ISAS Briefs

Nano, the new low cost car unveiled by Tata Motors at the Auto India Expo at Delhi last month, has set the country abuzz. There has been considerable hype surrounding the car. Some commentators have declared the advent of this car as a transportation revolution, an event as significant as the launch of the Model T by Henry Ford. Others have argued the Nano will democratise car ownership, and even a happening that may upturn the brahminical order in the country. On the technology front, the Nano certainly epitomises India’s progress in innovation, packed as it is with several firsts. Tata Motors has filed over 34 patents for the car. In particular, a great deal of innovation has gone into the drive train and its placement and half the patents filed pertain to the drive train alone. One of the key patents is the introduction of a balancer shaft to iron out the vibrations typical for a twin-cylinder engine. According to the company, the Nano also meets all emission and safety norms, including (frontal) crash test norms in India. Its fuel efficiency is expected to be in the range of 18-20 kilometres per litre.