Artificial intelligence is reshaping India’s commercial vehicle industry. Leading executives from Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV) and Dassault Systèmes India reveal how virtual tools are cutting prototyping time by 40% while managing complex product cycles.
AI and Digital Twins Redefine Manufacturing Strategy
AI and digital twins are transforming vehicle design strategies across India. “The powertrain complexity demands AI-driven solutions,” stated Sachin Agrawal, Executive VP at VECV. Modern vehicles must support multiple fuels—electric, hydrogen, biodiesel, CNG, LNG, and diesel.
“Our engineers now experience a fortunate era,” Agrawal noted during the first episode of India Leadership Talks. The diversity of fuel technologies offers unprecedented opportunities for product development teams.
Tanuj Mittal from Dassault Systèmes emphasized the designer’s evolving role. “Designers must predict behavior early,” he explained. “The ability to anticipate performance digitally before any physical build is transformative.”
Concurrent Engineering Drives Supplier Integration
Digital integration and modular platforms anchor modern design processes. Mittal described concurrent engineering as essential for managing complexity. “Every new fuel type adds distinct engineering demands,” he observed. “Unless we model all these domains—mechanical, electrical, and thermal—on one platform, the complexity becomes unmanageable.”
Agrawal highlighted customer-driven demands shaping design choices. “Safety is becoming very important and customers are demanding more features,” he said. Virtual integration allows plug-and-play functionality across various modules.
Modularity Powers Scalable Vehicle Platforms
VECV’s Pro-X platform demonstrates modular architecture benefits. “We launched it with an electric powertrain but ensured this platform suits all fuel options,” Agrawal explained. “Where we placed the electric powertrain today, tomorrow I can simply remove it and install diesel, CNG, or hydrogen powertrains.”
Mittal added that digital modularity accelerates market adaptation. “A modular digital model allows engineers to run multiple configurations quickly,” he said. This approach eliminates starting design and simulation from scratch each time.
The scalability extends to sub-systems including battery packs, hydrogen storage, and axles. “Once I design an axle, changing parameters converts it into a larger version or adapts it for different packaging constraints,” Agrawal noted.
Why It Matters Now: Dramatic Time Savings
The development timeline impact proves significant. “In most cases, we reduced up to 40% of physical prototyping compared to three years ago,” Agrawal reported. Mittal attributed these gains to tighter integration workflows linking design, simulation, and validation.
“That 40% saving comes not just from better designs but from having design, simulation, and validation all linked in a single workflow,” Mittal explained.
Process changes drive these efficiency gains. “Vehicles are no longer primarily mechanical,” Mittal observed. “They combine mechanical, electrical, electronics, and extensive software. All stakeholders must collaborate in designing and validating systems before prototyping.”
Strategic Advantage: AI Applications Deliver Results
VECV implemented two successful AI-driven applications recently. The first focused on Bharat Stage VI OBD2 compliance. “From 2020 to 2023, we collected data from over 100,000 field vehicles related to AdBlue consumption and emissions,” Agrawal said.
Using digital twin models and AI, VECV optimized urea injection timing and location. The result: up to 2% reduction in diesel consumption, delivering significant customer cost savings.
The second application targeted electric vehicle range optimization. “Range anxiety remains crucial for EV customers,” Agrawal explained. “We optimized regenerative braking and battery cooling using data analytics and AI-led algorithms. This ensured Pro-X range EV achieves best-in-class range compared to competition.”
What Business Leaders Should Know: Cloud Democratizes Technology
Digital transformation extends beyond OEMs to entire supply chains. “Product development is a common effort today,” Agrawal emphasized. “Some work is done by us as OEMs, but tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers handle significant portions.”
Three enablers support supplier integration: standardized file formats, cloud-based simulation tools for smaller suppliers, and robust access controls protecting intellectual property.
“Cloud democratizes technology,” Mittal explained. “It offers easy access for suppliers unable to invest upfront in technology. Our 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables secure collaboration between all stakeholders.”
Future Focus: Safety and Sustainability Drive Innovation
Two themes will define Indian trucking over the next three to five years: safety and sustainability. “In developed markets, safety is the buzzword for product development,” Agrawal noted. “In India, focus is limited today but will grow through digitalization—ADAS, electronically controlled braking, steering safety systems.”
Sustainability increasingly influences customer decisions. “Some big fleet owners now ask first about carbon emissions before fuel efficiency or performance,” Agrawal observed. “Some define safety features as mandatory for tender participation.”
AI adoption extends beyond engineering into operations and sales. “Our operations team works on Industry 5.0 to make manufacturing more efficient using data-based analysis tools,” Agrawal said. “In sales and marketing, customer usage data helps curate appropriate products for actual applications.”
As India’s commercial vehicle sector embraces digital transformation, AI, digital twins, and cloud-enabled collaboration are reducing development time, improving accuracy, and preparing the industry for markets demanding safety, sustainability, and fuel technology flexibility.
