WABCO Holdings Inc is expanding the application of OptiDrive transmission automation technology on heavy-duty vehicles to cover medium-duty trucks and buses produced by Ashok Leyland, India's second-largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles.
Ashok Leyland offers a range of trucks, buses, special application vehicles, and engines to 20 nations. In 2009, it became the first manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India to adopt OptiDrive systems for the Indian market. Ashok Leyland plans to launch the transmission automation system under the brand name Leymatic. Volume production is expected in early 2011.
WABCO's OptiDrive is a modular automated manual transmission system for commercial vehicles. It received the 2010 Automotive News PACE Award for innovation.
OptiDrive's high degree of modularity reduces development time required for application to transmission and vehicle platforms while enabling technological improvement.