Maruti Suzuki’s R&D centre in Rohtak, which may be fully ready by 2019, will help reduce the carmaker’s dependence on Japanese parent for testing of vehicles, while also enabling them to offer more support to Suzuki for development of new products.
“We should be able to do end-to-end work from product design and development to validation and testing. We want to develop that kind of capability,” the company’s Executive Director R&D, C V Raman said.
He added that earlier many vehicles were being sent to Japan for testing. “This number will come down. Also, we will get quick feedback that will help cut development time for new products… We will support Suzuki global to do more…enhance product development capability and capacity.”
“We will however continue doing work share with Suzuki for products developed not only for India but also for global markets,” Mr Raman added.
Crash standards
The facility will also enable the Gurgaon-based firm to meet the new crash standards India that will come into effect from October this year. Already, five of its models — S-Cross, Ciaz, Baleno, Ertiga and Ignis adhere to the new norms.
To meet safety regulations, each of the models undergo about 35-40 tests at the 600-acre facility during design and development period. “We expect the other models to also conform to the new safety regulations much ahead of the deadline,” Mr. Raman said.
Maruti Suzuki has already made an investment of ₹1,900 crore into the centre in the first phase and will be putting in ₹1,900 crore more in the next two year.
In the first phase, a crash lab and testing circuits with more than 30 types and 33 kms of tracks has been established. In phase two, other capabilities including transmission testing, emission chamber and temperature control will come up.
About 220 engineers are currently placed at the Rohtak facility. Maruti overall employs about 1400 engineers.
(A visit to the Rohtak facility was arranged by the company)
