After 'Make in India', Govt. Embarks on 'Test in India' Initiative

After "Make in India", the Centre is now planning to ramp up vehicle testing agencies, upgrading them for new-age technologies and ushering speedier turnaround time for applicants, Dr. Reji Mathai, Director of Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) told ACKO Drive.

The idea is not just to shorten the time taken, but also to make the testing process more intensive in view of electronics and tech used in vehicles these days. However, such specialised testing is currently limited only to the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) in Manesar.

The ICAT had inaugurated a new test track facility at its second site in the IMT industrial area of Manesar in Q4, 2019.

The Centre is of the view that these new-age vehicles need to be tested for any possible electromagnetic interference during driving in view of the use of multiple technologies and sensors in vehicles, the official indicated. Another concern is being felt about communication between vehicles that have a tech interface or are self-driven.

Facilities to ensure compliance with these requirements will be part of the ₹780 crore upgrade for testing agencies budgeted under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme. Existing facilities in Manesar, Indore and Chennai will also be upgraded.

"So, Ministry of Heavy Industry now, again, in their support for the PM E-Drive, they have given ₹780 crores to test agencies, to enhance their testing capabilities. Almost all test centres, now, not only ARI, it is Natrax, GRC, they are all now going in for such facilities under that scheme.  We are also augmenting it, looking into how futuristic requirements, like how fog will impact your sensors. Our rain will impact the sensors. So, all these things, also, we are now trying to build in, augment," Mathai told ACKO Drive.  

It is to be noted that NATRAX, GARC, iCAT and ARAI stand to benefit as they represent the key automotive testing and research and development (R&D) facilities created under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP). They are also receiving government backing to develop and enhance their infrastructure. These centres are essential for vehicle testing, homologation, certification and research, facilitating the domestic automotive industry's development of compliant and advanced vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs).

The planned expansion addresses a significant bottleneck in India's automotive approval system, where year-long certification timelines impose substantial opportunity costs on manufacturers seeking to launch new models or variants. As global product cycles compress and technology refresh rates accelerate, such delays risk making India a less attractive launch market for advanced vehicles.