Daimler India opens first virtual reality centre at its Chennai factory

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has opened its first Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) at its Chennai plant. The virtual reality centre will allow operators to virtually perform serviceability and accessibility checks by using a digital model accessed via 3D goggles and navigational joysticks. The company says with this move DICV has set a new benchmark in the Indian commercial vehicle industry by revolutionising customer service operations and research and development (R&D).

This platform can transform both R&D and vehicle servicing procedures as it will reduce the demand for prototype vehicles, custom-built tools and service bays. This will also help to reduce the time and costs required for commercial vehicle testing and development. The virtual reality centre will provide an opportunity for distant collaboration. For example, Daimler Truck teams from around the globe will be able to access the same model simultaneously to exchange ideas and opinions. With travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines, this will provide huge benefits, adds the company.

Among other recent developments, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles recently also introduced ‘BSafe’ features for its BharatBenz bus fleet to help ensure safe public transportation. The buses will have a range of features such as hands-free doors, sanitizers and temperature sensors which will help to prevent the spread of infection. To ensure minimal surface contact, the new bus will have a pneumatic door and hands-free sanitizer. It will also constitute of a hands-free temperature sensor and foot-operated trash can. In case a passenger has a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, an alert will be sent to the driver and a buzzer will sound. The bus entrance has been furnished with disinfectant mats as well.

Chief executive officer and head of Daimler Bus India at DICV Karl-Alexander Seidel that this innovation is the need of the hour to mitigate virus transmission. “These vehicles address people’s apprehensions towards public transport by offering reassuring features in line with Covid safety and hygiene protocols. By equipping our products with ‘BSafe’ features such as hands-free doors, sanitizer and temperature sensors, we aim to revive the demand for passenger buses in India,“ he said.