A Dabbawala Jaguar in Mumbai

Jaguar put the new InControl Touch Pro system on its latest XJ model to the test in Mumbai by taking on the traditional acclaimed Dabbawalla delivery system in a race through the congested city streets.

Dabbawallas are used by many Mumbai workers to take home cooked food to their places of work in small ‘tiffins’ or ‘dabbas’. They operate on a complex relay system involving trains, buses, bikes and foot.

But one lucky Dabbawalla was given the chance to ride in luxury when the new Jaguar XJ picked him up, swapping a hard bike saddle for leather massage seats and the new InControl Touch Pro infotainment system in place of the noise of busy streets. The driver used the new navigation system to help steer through traffic as his rival Dabbawalla took the traditional route.

The Dabbawalla said: «It was a very different experience to the one I am used to! The only massage I normally get is from the bumps in the road! Those seats were amazing. And I never knew Mumbai could be so quiet – it was like a different world inside the car. It was a serious race too. We have a very well developed system here; one that many say is impossible to beat. But somehow the XJ won! The navigation system was a big help, but we were also lucky because the other Dabbawalla got stuck with a rare train delay.»

Founded in 1890, the Dabbawalla system, once subject to a Harvard Business School study, is a business miracle. Low cost, highly efficient and environmentally friendly, there is no use of any IT system or even cell phones, yet mistakes are extremely rare. Logistics expert Federal Express even sent its employees over to learn from the system.

Jaguar spokesman, Ian Hoban, Vehicle Line Director said: «We were privileged to gain an insight into the Dabbawalla business through this activity, and it really showed us how efficient this kind of process can be, even without the use of modern technology. In the race, the new XJ proved to be more than comfortable in the city streets. Despite its size, it is nimble, manoeuvrable and dynamic and that helped it cut through traffic with ease. The revolutionary technology in the new InControl Pro system also made a big difference, both from a guidance perspective and in allowing the Dabbawalla to ride in comfort.»