With increasing awareness of passegner safety, comfort and environmental regulations, there is a constant increase in the usage of electronics in the automotive sector the world over. According to various study reports, the vehicles which are produced in developed countries are using significant percentage of electronics with latest innovation and technology. Though India is far behind in terms of per capita vehicle use with advanced automotive electronics there is a greater scope for tapping the potential available.
It was against this backdrop the second edition of the Conference on Automotive Electronics with its theme “Exploring Advances in Automotive Electronics” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was held in Chennai on December 9.
Mr. Ambuj Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary / Industries Commissioner & Director of Industries & Commerce, Commissionerate of Industries and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, in his inaugural address, said the Automotive Electronics market is vibrant and, “we are the 6th largest auto market in 2016 and by year 2020 we will be hitting the third place in the world after the US and China.” The Tamil Nadu Government is planning to set up an Auto Electronics Park in Oragadam as part of the Vision 2023 document prepared by the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
In his welcome address, Mr. Sasikumar Gendham, Convenor, CII Electronics Panel & Managing Director, Salcomp Manufacturing India Pvt. Ltd., said the Automotive Electronics’ role in the current economic and industrial spheres, considered the fastest growing in Asian countries, is extremely important, particularly in India. Car Electronics has the highest density of electronic components as compared to other consumer electronics. A set of technologies power the car of today which falls into categories such as safety & security, infotainment & telematics, powertrain & fuel economy. The industry is witnessing vast transformation driven by stable economic growth and infrastructure development.
He said the car of the future will be equipped with a more advanced electronic system to prevent accidents entertain occupants and at the same time prove eco-friendly. Automotive companies stretch their market by introducing newer features. New technologies evolving in the sector are capable of delivering more efficient power management and conversion system, and these factors are behind the improved fuel economy and less emissions. Innovation is a key word in the electronic safety where economy, ecology and safety are critical factors.
Referring to the Tamil Nadu scenario, particularly Chennai, he said the state is the major frontrunner in terms of automotive electronic production and the conference would hopefully present a draft to the State Government to come up with a comprehensive automotive electronics approach in the 2017-18 budget.
Mr. Amit Jain, Conference Chairman & Country Head, Electronics Group, India, Visteon, said Automotive Electronics has already matured to a large extent, and OEMs are still contemplating whether they should introduce more electronics into cars, because of the higher expensive involved. However, some areas have already seen acceptance. Growth is now happening in the infotainment systems, which used to come only in high-end cars. Now, the entry level cars are coming with this system as there is ready acceptance in the market. Safety-related devices will absorb in the coming years mainly driven by regulations. Things like ABS and airbags are mandatory in foreign markets and in India it will be fully implemented through strict regulations by the Government.
Mr. Ashok Chandak, Senior Director – Global Sales & Marketing, South Asia Pacific Automotive and India Sales, NXP Semiconductors, in his special address, said 90 per cent of the Auto Innovation is done through electronics, software, semiconductor, Sense – Think – Act, data analysis are the key drivers in automotive electronics.
Dr. Arvind S. Bharadwaj, Senior Vice President – Advanced Technology & Services, Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., in his special address said there were few megatrends that were driving significant changes in the automotive industry including connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles and shared mobility.
Mr. Claude d’Gama Rose, Country Head – India, Continental Group & Managing Director, Continental Automotive Components (India), in his special address, said electronics design is growing globally and digitization of components, dramatic advancement on softwares and designs by Google, Apple, Tesla is growing on a wider scale.
The conference witnessed presentations by experts on various interesting topics related to Automotive Electronics.
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