Why Indian Automotive of the 12 months is probably the most trusted automotive award that everybody needs

A few years in the past, Shekhar Gupta wrote an eye-opening piece on the delicate egos and politics of film awards, given his personal experiences up to now. Fortunately, the world of automotive awards just isn’t that unhealthy, though plainly nearly each automotive publication and web site has one award to offer out. Whereas I don’t imply to belittle these awards, a few of them are certainly fairly irrelevant.

Right here is the factor, very similar to something subjective, all automotive writers have completely different opinions about vehicles. And a core purpose for that’s that all of us have completely different driving types and like fairly various things in vehicles. There are those that love driving quick round racetracks in vehicles the place the driving force’s seat is barely a few inches above the tarmac. There are those that love the nice outdoor, need vehicles that may undergo something and sit excessive up with a commanding view of the panorama. As for me, I take a look at the devices and gizmos inside and outdoors the automobile, but additionally the practicality of a automobile. I’m not saying that the others don’t, however with regards to most awards, there’s an inherent bias.

One of the best ways to minimise it’s by having a various jury, which seems to be on the area in another way. That’s the reason a very powerful award of the yr, and the one one you see automobile producers use of their promoting and on the again of their vehicles, is the Indian Automotive of the 12 months (ICOTY).

This has been India’s most necessary automobile award for over 20 years, because the title just about signifies, and I’m a member of the jury to pick out this yr’s winner — ICOTY 2023 — this being my third stint. Together with 18 different jury members from all kinds of publications and with differing tastes and opinions on vehicles, a good evaluation will probably be made on which automobile is voted one of the best. Every juror is given 25 factors which they should divide between a minimal of 5 vehicles and a most of ten and has to pick out a transparent outright winner. The votes are audited by a significant agency.

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Why ICOTY is the trusted award

In fact, there are different qualifying standards. For instance, one of the best vehicles I’ve pushed this yr are luxurious German electrical autos, however ICOTY considers affordability and availability of their choice standards. Dhruv Behl, editor, AutoX, who has taken up the rotating chairmanship of ICOTY this yr, says that the awards relevance is predicated on the truth that jurors come from completely different publications, “who compete within the media, who come collectively to vote on a singular award that rewards a automobile that’s the most related to the Indian market in that yr. These are all individuals who drive and evaluate these autos all year long”.

Nonetheless, Behl provides, “Contemplating the adjustments taking place within the automotive business, with inexperienced expertise in addition to a rising premium section, we additionally award a Inexperienced Automotive and Premium Automotive.”

By the yr, I’ve written about a lot of the contenders for the award, such because the Maruti-Suzuki Grand Vitara, the Citroen C3, the Mahindra Scorpio-N. These three autos compete in very completely different segments. However all of them compete for a single ICOTY award. Thus the award just isn’t diluted over segments. Consider it just like the Oscars. Any film from any style—and now even completely different languages—is eligible to win the highest prize. Whereas I’ve pushed a lot of the autos in rivalry, often for prolonged intervals of time, there will probably be a jury meet that takes place on the Buddh Worldwide Circuit the place we are going to get an opportunity to refresh our information of the contenders and, if want be, drive them once more.

The awards are supported by India’s largest tyre producer, JK Tyre and the nice and the nice from the business attend the awards night time, which this yr will happen on 12 January. It will be incorrect to say that there are those that don’t go away sad. In spite of everything, identical to many actors assume that they’re one of the best, carmakers additionally assume that they’ve made one of the best automobile. However, not like different awards, some which seem to be a junior faculty sports activities competitors the place seemingly everybody will get a prize, ICOTY’s course of and huge jury be sure that it stays the award everybody needs.

@kushanmitra is an automotive journalist based mostly in New Delhi. Views are private.

(Edited by Prashant)