Global Automotive Research Centre Gets ₹221 Cr PM E-Drive Grant to Upgrade Testing Facilities

The Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) has received an allocation of ₹221.13 crore under the government of India’s PM E-Drive Scheme to upgrade its testing infrastructure for EVs and automotive technology. GARC, which is located just outside Chennai, operates under the National Automotive Board, part of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. It performs testing and validation for vehicles and components, along with R&D, and homologation services. Its existing facilities cover powertrain, emissions, electromagnetic interference, fatigue, and safety testing.

The PM E-Drive Scheme has a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore, of which ₹780 has been allocated for upgrading testing agencies.

The ₹221.13 crore allocated to GARC will allow it to purchase significant new equipment to upgrade existing facilities and establish new ones, in keeping with the ministry’s published guidelines. The money will be used to develop and operate test environments for EVs and their batteries, heavy commercial vehicles, powertrains, passive safety equipment, and ADAS technology. GARC’s labs will be able to acquire upgraded instruments, calibration tools, crash test dummies, and soft targets.

The agency has also said it has been able to acquire a high-speed, high-resolution camera system that can capture video at up to 750 fps at 4K or 3,000 fps at full-HD. This equipment, which is already being installed, will be used to capture slow-motion footage of frontal, side, and rear crash tests. This will give researchers much more detailed insight into how vehicle bodies deform and respond to impact, how the crash test dummies respond to sudden force, and even how airbags actually deploy. This will help with analysing and improving safety measures, and will be part of the homologation process.

In a statement, the agency says this new funding will boost India’s homegrown vehicle testing and certification capabilities. The GARC will be able to help with the development and adoption of electric vehicles, batteries, and safety systems, in addition to emerging technology.