Europe’s biggest car maker, Volkswagen Group is evaluating the setting up of a research centre in India. This will be on the lines of the centre already set up in China three years ago, to research accident sites and then incorporate safety features in cars.
According to Mr. Krishna Dhawan, head of technical office, SkodaAuto India every country has a different culture and this can require different safety features. He said that individual country traits have to be catered to especially in India and China, as both are growing markets so getting critical volumes for such features should not pose a problem.
Volkswagen Group builds safety solutions on its platforms so such features go into products across brands in the group. Some safety features in a car would require the existence of infrastructure which is currently not available in India. However, some of the safety features which will go on high-end cars could be introduced simultaneously in India since that market is willing to pay.