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A drive cycle is a representation of standardized driving pattern. Drive cycle is typically represented as a vehicle speed, gradient Vs time developed to represent the driving pattern which is independent of vehicle configuration. A drive cycle has been developed for commercial vehicle based on real life data. Analysis was done on the representative data measured and recorded by real driving behaviors for different driving conditions (City, and highway), along with engine part load data and vehicle parameters like Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), gear box ratios, rear axle ratio, tire size. The above set of parameters are simulated and validated on software. Estimation of fuel consumption (based on developed drive cycle) using validated software matches real time fuel consumption. This would eventually lead us to choose power train to get better output in terms of fuel efficiency.

The automotive sector is going through a phase of stiff competition among various Original Equipment Manufacturers for increasing their profitability while ensuring highest levels of customer satisfaction. The biggest challenge for such companies lies in minimizing their overall cost involving investments in Research and Development, manufacturing, after sales service and warranty costs. Higher warranty costs not only affect the net profit but in turn it also affects the brand image of the company to a large extent in the long run. An effort is made here to target such warranty costs due to frequent tail pinion and hub seal leakages on single reduction/hub reduction axles of Heavy Commercial Vehicles in the field. A preliminary study involving the severity analysis of such failures is followed by a step by step investigation of these failures.