ARAI revs up for auto sector’s future, retools itself for a new era of testing electric vehicles

It is an entity few other than genuine motorheads have heard of. But it has an impact on pretty much every vehicle that is driven on Indian roads. ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) is the organisation mandated with making sure the vehicles you buy in India meet standards.

From Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) safety standards, to fuel efficiency figures under test conditions, to ensuring homologation of vehicles, this is the entity that tests and certifies automobiles sold in the country.

It does all of this out of its 260 acre base in Pune, equipped with a large number of testing facilities. Incorporated in 1966, the cooperative industrial research association under the Ministry of Heavy Industries has had quite the journey thus far. But what is happening now is clearly new. It, along with the entire automotive industry, is now in the middle of the big energy transition, from fossil fuels to electric and other alternative sources of energy.
That kind of change is what the phrase paradigm shift was conjured for. It means that ARAI, one of India’s most important entities in the automotive sector, is now in the middle of retooling itself for a new era of testing electric vehicles.

In an exclusive interview with ET’s Lijee Philip, Reji Mathai, director of the ARAI, answered several pertinent questions around electric vehicles, safety and more.

Edited excerpts:

Q: What is the paradigm shift in certification for internal combustion engine (ICE) and EVs? Is ARAI finding the transition for certification and testing a bit overwhelming?
A: In the case of EVs, the focus of certification is primarily on safety of the vehicle, (battery, controllers etc) and also on its range performance from a customer point of view, whereas for ICE, it is emissions and vehicle safety that play a pivotal role in determining the validation process. ARAI has requisite facilities for certification of EVs as per AIS (Automotive Industry Standards) notified under CMVR (Central Motor Vehicles Rules) as in case of ICE.
Q: Is the ICE testing for fuel efficiency and homologation far easier compared to testing and certification for safety and performance for EVs?
A: We are comparing testing of ICE which has been established for the last 3 decades with that of EV which has been in place since the last 5-6 years. However, standards and procedures for safety and performance testing of EVs are now well established. Test Agencies and EV manufacturers are well versed with the homologation process. So, there is not much difference in the degree of difficulty of ICE vs EV homologation.

Q: How does ARAI engage with automakers during the certification process to ensure they meet safety and performance standards, especially for new EV models?
A: ARAI acts as an interface between the automakers, the government and the end-user. Knowledge dissemination through seminars and conferences and stakeholder consultations are held regularly. Moreover, the standards are formulated through a consultative process. Many EV players such as startups are new to the homologation process. ARAI has set up a cell to provide necessary guidance to such players. We support them in terms of the homologation process and understanding of standards. We also help EV makers in developmental testing and validation before certification of new models.

Q: How does ARAI ensure that its testing methodologies align with international standards, particularly with the global automotive market becoming more integrated?
A: India participates in global efforts of harmonisation of vehicle regulations under UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Working Party 29 (WP.29). ARAI has been attending these meetings at the UN as part of the delegation representing India. Hence Indian automotive standards, including EV standards, are aligned and are on a par with the global regulations and standards.

Q: What are the specific challenges ARAI faces when testing the safety and performance of EV batteries, and how are you addressing them?
A: Battery safety testing involves a number of battery abuse tests, such as vibration, mechanical shock, crash, short circuit, thermal propagation, fire, temperature variation, etc. These tests are required to be carried out in a safe environment because of the probability of occurrence of fire or explosion. Battery performance tests are typically long duration tests and hence pose a challenge of test equipment capacity constraints. However, ARAI is setting up an advanced battery safety facility with the support of the Ministry of Heavy Industries to meet the increasing testing requirements, specially for commercial vehicle application.

Q: As the market shifts towards EVs, how does ARAI foresee the future of ICE vehicles in terms of testing requirements and standards?
A: In the ICE sector, a number of fuel options are being explored, namely alternate fuels including CNG, ethanol and hydrogen. The present diesel and gasoline fuel is expected to co-exist along with the EVs. Major research and application development efforts are being carried out in hydrogenpowered IC engines. Hence, ARAI is gearing up with the required testing infrastructure for certification of all types of IC engines. The future mix of vehicles will be defined by future government policies, availability of infrastructure for new fuels and acceptance by customers. ARAI continues to upgrade its testing capabilities in alignment with the global and domestic requirements.