Indore/Kanpur, 22 April, 2024: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) & National Automotive test tracks (NATRAX) announced the signing of a MOU to facilitate collaboration on the areas of Real Drive Emission (RDE) and Emission Norms, as well as other areas as deemed fit in the future. The MOU was signed by Dr. Manish Jaiswal, Director of NATRAX and Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean, Research and Development, IIT Kanpur.

The groundbreaking partnership will transform the field of automotive research especially in the field of Vehicular Emissions. This strategic collaboration aims to work on the Emission Norms, especially towards the latest EU Standards and knowledge-sharing to create innovative solutions to be utilized by industry in the future.

Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean of R&D, IIT Kanpur said, "The collaboration with NATRAX is a remarkable opportunity to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application. Vehicular emissions are a critical area to be addressed for cleaner and more sustainable transportation solutions. By combining IIT Kanpur's expertise in emissions research with NATRAX's state-of-the-art testing facilities, we can accelerate the development of innovative solutions to meet the future needs of the automotive industry. This will also help us to empower the Indian automotive industry to compete on a global scale and nurture the next generation of automotive engineers and researchers."

Dr. Manish Jaiswal, Director of NATRAX, said, "We believe that this collaboration will focus on developing technologies and platforms that can assist industry in design and real time test analysis of any automotive vehicle. The physical test of an automobile shall involve fact-checking, data analysis, and content curation. The partnership will prioritize transparency, accountability, and responsible use of technologies to ensure the highest standards maintained by automotive industry".

Building on this MoU, future partnerships will be towards new regulations in the disposal of batteries, Engine and Flex Fuels and Safety related to Transportation. It was also mutually agreed to work towards developing internship programs for M.Tech students of IIT Kanpur at NATRAX.

IIT Kanpur is one of the premier institutes that provides meaningful education, conducts original research of the highest standard and provides leadership in technological innovation for the industrial growth of the country. IIT Kanpur imparts and undertakes cutting-edge research in various areas of science, engineering, design, management, and humanities.

About National Automotive test tracks (NATRAX):

National Automotive test tracks (NATRAX), Asia’s largest Proving ground is one of the state-of-the-art testing and certification centres. A unit of the National Automotive Board (NAB) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, NATRAX is located near Indore in Madhya Pradesh. NATRAX provides a one-stop solution for comprehensive testing and evaluation, Research & Development and Certification to the entire automotive and auto component industries.

About IIT Kanpur:

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur was established in 1959 and declared to be an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India through an Act of Parliament. IIT Kanpur is best known for the highest standard of education in science and engineering and for seminal R&D contributions over the years. The institute has a sprawling lush green campus spread over 1055 acres with a large pool of academic and research resources spanning across 19 departments, 25 centres and 3 interdisciplinary programs in engineering, science, design, humanities, and management disciplines with more than 570 full-time faculty members and approximately 9000 students.

For more information, visit www.iitk.ac.in.