New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Skoda Auto Volkswagen India on Friday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Skoda Auto Volkswagen India on Friday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Skoda Auto Volkswagen India on Friday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Skoda Auto Volkswagen India on Friday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in Pune, under which the automaker will transfer one of its land parcels to the automotive R&D body to set up an advanced crash test facility.

     ARAI, an autonomous body affiliated with the Ministry of Heavy Industries, will use the land to set up an advanced crash test facility for vehicles, including battery electric and ICE models, the company said in a press release. This facility will expand domestic vehicle safety research and testing capabilities, enabling more EV-specific tests in India, including NCAP assessments required for export markets.

     “By establishing this facility in Chakan, we are supporting the faster implementation of future Bharat NCAP requirements, helping address India-specific road safety challenges. It will also strengthen the capabilities of OEMs in India to develop vehicles that meet stringent export market requirements,” Minister of Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy said.

     The land is located next to Skoda Auto Volkswagen’s car manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune. The company noted that this facility will add testing capacity to support faster development and validation of EV and emerging vehicle safety technologies.

     "This new infrastructure will enable a greater number of EV-specific tests to be conducted within India, including rigorous NCAP assessments required for export markets," Kumaraswamy said.

     Skoda Auto Volkswagen India MD and CEO Piyush Arora said the company adjusted its future expansion layout to support ARAI's request for land.

     “This strategic partnership will help accelerate the development of safer vehicles in India by shortening EV development timelines, strengthening Bharat NCAP testing, and expanding the country's overall automotive engineering capabilities,” Arora said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)