In collaboration with Larsen & Toubro Technology Services, Scania, Sweden’s automotive industry manufacturer, recently inaugurated its new research and development center in Bangalore.
The R&D office in India, with approximately 100 development engineers, is primarily focused on localizing and adapting Scania’s buses and trucks for the Indian market as well as for other emerging markets.
“It’s difficult to work in Sweden and understand the needs here,” says Örjan Rasmusson, Director of R&D in India. “The products here need to be simple to both use, maintain and repair. We make full use of Scania’s modular system to produce vehicles that match the very specific needs of the Indian market. But since we historically have been very focused on Western Europe, we lack some performance steps for the emerging markets.”
In India, Scania has highlighted the benefits of alternative fuels, particularly ethanol, not only for reducing emissions but also as a means of making use of locally available resources while productively addressing growing problems of waste disposal and wastewater treatment.
