GARC Gets INR 221.13 Crore for Automotive Testing Upgrade

The Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC), Oragadam, Chennai, is upgrading its vehicle and component testing infrastructure under the Government of India’s PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme.

GARC, which functions under the National Automotive Board, Ministry of Heavy Industries, is an authorised testing agency under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Its facilities cover powertrain, emissions, electromagnetic compatibility, fatigue, electric vehicles and safety testing.

Under PM E-DRIVE, GARC has been allocated INR 221.13 crore and has issued purchase orders for almost all proposed equipment. Installation of the procured equipment has also commenced.

The infrastructure upgrades include electric vehicle and EV battery testing as per AIS-156, EV EMI/EMC testing under AIS-004 Part 3 Rev.1, a heavy commercial vehicle testing facility, powertrain laboratory upgrades, advanced passive safety testing, ADAS testing and automotive component testing.

The ADAS testing facility will include instruments and soft targets, while the passive safety facility will be equipped with dummies and dummy calibration equipment.

A key addition is a high-speed, high-resolution imaging system featuring UHD-4K cameras operating at up to 750 frames per second (fps) and Full HD recording at up to 3,000 fps. The system will support frontal, side and rear crash testing by capturing vehicle deformation, occupant movement and airbag deployment for detailed safety analysis and homologation.

The PM E-DRIVE Scheme has an outlay of INR 10,900 crore, including INR 780 crore for upgrading testing agencies, and is operational until 31 March 2028.

The upgraded infrastructure is intended to strengthen India's domestic testing and certification capabilities for electric vehicles, batteries, advanced safety systems, ADAS, heavy commercial vehicles and other emerging automotive technologies.