The domestic automotive firms that are concentrating on design segment include Maruti Udyog, Ashok Leyland, Telco, Bajaj, TVS, among others. Several TVS products are being designed simultaneously using complete `digital technology' while Telco has similar projects. MUL, Ashok Leyland and Bajaj too are busy getting their act together.

According to the director of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT-B), S Sadagopan, the automobile design industry in the country has received a shot in the arm with many foreign automobile firms setting up their design bases.

"Siemens, Bosch, Daimler are already working in this area while the recent entry of GE and Delphi Automotive will give a fillip to the segment," he said. With hardware and most design software (getting ported on NT) getting easily available, things are expected to look bright, he said.

Dr Sadagopan said with auto component industry maturing in and around Bangalore thanks to MICO and TVS, Indian car market was expected to boom from the present 100,000 to 1 million in the next five years.

Ford is quickly getting into the design space while other players like General Motors, Daimler Chrysler (US majors), Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi (Japan), Volvo & Fiat (Europe) and Hyundai & Daewoo (Korea) were expected to get into the action soon. Ford is believed to be talking of a service where throughout the life of a car the embedded system in a car would come into operation when the car is down. The service provider would know the location where a mechanic could be sent or if it is an accident an ambulance could be sent.Bangalore on fast tack to be global automotive design hub On the high-value automobile design and development segment, Dr Sadagopan said the value of microprocessor in a low-end PC was worth only $99, on the other hand for a car it would be $399. "There are many embedded systems for emission control, ignition control, valve control, braking, plus GIS, GPS, audio - mostly as an embedded system and a microprocessor. The design part alone will contribute to 20 per cent of the total value of a car,'' he said.

On the impact of desktop-based design tools on the automobile industry, Dr Sadagopan said automotives would get highly customised within a couple of years. Thanks to technology and improvement in the design segment, the post sales service would also take a different shape.

According to PTC India managing director Kishore Rao, in the past, no one looked at design. ``Now things are different. Look through PTC Workshops, SDRC Workshops, VLSI CAD workshops you will discover tons of designs done in India. Our petrol pumps, TV sets, entertainment electronics (moulded elastic parts), toys, refrigerator body, washing machine body, geysers, gas stoves have also undergone the designer touch."

Mr Rao said the design segment has a long way to go in terms of roads, street lights, road signs, buses, bus stops, flyovers, pedestrian crossings, airports, sea ports, tables, chairs, interiors, offices, government departments, hospitals, etc.

Organisations like HAL, ADA, Hindustan Motors, Maini Group (Reva Electric car), SKF, Meritor Design and Automotive Axles are also working on various auto designs.