Auto Parts Asia — February 2018

16 | AutoPartsAsia | FEBRUARY 2018

CORPORATE

Pawan Kumar Singh, Head Transportation Safety Business, 3M India

3M Offers Mobility Solutions

For Road Safety

By Pramod Thomas

G

lobal innovations company

3M has launched in India

Smart Variable Messaging

Signs, a new smart mobility

platform. These signs are designed

to provide real-time, contextual and

automated information to motorists in

a simple and useful form. Information

on traffic congestion and air quality,

best routes, and warnings on

emergency and road safety can be

provided in an integrated manner to

motorists to make the roads safer and

less congested.

“Since its inception in India in 1988,

3M has been striving to make roads

safer for motorists,” Pawan Kumar

Singh, Head Transportation Safety

Business, 3M India, told AutoParts

Asia. “For the last 80 years, 3M Traffic

Safety Solutions were at the forefront

of making roads safer for motorists,”

he said.

“Technology is helping both

vehicles and drivers. Vehicles are

today equipped with features like

airbags, ABS, and traction control

which automatically deploy in

emergencies and protect passengers

in the vehicles. Optimal on-road

technologies like effective retro-

reflective signage, pavement and lane

markers, optimal hazard warnings,

speed warnings, etc go a long way

in warning drivers and ensuring

safety on the road. Almost 90% of

all accidents are due to driver error.

Therefore, it is imperative we enhance

implementation of technologies which

help drivers make fast and more

effective judgement while driving,” he

said.

“Accident reduction has been the

single goal of all our products and

solutions over several decades. We

provide a complete range of retro-

reflective signage solutions, including

our flagship diamond grade range. In

India we offer our full range of road

furniture products including retro-

reflective pavement markers, media

markers, delineators, solar-based

markers, flexible sheeting, etc. We

also provide vehicle marking tapes

which are especially useful for trucks,

trailers, and buses, and they help

reduce accidents by making vehicles

more visible,” Singh said.

In India, 3M,

headquartered in

Bengaluru, had

a turnover of Rs

25,070 million by

the end of March

31, 2017. It has

branch offices

in Mumbai,

Gurgaon,

Pune, Kolkata,

Hyderabad and

Chennai, and

employs over

1,600 people.3M

leverages its

global innovation

expertise

to develop

homegrown

solutions that

address the

unique needs

of diverse

customers in

India.

The company

has invested

in Innovation

Centres in

Bengaluru and Gurgaon to boost

local product development. Its

manufacturing footprint is spread

across Bengaluru, Pune and

Ahmedabad. 3M offers solutions that

improve manufacturing efficiency and

impact improved healthcare delivery

to safety solutions that help increase

road visibility, everyday kitchen aids

and car care products.

3M, with its Traffic Safety Systems,

has pioneered the use of retro-

reflective technology in road

safety, pedestrian safety and traffic

management solutions to ensure

safe, orderly and efficient movement

of all road users and vehicles. Its

high-performance materials, systems

and services effectively serve

motorists in today’s challenging

driving conditions. The company

has solutions for Road Safety,

Vehicle Safety, Automatic License

Plate Recognition, e-Tolling, Parking

Solutions etc.

When asked about its global

initiatives on road safety, Singh said,

“Throughout the world, transport

authorities and civic bodies look

to reduce accidents and fatalities,

and develop sustainable mobility

solutions. Electrification of vehicles,

and shift towards autonomous and

driverless technologies are emerging

trends. In future we need to address

them. In India, emphasis is to have

more motorable roads, especially

in the rural areas. There should be

more expressways in the cities. Their

quality should be enhanced with

proper maintenance. Development of

Road Work Zone Safety regulations is

another key requirement.”

3M, present in 70 countries, sells

more than 60,000 products globally

and employs around 90,000 people.

Its sales exceed $30 billion. In 2014,

the company got its 100,000th patent

and it continues to get an average

of 3,000 patents every year. Under

its Safety and Graphics business,

3M provides solutions for improving

performance and productivity of

building operations and infrastructure,

enabling transportation and traffic

safety.