Report - Tata Motors starts testing AMT for trucks and buses

Tata Ace family to get the technology at a later stage.

After gaining popularity in the Indian passenger vehicle segment, the cost effective AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) technology is poised to gain traction in the commercial vehicle sector as well.

The AMT equipped Maruti Celerio and Tata Zest have managed to evoke a positive response from the customers and now, as per a report on Economic Times, the nation's leading commercial vehicle maker Tata Motors has started testing AMT on its intermediate trucks and buses.

According to the publication's sources, the Ultra range of trucks and buses would be launched first and be followed by the automaker's LCV range including the best-selling Ace family.

It's to be noted that premium CV players like Volvo and Scania are selling CVs in India with AMT technology under the names i-Shift and OptiCruise respectively. Ashok Leyland has also launched the Boss range of Intermediate Commercial Vehicles with Wabco-sourced AMT units and has also made the technology available to several intercity coach operators.

Tata Motors has showcased its low-floor Tata Marcopolo Starbus Urban Hybrid with AMT at the Auto Expo 2014. The AMT system which involves electronically actuated clutch and gear shifters would be sourced from Wabco.

Retaining the base manual transmission and clutch, the AMT strikes a fine balance between fuel efficiency and cost, in addition to reducing driver fatigue over very long journeys that CVs are subjected to.

Also read: Tata Marcopolo Paradiso G7 multi-axle coach spotted testing

Tata's move to introduce AMT in CVs on a large scale would prompt rivals Ashok Leyland, Volvo-Eicher, BharatBenz and AMW to follow suit.

[Source: Economic Times]