UK’s DSD targets Indian automakers with AMT technology

UK automotive engineering consultancy, Drive System Design (DSD) aims to promote greater independence for vehicle manufacturers in India through access to the latest transmission technology when it exhibits at the 2015 Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT) in Pune, India (January 21-24). DSD, which is an  award-winning engineering consultancy specialising in the design, development and control of transmission and future driveline systems, is attending the symposium as part of the SMMT’s UK Pavilion Group.

To meet the growing demand for AMTs (Automated Manual Transmission) and compete more effectively with imported products, local manufacturers will have access to DSD’s technical knowhow regarding both transmission and control system design.

“Faced with growing demand for AMTs in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle markets, many Indian vehicle makers find themselves locked into the compromises of using proprietary components and ‘black box’ control systems, over which they have no intellectual property rights,” said DSD’s chief engineer, Mike Savage (pictured above). “We are providing a means for them to develop their own expertise in AMTs and control systems, allowing them greater commercial independence, technical autonomy and solutions that are optimised for their specific applications.”

The demand for AMTs is fuelled by a combination of factors. For passenger car applications, the convenience of automatic shifting makes driving less tiresome in crowded urban conditions, but the high cost of fuel deters buyers from choosing a conventional torque converter automatic. When applied to heavy trucks and buses, AMTs are proven to save fuel and reduce whole life vehicle costs. They also help extend transmission and driveline longevity by protecting against damage from abuse through careless or untrained manual operation.

Mike Savage works closely with a number of Indian OEMs and is witnessing the market changes first-hand. “Many local manufacturers have held back until now, uncertain whether the sales volumes were sufficient to justify the necessary investment, but we appear to have reached a tipping point in demand, with AMT versions of new vehicles being announced every few weeks,” he said. Mayank Pareek, the president of passenger vehicle business unit, Tata Motors, was recently quoted as predicting that every second car in India will have an AMT within 10 years.