INEVITABLE DISRUPTION

Today’s economies are dramatically changing, triggered by development in emerging markets, the accelerated rise of new technologies, sustainability policies, and changing consumer preferences about ownership. Digitisation, increasing automation, and new business models have revolutionised industries, including automotive. These forces are giving rise to 4 disruptive technologydriven trends: diverse mobility, connectivity, electrification and autonomous driving.

Most industry players and experts agree that these trends will reinforce and accelerate one another, and the automotive industry is ripe for disruption. Given the widespread understanding that game-changing disruption is already on the horizon, there is still no integrated perspective on the shape of the industry after a decade or so. Everyone is talking about the emergence of alternative powertrain concepts like hybrid and electric vehicles for zero emissions. However, to reduce CO2 emission in a sustainable manner, it is critical to optimise further the internal combustion (IC) engine and make it more fuel efficient. But without any hesitation I will say IC engines won’t die and it will continue to dominate the roads at least for the next 15 years with a lot of efforts to bring down emissions.

In city traffic in particular, fuel savings of up to 25% could be achieved with an automatic start-stop mechanism. Automatic engine cut-off can reduce fuel consumption by 4%. In further hybridisation (strong or parallel), an electric motor with sufficient capacity to power the vehicle independently is installed alongside a conventional combustion engine. There has also been a gradual upshift in the demand for automatic transmission. Automatic gear boxes with wider gear spacing and hydraulically or electronically supported gear-change can reduce fuel consumption by around 10%.

A perfect powertrain solution will address fuel economy, total cost of ownership and comfort. Transformation of the mobility scenario in India is only possible with the concerted action of all stakeholders. Only with a clear and unambiguous policy, the industry can move towards cleaner mobility. The current issue is power-packed with reports on different powertrain technologies and corporate initiatives to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency.

Bhargav TS

Executive Editor s.bhargav@nextgenpublishing.net