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Transmission systems have significant impact on drive ability and fuel economy of the vehicle. Electronic control and increased gear ratios have played a major role in the evolution of transmission systems in improving gear-shift comfort, drive ability and fuel economy. New transmission technologies being developed include “Automated Manual (AMT) transmissions”, with both single-clutch and Dual Clutch (DCT) or Direct Shift (DSG) variants, and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). In India the manual type transmission is prevalent, whereas automatic and automated manual systems are slowly making their presence. It is expected that India will become world's largest producer of small car, which requires transmission systems that are low cost while at the same time offer comfortable smooth shifting, and fuel efficiency. Due to the space constraint in the small car, packaging is a challenge for transmission systems for small cars.

Emission reduction and fuel economy are the primary drivers for public transport authorities. Electric propulsion is efficient, and do not produce any local emissions. However, achieving range similar to IC engine vehicles would require large battery pack, and considering this plug-in hybrid technology may be attractive options for public transport buses. Advances in battery technology and power electronics have enhanced the possibility of plug-in hybrid vehicles penetrating market in near future. Rising fuel prices and concerns over green house gases as well as other emissions have made it essential to consider such options seriously. Globally there are many efforts towards development of plug-in hybrid vehicles and Indian vehicle manufacturers have also demonstrated plug-in hybrid buses. Such vehicles can offer higher benefits in Indian congested traffic. However, it is required to evaluate the comparative environmental performance of plug-in hybrid vehicles in life-cycle analysis.

Sustainable mobility has become priority in the wake of environmental concerns viz. emissions and depletion of fossil fuels. The growing demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles to reduce energy consumption and air pollution is a challenge for the automotive industry. Significant improvements in fuel economy can be obtained by weight reduction of vehicle as well as by improvements in engine and powertrain efficiency. If the vehicle body mass is reduced, there will be secondary mass reductions at the component level, particularly in the powertrain. Globally, automotive manufacturers have been engaged in efforts to develop lighter alternatives using aluminium alloys and other light weight materials, so as to reduce the energy requirement, improve the fuel consumption and reduce vehicular emissions. While the growth in mobility is growing rapidly in India, the installed base is still comparatively small, compared to the developed countries.

The automotive industry has to accommodate regulatory norms as well as customer demands in its vehicle design. These include better crash safety, new subsystems (for comfort) and high performance powertrains, all of which lead to increase in vehicle mass. Heavy vehicles consume more fuel and produce more emissions. While there are several ways to increase fuel efficiency (i.e. improving engine and transmission efficiency, reducing aerodynamic drag, and rolling resistance), the most effective means of achieving improved fuel efficiency is by reducing the overall weight of the vehicle. Hence, materials selection plays a significant role in the fuel economy, emissions as well as economics of transportation. If mass of a component is reduced there will be secondary mass reductions in other components, thus resulting in further reduction of final vehicle mass (‘mass decompounding’). The paper highlights potential benefits of using lightweight materials for vehicle body applications.