Škoda Auto Volkswagen India, ARAI Partner to Expand Crash Testing Infrastructure
Pune, October 30, 2026: Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen automotive safety and testing infrastructure in Chakan, Pune.
The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Government of India; Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India; and Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, along with senior representatives from both organisations.
Under the agreement, SAVWIPL will transfer a strategic parcel of land to ARAI for establishing an advanced crash test facility. The proposed infrastructure will support testing of future mobility vehicles, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) models, while expanding domestic vehicle safety research and testing capabilities.
The facility is expected to enable more electric vehicle-specific tests to be conducted in India, including New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) assessments required for export markets. Located adjacent to SAVWIPL's Chakan manufacturing facility, the expanded ARAI infrastructure will also add testing capacity for the development and validation of BEVs and emerging vehicle safety technologies.
Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Government of India, said, “Expanding local R&D and safety testing infrastructure is essential as India's automotive sector advances. This initiative between ARAI and Škoda Auto Volkswagen India strengthens domestic testing capacity for electric vehicles and safety standards. By establishing this facility in Chakan, we are supporting the faster implementation of future Bharat NCAP requirements, helping address India-specific road safety challenges. It will also strengthen the capabilities of OEMs in India to develop vehicles that meet stringent export market requirements.”
Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited, said, “Vehicle safety and local engineering capability are central to our operations in India. When ARAI required land for a specialised crash test facility adjacent to our Chakan plant, we adjusted our future expansion layout to support their request. As the company whose INDIA 2.0 vehicles were the first India-made cars to achieve 5-star Global NCAP ratings for both Adult and Child Occupant Protection, we have always believed that raising safety standards benefits the entire industry. This strategic partnership will help accelerate the development of safer vehicles in India by shortening EV development timelines, strengthening Bharat NCAP testing, and expanding the country's overall automotive engineering capabilities.”
Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, said: “The future of mobility will be defined not only by innovation but also by the strength of the ecosystem that enables safe, sustainable, and globally competitive vehicle development. This MoU represents a strategic milestone in India's automotive testing and safety infrastructure. As vehicle technologies evolve rapidly, the need for advanced validation, crashworthiness assessment, and regulatory compliance capabilities will continue to grow. We view this partnership as an important step towards building world-class capabilities that will serve the mobility sector for decades to come.”
The partnership is aimed at expanding India's domestic automotive testing capabilities as vehicle technologies evolve, particularly in electric mobility. The proposed facility will support vehicle crashworthiness assessments, safety validation and testing requirements for both domestic and international markets.
