The Government of India is likely to set up a specialized body for promoting sustainable development of Indian auto sector. The department of heavy industries finalized it as National Automotive Board, and it is likely to be cleared by the Cabinet in a month.
Moreover, it will help the government lay ground rules for promoting hybrid and electric vehicles in the country. The National Automotive board will comprise of members from different sectors, including Road Transport & Highways, Science & Technology, Environment & Forests and professional scientists and industrialists. The NAB will promote R&D, while working towards development of hybrid, electric vehicles and alternate fuel technologies.
“NATRIP was formed to set up new auto testing and R&D centres along with upgrading the existing ones. Now, these centres have been established and some of them have been upgraded. Therefore, its role has been completed,” the official said.
The board will be the successor of National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP), which is a project implementing body. It was set up in order to upgrade three existing automotive R&D/testing centres in India- the Vehicle Research & Development Establishment (VRDE) at Ahmednagar, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) at Pune and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) at Manesar.