CIRT Marks 60 Years in Pune, Launches Automotive Cybersecurity Testing Lab

Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 5th November 2026: The Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), Pune, has announced a year-long programme of national initiatives with a renewed focus on vehicle safety, road safety and automotive cybersecurity.

The institute also showcased its newly established Automotive Cybersecurity Penetration Testing Laboratory at its Bhosari campus during a media interaction on Wednesday.

Having completed 59 years since its establishment in 1967 and entered its 60th year in September 2026, CIRT will organise a series of initiatives under the theme “Ensuring Safer and Secure Mobility” from September 2026 to September 2027.

The media interaction was attended by CIRT Director Dr Devendra Singh, Head of Technical Secretariat Shekhar Dhole, Head of Automotive Cybersecurity and Management Development Centre Farukh Makhdoom, Head of Safety and Homologation Dr Mangesh Pathak, Head of Automotive Testing Division Sanjay Salunkhe and other senior officials.

CIRT was established in 1967 through a joint initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, and the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU). Its initial mandate was to support testing and capacity building for State Transport Undertakings across the country.

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations were formally inaugurated, and the jubilee logo was unveiled, by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.

“For six decades, CIRT has stood behind every safer vehicle and component that has passed through our laboratories. As India moves towards connected, software-defined, electric and automated vehicles, safety now also depends on the security of a vehicle’s digital systems. Our Diamond Jubilee Year is about honouring that legacy while building the testing, certification and human capability the next phase of Indian mobility demands,” said CIRT Director Dr Devendra Singh.

Six decades of vehicle safety and transport development

CIRT has undertaken several initiatives in vehicle testing, certification and transport capacity building over the past six decades.

It established India’s first Tyre and Wheel Rim Laboratory and was authorised by MoRTH under CMVR Rule 124 in 1994. In 2007, it became a testing agency for full-vehicle homologation under CMVR Rule 126 and received NABL accreditation for its laboratories.

During its Golden Jubilee year in 2017, CIRT certified India’s first retrofitted electric bus and received its first patent for a driver evaluation system.

Subsequently, it was authorised to certify imported vehicles under GSR 870 in 2019, designated as the Command and Control Centre for Bharat NCAP in 2023, commissioned a Virtual Simulation Laboratory in 2024 and established its Automotive Cybersecurity Division in 2025.

The institute currently has 10 laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) under ISO/IEC 17025. It has trained more than 80,000 officials through over 2,000 programmes.

CIRT has also issued 38 official Bharat NCAP safety ratings between FY 2023-24 and FY 2025-26. More than 115 Automated Driving Test Tracks have been deployed across Maharashtra, Odisha and Gujarat.

Beyond testing and certification, CIRT serves as the Automotive Industry Standards Committee (AISC) Secretariat for vehicles above 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW). It also functions as MoRTH’s Secretariat for WP.1, the UNECE Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety, and holds recognition from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO).

The institute also provides monitoring, execution and project management services for MoRTH-funded schemes. Its activities support a network of 31 Institutes of Driving Training and Research, 22 Regional Driver Training Centres, 82 Driver Training Centres and five Automated Fitness Testing Stations.

CIRT also advises state governments on the procurement of electric, diesel and CNG buses and provides project management consultancy services to State Transport Departments and Union Territory administrations for implementing AI-enabled Automated Driving Test Systems. These systems are aimed at improving transparency, objectivity and efficiency in driver evaluation.

Focus on automotive cybersecurity

With modern vehicles increasingly relying on electronic control units, telematics systems and over-the-air (OTA) software updates, cybersecurity has become an important aspect of vehicle safety.

CIRT’s Automotive Cybersecurity Division offers testing, evaluation and certification-related services to vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers.

Its services include audits of Cyber Security Management Systems (CSMS) and Software Update Management Systems (SUMS) for issuing Certificates of Compliance, along with vehicle type approval under AIS-189 and AIS-190.

The division also conducts vulnerability assessment and penetration testing (VAPT) of electronic control units, gateways, telematics systems, infotainment systems and in-vehicle networks.

Other areas of evaluation include the security of OTA software updates, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, and electric vehicle charging interfaces.
CIRT also conducts specialised training programmes through its Management Development Centre for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), component suppliers, testing agencies and regulators.

The institute’s cybersecurity activities are aligned with AIS-189 and AIS-190, UN Regulations R155 and R156, ISO/SAE 21434 and ISO 24089. According to CIRT, advisory and certification services are handled by independent teams in accordance with its impartiality policy.

“Cybersecurity is now a condition of vehicle safety, not an add-on. With a dedicated penetration testing laboratory in Pune, Indian manufacturers and suppliers can validate the cyber resilience of their vehicles domestically, against both Indian and UN requirements, before those vehicles reach the road,” said Farukh Makhdoom, Head of Automotive Cybersecurity and MDC, CIRT.

Diamond Jubilee programme until September 2027

As part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations, CIRT has announced a series of national-level initiatives and knowledge-sharing programmes scheduled between September 2026 and September 2027.

The initiatives include a National Initiative for Safer, Secure and Sustainable Public Transport, focusing on public transport safety and security through testing, certification and skill development.

The institute will also organise webinars and workshops on V2V and V2X technologies, connected vehicles and communication security.
Another proposed initiative is an Automotive Cybersecurity Talent Development Ecosystem, aimed at creating awareness and developing specialised skills among students, academic institutions and industry professionals.

Technical workshops and seminars will cover cybersecurity, bus testing and certification, e-rickshaw and e-cart testing, vehicle registration and fitness, and AI-based automated driving tests.

CIRT will also launch the “Moving India Safely” road safety outreach campaign to increase awareness among stakeholders.

The Diamond Jubilee programme will conclude with an Expo-cum-Conference and closing ceremony in September 2027. The event is expected to cover vehicle safety and security, automotive cybersecurity and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), V2V/V2X technologies, Bharat NCAP 2.0, testing and certification, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) validation.

CIRT said the year-long programme would provide a platform for collaboration among government agencies, the automotive industry, testing institutions and academic organisations.

About CIRT
Established in 1967 by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings, the Central Institute of Road Transport is based in Pune. It is a MoRTH-authorised testing and certification agency under CMVR Rules 124 and 126 and serves as the Command and Control Centre for Bharat NCAP.

Its activities include vehicle testing and certification, training and capacity building, and research and consultancy. The institute has 10 NABL-accredited laboratories.

CIRT publishes the quarterly Indian Journal of Transport Management and the annual publication State Transport Undertakings: Profile & Performance.

Website: www.cirtindia.com