Acting On Safety Technology And Innovation

DAIMLER TRUCK INNOVATION CENTER INDIA HAS COMMENCED OPERATIONS. ASHISH BHATIA LOOKS INTO THE LARGEST DAIMLER TRUCK AG CENTRE OUTSIDE GERMANY, ACTING ON CRUCIAL FRONTS OF MOBILITY.

- ASHISH BHATIA

Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTIC) in Bengaluru has D commenced operations. It is the most significant innovation and development centre outside Germany for Daimler Truck AG as a captive unit with 1300 skilled engineers. Focused on crucial aspects of mobility like safety technology and innovation, the centre will act as the hub of research, product engineering, innovation and Information Technology (IT). The standalone entity in India, according to Raghavendra Vaidya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, DTICI is vital to the future engineering and design roadmap at the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Addressing the needs of its domestic and global regions of interest, the centre, he pointed out, is well equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and tools. It will act upon innovative research projects to help align with the crucial fronts of mobility. It comes as a critical development post-Daimler AG spun off its trucks business from Mercedes-Benz cars. The two-vehicle businesses were quite distinct, with different customers, technologies and financial requirements calling upon the need for a dedicated centre for innovation.

According to Vaidya, DTICI is aligned with Daimler Truck, its ambition and its strategy globally, as it entered into a phase of complete disruption in the automotive industry. “The need for alternate powertrains and software-led innovation in the commercial vehicle industry is going to define the future of commercial vehicles,” he opined. Drawing attention to the significant engineering presence in India by way of the erstwhile setup, the decision to split the entire Daimler Group into two companies gave rise to the need for a standalone, deep engineering and technical expertise. It was thought of as a way to realise ambitions of going towards zero-emission vehicles with either battery or hydrogen-based fuel cells.