Ashok Leyland Expands Vehicle Support with New Uptime Centre in Chennai.

Ashok Leyland, a leading truck and bus manufacturer, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Uptime Solutions Centre at its Ennore factory near Chennai, aiming to boost fleet productivity and minimize vehicle downtime.

The need for this comprehensive facility became apparent following the launch of BS-VI vehicles, as the company recognized the importance of a robust support system to ensure these advanced trucks remain operational for longer periods. Initially, the uptime operations were modest, with a small team supporting a limited number of channel partners. However, as the fleet of BS-VI vehicles grew, the necessity for a larger, more capable solution emerged. By the third or fourth year, the vision for a full-scale Uptime Solutions Centre materialized, marking a significant shift in Ashok Leyland's approach to vehicle support, explained Sanjeev Kumar, President – MHCV at Ashok Leyland, during an interview at the Ennore factory.

The new centre is designed to proactively monitor and address issues across a vast network of vehicles, ensuring they stay operational longer. It will soon operate 24/7 and employ around 70 trained professionals to assist channel partners with two critical services: diagnostics and prognostics.

The diagnostic service is focused on resolving issues that local workshops cannot handle. When a vehicle encounters a problem, the centre’s expert team provides guidance and support throughout the diagnosis and repair process.

The prognostics service enables real-time monitoring of connected trucks, allowing the team to identify potential issues before they escalate. If a vehicle begins to show signs of trouble, it is flagged, and the driver is contacted and directed to the nearest workshop for preemptive maintenance.

Ashok Leyland piloted this program over eight months across Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh, currently monitoring about 1.25 lakh trucks. The data collected from these connected vehicles offers valuable insights into driving conditions and vehicle performance, feeding back into the product development process to improve future models.

For instance, by analyzing driving patterns, the team can determine whether a drop in fuel efficiency is due to a vehicle fault or driver behavior. In cases where driver behavior is the cause, targeted training can be provided, further optimizing vehicle performance, Kumar noted.

For fleet owners, this system offers a significant advantage. Managing large fleets means that any vehicle downtime can be costly. The Uptime Solutions Centre is designed to spot and fix problems early, keeping fleets on the move and avoiding expensive delays.

HBL