Bosch developing new technology

The healthy consumer response to the automated manual transmission variant of the Maruti Celerio shows that India is ready for clutch-free driving. While the market may not be ready for the more expensive pure automatics, traffic congestion in cities, with stop-and-start driving, is paving the way for automatic transmission vehicles here.

Technologies that give users an automatic-like driving experience are set to gain ground. Among the technologies that could hold sway is Bosch’s eClutch. Unlike a fully automatic transmission, the eClutch automates the clutch only, not the transmission.

The cable-less clutch pedal transmits an electric signal to an actuator, which decouples the clutch. In congested traffic conditions, this allows the driver in a manual transmission car to use first gear without using the clutch. I had a feel of this when I took to the wheel of a Honda Brio equipped with an eClutch at a Bosch Tech day event, held in Bangalore on October 30.

I could shift gears without pressing the clutch. A special sensor detects the start of a gear shift and adjusts engine speed, which facilitates a smooth gear change. What is significant is that the Brio as a test car reflects Bosch’s focus on offering the technology in the compact car segment first. In terms of cost, Bosch says the eClutch is ‘significantly less’ than a conventional auto transmission. This makes it a strong proposition in a segment with price-conscious buyers. Apart from the cost factor, the eClutch promises savings in fuel and lower emissions. Bosch claims that in start-stop coasting mode, the fuel consumption can come down by 10 percent. In India though, Bosch will initially offer idle coasting. “Europe is doing it (eClutch) with a big-bang approach.

For them, carbon dioxide reduction is the main factor. We will create the subsystem where we pick what is necessary, enter and then slowly make our way up the value chain,” says Sandeep N, regional president India, Gasoline Systems, Bosch India. The eClutch may well be introduced here in 2016.