MUL to localize simulators for its driving schools : Financial Express

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd ( MUL) is counting on indigenising the simulator part of its driving school joint venture with New Delhi - based Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR).

It is Simulator Systems International , a subsidiary of the French group Faros, that now supplies the driving simulators. MUL has started on initiative of a chain of 50 international quality driving schools spanning in the country by the year end. After studyingthe US- France road safety models, the company has identified the UK model driving school to modify driver quality on Indian roads.

In the pilot project with IDTR backing, 100 instructors were given 15- day classroom and attitude training. It is the simulator content that is driving up the expenses of the initiative. They create road and weather conditions like Fog, dim light, uphill and downhill terrain for the classroom.

"As the initiative picks up, the import content needs trimming down .One way to cost reduction emerge as Faros Group comes out with an assembling facility in New Delhi. These plans are on the way. Another option is to consider some in house assembly on the Maruti Alto model based simulator on which MUL- FAROS simulators are based" RS Kalsi, general manager, MUL, told FE. However, the Faros driving simulator will remain proprietary, he added.

Just two out of its 50 schools exercise later, the company anticipates as much as Rs. 50 Lakh per school capital cost in the project. And most of it is through the simulator content. But the initiative is a good will, not a profit generator, says K Saito, director, Marketing MUL. The drive quality project was born, when MUL's Indian and Japanese directors exchange notes on the accident statistics of India and Japan. Japan had five time as many vehicles, but the accidents in India were ten times that of Japan.

Kollam in south Kerala was picked up as the first Indian town for MUL's driving initiative. The first metro is Ban galore and first B class city is Chandigarh. After Bangalore MUL has set up its next school at Kollam. " Literacy levels and women empowerment factor has made this town the right candidate" Mr. Kalsi said. India's car ownership levels stand at eight per 1000. MUL expects this to rise to 13-14 per 1000.over the next five years in tow with national highway development.