The NAA has been in the works for quite some time and should be established by the year end, when all necessary approvals are in place and a “suitable technocrat” has been identified to head the body.
Envisaged on the lines of similar groupings in Japan and China, the NAA would have about 30 members and function as an autonomous body.
It will include representatives from the ministries of Heavy Industries, Road Transport & Highways, Science & Technology, Urban Development and Environment & Forests. There will be four regular members and industry representatives besides all seven directors of vehicle testing institutes also forming a part of this body.
Official sources said on Saturday the NAA should begin with helping the industry find greater use of the Rs 200 crore worth of testing and homologation equipment already been commissioned under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (Natrip) programme.
The `1,700 crore Natrip project was set up to upgrade testing and homologation facilities to international levels by establishing five greenfield testing facilities and upgrading the two existing ones at Automotive Research Association of India (Arai) in Pune and the Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) in Ahmednagar.
Crash testing and homologation are basic safety requirements for all vehicles in developed markets; while the former tests a vehicle’s safety under crash conditions, the latter means certification of the vehicle to indicate it meets safety and other norms prevalent in the country.
Under this project, three regional homologation centers are also coming up at Manesar (north), the upgraded Arai (West) and Chennai (South). The Chennai center would also be fitted with a full crash testing and research and development facility.
“This equipment (installed at some Natrip centres) can effectively be used for indigenous R&D…but the industry isn’t aware of its potential. A body like the NAA would help in building greater synergies,” sources said.
Pointing towards development of Indian specific vehicle standards, they said this body should enable greater research in certain subjects.
Take the two-wheeler emission cycle which is different for Indian vehicles compared to European standards. Things like these require a large amount of hardcore data crunching but we just don’t have these capabilities at present. The NAA will help develop these specialized capabilities”.
Also, the NAA is expected to play a large role in developing skill sets for the rapidly expanding Indian automobile industry. ends
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