[porsche_guy]

The Test Mules thread

I find test mules to be very interesting. Everytime I see one lots of thoughts and questions pop up in my mind. Being confidential pieces of equipment for OEMs I don. Tried to search the forum but couldn't find a similar thread, so decided to make one. So feel free to put forward all the queries here and hope to have a great discussion around this topic! So to start off, here are my questions. Hope the experts can answer them.


1. How is the Insurance dealt with in these vehicles? Do OEMs have to take a seperate car insurance like for other cars or is it a different policy?

2. What happens if say, one gets in an accident with a test mule? How is that dealt with generally?

3. What about the challans and traffic violations? Since they don't use the conventional number plates and aren't listed on the VAHAN portal, how are traffic violations and fines issued or are they entirely exempted from such stuff?

4. How do the drivers deal with vandalism or people trying to pull off the camouflage and tamper with the vehicle in crowded areas where such cars stand out?

Thanks All!

[GTO]

Don't know about test mules, but I can add some perspective from the fresh production cars that we test-drive before their actual launch.

Originally Posted by porsche_guy

How is the Insurance dealt with in these vehicles? Do OEMs have to take a seperate car insurance like for other cars or is it a different policy?

It's a split. The media cars we receive sometimes have only 3rd-party insurance, while some have full comprehensive coverage. Because of the huge volume of business from OEMs, am sure the insurance company will happily provide a minimum of 3rd-party insurance to the test mule. Imagine the insurance premiums they receive from covering the factory etc! No one says no to OEM business simply because the volumes are so high once you get your foot in the door.

What happens if say, one gets in an accident with a test mule? How is that dealt with generally?

I think it would be the same as with any other road accident on an unregistered car (dealer TD cars are also unregistered, as are customer cars that are being transported from the yard to the dealer). As long as you have temp plates, it's not a problem. Cops are well familiar with the process.

What about the challans and traffic violations? Since they don't use the conventional number plates and aren't listed on the VAHAN portal, how are traffic violations and fines issued or are they entirely exempted from such stuff?

The temp numbers are unique to the owner, hence it could be that the authorities pull them up too for speeding by sending challans against that number. But to the manufacturer, a 1000-rupee speeding fine is a small price to pay for high speed testing of their brand new car and its suspension + engine etc.

What is unique about the temp plate is that it can be re-used across multiple cars (unlike permanent number plates which are linked to a single car).

That said, I must say that no manufacturer has ever reached out to us in reference to a speeding ticket for an unregistered TD car running on temp plates. Can't say for sure if they receive tickets or not.

How do the drivers deal with vandalism or people trying to pull off the camouflage and tamper with the vehicle in crowded areas where such cars stand out?

We have seen on Team-BHP that these cars are mostly parked / caught closely at food stops only. Overnight parking is usually only on the OEM's private property, although there have been rare cases of test mules being parked outside the employee's home / apartment.

The drivers are quite vigilant and try to avoid anyone taking pictures as much as possible. A few also get aggressive, either by driving hard or physical threats. I remember a BHPian posting that he took a pic of some Mahindra / Tata test mule on the expressway, then pulled into the expressway petrol pump. The test mule followed him in and the driver walked up to said BHPian, telling him to delete the pictures, threatening him with an "or else...". BHPian removed his watch, gave it to his wife, stepped out and rolled up his sleeves. Test mule driver ran away

[kosjam]

Sometimes I get the feel that test mules have another function.

They are a kind of unofficial release, sort of a leak, which helps by generating hype when such pictures come up in automotive websites.

Afterall, any publicity is good publicity and word of mouth is always considered the highest (even if the slowest) form of publicity.

Otherwise what would explain test mules roaming around on weekends when the same runs can easily be done on weekdays, especially on tourist destinations such as Lavasa and Lonavala in Maharashtra.

[saikarthik]

Originally Posted by kosjam

Sometimes I get the feel that test mules have another function.
They are a kind of unofficial release, sort of a leak, which helps by generating hype when such pictures come up in automotive websites.
Afterall, any publicity is good publicity and word of mouth is always considered the highest (even if the slowest) form of publicity.
Otherwise what would explain test mules roaming around on weekends when the same runs can easily be done on weekdays, especially on tourist destinations such as Lavasa and Lonavala in Maharashtra.

GTO answered almost all questions. But for the use of temp plates comes with discipline of the user (firm), there have been instances in my experience where the temp plates are just picked at random by the driver for a quick drive and front/back plates won't even match.

Earlier it was enough to have temp plates even in the windshield or on glass area and fonts are forgiven. But now it's seriously monitored to have them fastened (removable, not riveting as in general rule) in designated number plate area. These are done to improve readability by speed trap cameras and traffic cops.

I have driven these test mules in couple of companies for testing of my work. They aren't for PR or advertisement and also they need to go on public roads to test some realistic scenarios, which in some cases can't be simulated. And every time engineers go on a drive, it's a pain of documentation for the tools/equipment they carry and also the liability of their reputation in case of loss/damage. So they are taken out only on purpose for at lease 99%. In some rare cases some still misuse it, and I have also witnessed it.

[porsche_guy]

Originally Posted by GTO

Don't know about test mules, but I can add some perspective from the fresh production cars that we test-drive before their actual launch.

Thanks for the prompt reply.

We have seen on Team-BHP that these cars are mostly parked / caught closely at food stops only. Overnight parking is usually only on the OEM's private property, although there have been rare cases of test mules being parked outside the employee's home / apartment.

Quite on the contrary I have seen a lot of these test mules (mostly MGs and Chevys) just parked randomly on the streets with nobody to monitor them. The latest incident that comes to my mind is the XUV7OO mule being parked on the road with the hood open and nobody around. I wonder though then, how do OEMs deal with vandalism because if somebody manages to tear off the camo and reveal the entire design, it would be a major blow to the OEM.

The drivers are quite vigilant and try to avoid anyone taking pictures as much as possible. A few also get aggressive, either by driving hard or physical threats. I remember a BHPian posting that he took a pic of some Mahindra / Tata test mule on the expressway, then pulled into the expressway petrol pump. The test mule followed him in and the driver walked up to said BHPian, telling him to delete the pictures, threatening him with an "or else...". BHPian removed his watch, gave it to his wife, stepped out and rolled up his sleeves. Test mule driver ran away

. Are the drivers held responsible if somebody on the road clicks the pics? Curious since technically they can't do much about it.
On another note, had heard through somebody few years back who had employed an ex-Jeep test mule driver that they really aren't given any specific targets as such and are told to just drive them as much as possible. The cars apparently ran an average of 500-700kms everyday!

[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by porsche_guy

So to start off, here are my questions. Hope the experts can answer them.

I have to add another query.

Toll payments: How are toll payments handled with Fastag being mandatory now?

[Torque_Curve]

Originally Posted by porsche_guy

2. What happens if say, one gets in an accident with a test mule? How is that dealt with generally?

3. What about the challans and traffic violations? Since they don't use the conventional number plates and aren't listed on the VAHAN portal, how are traffic violations and fines issued or are they entirely exempted from such stuff?

4. How do the drivers deal with vandalism or people trying to pull off the camouflage and tamper with the vehicle in crowded areas where such cars stand out?

Thanks All!

2. It's not much different from a mainstream accident except that the driver's of these test-mules would probably end up putting a cover on the car to avoid prying eyes around.

3. In majority of the cases, they aren't caught. I've driven a few vehicles with a temporary registration (post-launch media drive kinda stuff) and have been stopped by cops. They have argued at times saying that we cannot fine the vehicle as it's not a permanent number and hence go on to fine the driver in most cases (unless you're let off, that is).

4. There's only so much you can do to stop random people from getting involved. The drivers of these cars usually don't let people near these vehicles as they're said to have been threatened(?) by their employers that they could stand to lose their job if photos of the car are leaked or surface anywhere. The drivers usually politely ward off people if they notice photos are being taken (speaking from personal experience). There have also been a few odd instances where drivers (in the late stages of testing) have freely allowed photos to be clicked, exterior as well as interior.

Originally Posted by sukiwa

Toll payments: How are toll payments handled with Fastag being mandatory now?

Similar to new cars, I guess these test-mules also receive Fastags based on their VIN/chassis number instead of the registration number. Nonetheless, I'm sure they can afford to pay twice the toll amount if all else fails.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by sukiwa

Toll payments: How are toll payments handled with Fastag being mandatory now?

We had an unregistered Skoda Octavia as part of our test-drive. The Fastag was placed in the windshield clip. Drove through all toll booths without issue. Probably linked to VIN as Torque_Curve said. Most unregistered media cars however don't come with Fastags; cash is king.

[gt3t0uring]

Test Mules intrigue me a lot as well, especially those which never enter regular production. Have seen a video of Tata Nano doing 120kph, and spyshots of the 3 cylinder version with Tiago inspired interior. I wonder what must have happened to it.

[balenoed_]

One thing I always notice with the test mules is that everyone (or most of it) bears a TN registration number plate. I guess it is because most manufacturers have a manufacturing plant in Chennai/TN.

[Emvi]

Talking of test mules, I have a slightly off-topic query. Are the test drivers just "drivers" who record and report the performance feedback to the engineering department or are they qualified enough to draw their own inference? Anyone with insight?

[saikarthik]

Originally Posted by Emvi

Talking of test mules, I have a slightly off-topic query. Are the test drivers just "drivers" who record and report the performance feedback to the engineering department or are they qualified enough to draw their own inference? Anyone with insight?

Good question. They are not academically qualified (mostly), but have vast experience to notice many issues that even are missed by engineers sometimes. Also, to help them every time they go out, the test engineer updates the changes in vehicle and what to look for and there is a SOP for each type of test and the part associated with the test. Also, the feedback is taken once they return each day or 2 days once, and co-related to instrument recordings and previous data.

[red_nemesis]

Originally Posted by Emvi

Talking of test mules, I have a slightly off-topic query. Are the test drivers just "drivers" who record and report the performance feedback to the engineering department or are they qualified enough to draw their own inference? Anyone with insight?

Manufacturers generally have a well-drafted test plan for every build, starting from the mules. The group of people is thoughtfully selected to include a diverse set of drivers.

It generally includes people involved in development, quality assurance (qualified drivers), and also common "non-qualified" drivers (to get unbiased feedback), etc.

The idea is to cover most of your target segment and also get unbiased and authentic feedback.

[saikarthik]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

One thing I always notice with the test mules is that everyone (or most of it) bears a TN registration number plate. I guess it is because most manufacturers have a manufacturing plant in Chennai/TN.

Yes, it depends on the location of either where the plant, R&D center or test is being carried out. I posted this as I remember you have a new Scorpio

This is MH because the mules were being tested in Nashik, where M&M plant is. Notice the position of TC plate as I mentioned in my previous posts.

This picture is actually taken when the testing for new audio, antenna & cable design for it's reception in remote places (combo of mountains blocking RF and between 2 cities where same radio frequency may get different content/show + bad weather). These types of scenarios are very hard to create in a lab. This is again a perception test not just measuring signal strength, attenuation, noise and stuff. So, you need trained people, regular users with good sample size. And thanks to auto reviews that compare previous gen to new gen performance, there are 2 vehicles in picture with 2nd gen and refreshed model to see if it's really distinguishable.

P.S: I am revealing this picture only because the refreshed vehicle was launched long time back and there are no revelations of test drivers/employees or test equipment.

Originally Posted by GTO

Probably linked to VIN as Torque_Curve said. Most unregistered media cars however don't come with Fastags; cash is king.

Yes, but I do have this query too as in some cases the TC places are interchanged, VIN can remain same. But not sure, Does anyone have idea on this?

Originally Posted by porsche_guy

Are the drivers held responsible if somebody on the road clicks the pics? Curious since technically they can't do much about it.The cars apparently ran an average of 500-700kms everyday!

Drivers on regular routes have usual stopover places and they are instructed to keep all doors locked, windows up and if camouflages come off, they carry extra with tape to conceal the exposed part.

They travel 600-700 Kms, how else can we know actual fatigue when it comes to seats and ergo designs?

[Gurkeerat Singh]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CRQt5...dium=copy_link

Motorbeam recently posted this video on their Instagram handle. A furious rider started peeling off the new XUVs camouflage when he was hit by the driver while testing.