On track to meet BS VI norms, new safety regulations: Maruti

Country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is on track to meet BS VI emission norms, which will come into effect from April 2020, a top company executive said today.

MSI, which today launched telematics solution 'Suzuki Connect' for its Nexa customers, said its engineers are 'working round the clock to make its models conform' to the new emission norms.

Also, the models are being upgraded to meet new safety regulations that will kick in from next year.

"On BS VI emission norms we are on track. We will definitely have vehicles as per the schedule of April 2020. Time is limited but we are making all efforts to meet BS VI emission norms. Our people are almost working round the clock," MSI Senior Executive Director (Engineering) CV Raman told PTI.

On company's strategy regarding the upcoming safety rules, he said already MSI's nine models conform to offset and side impact mandate as well as pedestrian protection, which are yet to be notified.

"So, we are already on course. We will meet all the norms for all the models before the deadline," Raman said.

New safety regulations for existing models will kick in from October 2019. 

When asked about the company's investments on R&D centre at Rohtak, Haryana, Raman said out of the total outlay of Rs 4,000 crore, Rs 2,300 crore has been invested at the facility.

Commenting on Suzuki Connect, he said the service would be available as an option that can be installed by customers in their cars across Nexa premium retail network in the country.

The solution offers features like emergency alerts, vehicle tracking, driving behaviour analysis, among others.

"A nationwide extensive study was conducted to understand the challenges that Indian car owners face daily and their expectations from these solutions," MSI Senior Executive Director Marketing and Sales RS Kalsi said. 

Raman said the telematics solution has been developed by Suzuki and Maruti specifically for Indian market and can be fitted in existing Nexa cars as well. By end of this year, the company would also start offering the solution to vehicles that are sold under Arena network.

Nexa customers would have to shell out an extra Rs 9,999 for three-year subscription to avail the service.

MSI sells models like S-Cross, Baleno, Ignis and Ciaz from Nexa retail channel while Dzire, Swift, Brezza and the rest from the Arena network.