Evolution of In-Car Climate Control in India

Prior to the launch of the AC/TG or air conditioner + tinted glass variant of the Maruti-Suzuki 800 in 1984, factory fitted air conditioner was a rarity available only in imported cars. Before the inception of air conditioning system in the Indian car market, the cabin temperatures were kept in control using various indigenous techniques.

One such indigenous technique to exist till the 1970s was the use of ‘Khus-khus sheets' which were nothing but sheets/mats woven from dried Khus-khus- a perennial variety of grass easily available in our country. These sheets are well known for their cooling property and are traditionally used in regions with low humidity. The cars from the early years also lacked inner lining on their roofs to insulate the cabin from heat or cold. Thus, when these Khus-khus sheets soaked in water were tied to the roof of the car, the temperature of the cabin would reduce considerably owing to the high heat conductivity of bare metal surface. This coupled with an in-cabin oscillating fan did manage to keep the passengers comfortable.

The decades of 1970s to 1990s saw the rise and fall of air conditioner retrofitting. Retrofitting in-car air conditioners had become a major automotive allied industry in India during these years. The air conditioning kit comprised of an AC blower with a built-in cooling coil which would be fitted inside the cabin, most preferably near the dashboard and a set of dedicated AC condenser and compressor mounted in the engine bay. Since these retrofitted AC units would draw power from the engine, the idling speed of the engine had to be increased to compensate for this power loss. The increased engine operating temperature and the additional heat escaping from the AC condenser called for a larger radiator and fan blades to keep the engine bay temperatures in check.

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While the Maruti 800, launched in 1983 came with just a blower, its 1984 AC/TG model was the first Indian production car to come with a factory fitted air-conditioner. This AC system was the unrefined version of the modern car AC systems we find in our cars. The technology was plagued with multiple issues such as considerable drop in power which would force you to turn off the AC during uphill climbs and lowered cooling capacity at lower engine speeds. This in-car AC system combined with an in-car heating system is what the basic air-conditioning system of the modern cars comprises of.

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With the increasing demand for luxury car features, automatic climate control systems started showing up. These systems gauge the temperature of the cabin and dynamically adjust the flow and temperature of air coming out of the AC vents to maintain the cabin temperature at comfortable levels. Advancements in these areas over the years have given rise to multi-zone climate control systems where individual seat passengers can control the temperature of air coming out of their dedicated vents.

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With the technology moving forward and the rising demand for luxury features, the manufacturers are efficiently managing the air coming out of the AC unit. Car manufacturers have started offering various additional comfort features like cooled gloveboxes, cup-holders and cooled/ventilated seats which is only possible through efficient distribution and routing of the cool air coming from the AC.