer and Vice President, Trailer Systems, Aftermarket and Off-Highway. “We reiterate that the synergy of WABCO and Transics superbly aligns with a WABCO strategic objective to further grow business with fleets around the world as we expand our portfolio of innovative solutions tailored to the specific needs of our global customer base.”
As part of WABCO, Transics International will continue to operate under its own brand. Based in Ypres, Belgium, Transics International which has offices in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain manages a sales network across Europe.