Industry given grants for R&D
Department of Heavy Industry supports technological interventions for the automobile industry from time to time through grants given for product and testing infrastructure development, Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo, told the Lok Sabha on 24 July 2018.
The grants are given through the Development Council for Automobile and Allied Industries (DCAAI) funds to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune and academic institutions.
India is the 5th largest car manufacturer, 7th largest commercial vehicle manufacturer and largest manufacturer of two wheelers in the world, he pointed out.
Indian auto industry has embraced global automotive technologies in vehicle as well as auto component industry and consequently, uses innovative manufacturing processes which are more people oriented as compared to a high degree of automation which is prevalent elsewhere in the world.
The need for innovative technology is assuming great importance due to rapidly changing product technologies in the automotive industry, depleting fossil fuel resources, high import cost of fuel, issues of environmental degradation and climate change.
Switching over from conventional IC engine-based vehicles to new technologies like electric, hybrid, fuel cells is essential, he stressed.
The Indian automotive industry needs to develop technologies like Lithium Ion Batteries, electric motors for automotive applications and battery management systems.
He pointed out that the Government has rolled out National Mission on Electric Mobility 2013 with the objective of developing electric mobility in mission mode.
As a follow up, FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles in India) Scheme was launched in 2015 for providing incentives to promote demand creation, establishment of EV ecosystem and infrastructure and development of technology through R&D.
Second phase of this scheme (FAME 2), envisages to give a boost to EV industry with several interventions on the demand and supply side, including R&D efforts.
Separately, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is associated with research and development of alternative fuels for vehicles in the country.
The MNRE is supporting broad based research and development programme for development of new and renewable energy technologies including Hydrogen and fuel cells, said Supriyo.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made it mandatory for the vehicle manufacturers in general and passenger car manufacturers in particular to comply with the standards for safety of drivers and passengers.
These standards are technically aligned as much as possible with the international standards – UN ECE/Global Technical Regulations (GTRs), he said. fiinews.com
