ARAI’s Obstacle & Derailment Detection (ODD) validation

India’s largest automotive testing and certification agency, Pune-based ARAI, has begun validating metro carriage components testing as it expands beyond cars and trucks into EV battery testing, vehicle crash safety, automotive software certification and compliance support for bus manufacturers. Under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the agency recently tested an Obstacle & Derailment Detection (ODD) system for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), designed to detect track obstructions or identify when a train wheel moves off the rail and automatically trigger emergency braking.

At the same time, ARAI is expanding capabilities aimed at helping automakers test safer vehicles, study EV battery fire risks and reduce dependence on expensive overseas crash-testing facilities. For India’s auto industry, the broader objective is to help companies prepare for tougher regulations expected from FY27 onwards — including stricter fuel-efficiency norms under CAFE III expected from April 2027, stronger EV battery safety rules under AIS-156, tougher crash-safety standards under Bharat NCAP and Euro NCAP, and new structural safety norms for buses under AIS 153 and GSR 159(E).

“Mobility technologies are increasingly converging across sectors,” an ARAI official said. “Electric vehicles, metro systems and future connected mobility platforms now rely on similar batteries, software systems, sensors and electronic controls.”

At ARAI’s Pune testing centre, engineers recently recreated a high-impact emergency scenario for a Delhi Metro train using equipment normally associated with automotive crash testing. The project, carried out with metro rail major Alstom and engineering firm IPA, was aimed at validating the ODD system before deployment in real-world operations.

The development comes as India’s automotive industry enters one of its most regulation-intensive phases in years. Under CAFE III fuel-efficiency rules expected from April 2027, automakers will need to reduce the average carbon emissions of vehicles sold in their portfolios, forcing companies to accelerate launches of electric and hybrid models.

Meanwhile, AIS-156 battery safety norms, introduced after a series of EV fire incidents, have tightened testing requirements around battery overheating and thermal runaway risks, while Bharat NCAP crash-safety norms are increasing pressure on manufacturers to improve passenger protection systems.

That’s increasing pressure on testing agencies because every new vehicle now needs to clear multiple safety, emission and software-related checks before launch.

“Vehicle development cycles are becoming shorter while compliance requirements are becoming significantly more complex,” another ARAI official said. “If testing and validation infrastructure does not expand in parallel, it can eventually slow down product development timelines for the industry.”

SAFETY TESTING GOES LOCAL

To support automakers facing tighter FY27 regulations, ARAI is expanding multiple advanced testing capabilities. One of its recent additions is “far-side” crash simulation testing, which studies how passengers move inside a vehicle during severe side collisions and helps companies improve airbags and seatbelt systems.

Earlier, Indian automakers often had to send prototypes overseas for such tests.

The agency has also introduced adiabatic calorimetry testing, which recreates extreme heat conditions inside lithium-ion battery cells to study how EV battery fires begin and spread during overheating situations.

In addition, ARAI has partnered with electronics MSME Moloch Enterprises to commercialise Battery Management System (BMS) trainer kits, which help engineers and technicians understand how EV batteries manage charging, temperature, battery health and safety controls.

“Local availability of advanced testing capability reduces both cost and turnaround time for manufacturers,” an ARAI official said. “It also strengthens India’s broader ‘Design and Validate in India’ ecosystem.”

HELPING BUS BUILDERS ADAPT TO NEW RULES

ARAI has additionally launched a support programme for bus body builders to help smaller operators comply with new safety regulations under GSR 159(E) notified in March 2024, and AIS 153.

The rules make structural safety certification mandatory for larger passenger buses and require builders to clear inspections, safety checks and documentation approvals before vehicles can be registered.

According to ARAI, the programme includes technical guidance, simplified compliance checklists and inspection assistance aimed at helping smaller operators adapt to the stricter framework

Published on June 1, 2026