The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), which is also commemorating its 50th year of operations, is displaying a host of innovative technologies at the Automotive Testing Expo 2016 in Chennai. The biannual event kicked off earlier today at the Chennai Trade Centre.

Among the highlights, ARAI is displaying a fully electric vehicle platform and wheel force and wheel travel measurement system.

Developed in-house, ARAI has converted a conventional diesel-powered vehicle into an electric *four-wheeler platform by removing the engine and transmission (no mechanism including the gear lever). The team of engineers who worked on this project installed a 16Kw motor, which derives power from a 72V lead acid battery. ARAI, which has developed this as a demonstrable technological platform, is also working in the direction of replacing the lead acid batteries with more powerful, lithium ion batteries. The R&D team is working on battery management systems for the same.

The wheel force and wheel travel measurement system, as displayed, measures rpm, torque, force applied in wheel center as primary parameters. The mechanism, as explained by an ARAI engineer, can also measure camber and steer angles in dynamic (moving) conditions.

ARAI has also displayed a few 3D models of its testing facilities along with a few products developed by its team of automotive electronic engineers.

The three-day Automotive Testing Expo 2016 in Chennai is estimated to have 120 exhibitors.