By : RACHNA TYAGI
MUMBAI :
With a torrent of technological advancements in the 21st Century, it sure is a tremendously exciting time for the auto industry. On National Technology Day, here’s what movers and shakers from the world of auto and tech, both, legacy and new-age, have to say about emerging technologies and the way the future of everything auto is shaping up. All of these point in one direction – that of technological transformation – which is taking over our lives and how!
Randeep Singh Khokar, Head - Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle (TMPV)
“Innovation is deeply embedded in our DNA and demonstrated through our path breaking products and services. Customers expect their vehicles to be experiential than being merely functional and this can be achieved with the power of technology. Software and emerging technology have become indispensable components contributing towards the curation of elevated driving experiences. The car indeed must now be seen as “software on wheels”. Auto OEMs must strive to naturalize the process of software incorporation, especially vis-à-vis s. A paradigm shift to a cloud-first approach, similar to what happens with mobile phones, will be critical in providing a compelling and harmonious experience. Tata Motors has already forayed into the journey of bringing game-changing software advancements to cars, and will continue to be at the helm when it comes to software-defined vehicles.”
Raghavendra Vaidya, MD & CEO, Daimler Truck Innovation Centre India
With technology becoming pervasive in every component, the CV industry is going through a massive digital transformation. All key features, from safety and efficiency to connectivity, automation, and sustainability, are underpinned by technology. With data availability, AI and analytics have proven a game-changer in garnering actionable insights, predictive maintenance, and a superior customer experience. It’s the era of intelligent trucks that are nothing short of a data centre on wheels and have the potential to revolutionise the way we move goods and people, making transportation safer, more efficient, and more sustainable than ever before.
Today, automobiles are more than simply a mode of transportation; they are technological marvels that are reshaping the automotive industry and tackling the world's most urgent environmental problems at the same time.
Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India
“Electric, circular, digital: the BMW Group is ushering in a new era of electromobility from 2025 with the NEUE KLASSE, the next generation of vehicles. The Neue Klasse will be characterised by three key aspects: a completely redefined IT and software architecture, a new generation of high-performance electric drivetrains and batteries as well as a radically new approach to sustainability across the entire vehicle life cycle. The Neue Klasse models will provide a completely novel user experience never before seen in series production vehicles. We have laid the foundations to build on this success in the coming years: With the Neue Klasse, we are leading sustainable mobility into a new technological dimension.”
Volkswagen Passenger Cars India
On National Technology Day, Volkswagen, reaffirms its dedication to innovation and pushing the boundaries of automotive technology. We are proud of the advanced technologies that are now integral to the class-leading performance and safety of our carlines. Volkswagen has and will continue to revolutionise the driving experience.
Our carlines come fitted with multiple sensors and systems that enable them to anticipate driver demands and deliver real-time feedback. Our arsenal of offerings also includes the new Volkswagen Connect Plus app that allows owners to remotely stay connected with their cars at any given point of time.
Volkswagen will continue to be at the forefront of technological innovation as it has so far. Globally, the Volkswagen Brand has also made significant investments in EV technology, reinforcing our commitment to safety and sustainability.
We are enthusiastic about the opportunities that await us as we embrace the digital era. We envision and strive to offer a future based on connected cars and environmentally-prudent technologies that will serve generations to come.
Michael Hurlston, President and CEO, Synaptics
“On National Technology Day, we take a moment to celebrate the extraordinary power of technology which has transformed our lives. As a global leader in solutions that sense, process and connect to enable the Internet of Things and the AI revolution, we at Synaptics would like to specifically highlight the ubiquitous significance of semiconductor chips which serve as the brains of products and services that make our lives safer, more efficient, and enjoyable.”
“National Technology Day reminds of us of the importance of investing in the talent and expertise needed to expand the capabilities of this industry. India has some of the best semiconductor engineers in the world, hence, we urge engineers to use their skills and contribute to the existing semiconductor ecosystem, particularly in the creativity in how these devices are designed. And we encourage students to consider engineering-related studies and careers to maintain the pace of innovation needed over the long term and continue to make our world a better place.”
Rahil Gupta, CTO & Co-Founder - HOP Electric Mobility
"We have created an Electric Vehicle Ecosystem, where we sit at the intersection between Energy and Mobility. We decided to work on 2-wheeler platforms not seen in the country… [and] bring [in] distinctive key features that were not so prevalent. Our current models offer various exclusive [as well as] connected features. [We] launched India’s one of a kind Electric motorcycle – HOP OXO, an aspirational commuter, which has best in class efficiency, [is] [the] most economical in segment – running at 25 paisa per km.”
[Our] vision has been to turn-out comprehensively Safe EVs, undertake backward-integration and further reengineer quality standards for Testing and Validation of battery packs, wherein we focus a lot on our thermal management design, mechanical strength of pack, smart monitoring and control using Intelligent BMS (Battery Management system) and proprietary algorithms. The objective is to make sure the battery works well in automotive applications [for] high demanding consumers."
Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra
"We believe that digital transformation is essential and we are committed to investing in it . By leveraging cutting-edge digital tools combined with the power of data, we are able to understand our customers better, anticipate their needs, and deliver personalized solutions that exceed their expectations. This not only drives customer loyalty but also fuels growth and profitability for our business."
"To name a few initiatives, our omnichannel product discovery platform enables our customers to explore and compare our products and services across multiple touchpoints seamlessly. Whether they are browsing online, visiting our showrooms or communicating with our sales representatives, we provide a consistent and personalized experience that reflects our commitment to customer satisfaction. Embracing the potential of the metaverse, we introduced virtual reality test drives, enabling customers to explore vehicles in an immersive and convenient environment. Additionally, with the help of modern cloud-native dealer management systems, we are empowering our dealers to streamline their operations and enhance their ability to provide top-notch services to our customers."
"As we continue to embrace modern digital technologies and platforms, we aim to not only create exceptional customer experiences but also unlock operational efficiencies both internally and for our dealer network."
R Velusamy, President, Automotive Technology & Product Development, Mahindra & Mahindra
“At Mahindra, our commitment to global standards drives our development of customer-centric products. Guided by the Rise philosophy, our engineers continuously reskill themselves to fuel innovation and create cutting-edge technologies. We leverage multiple emerging technologies, including EVs, autonomous vehicles, connected car technologies, and upskill our product design engineers in evolving fields of data science, AI, IoT, Mechatronics, and more, thus aiding new product development. Mahindra Research Valley (MRV), our flagship R&D center since 2012, leads automotive technology advancements, producing globally acclaimed products that set new industry benchmarks. On this National Technology Day, we celebrate our diverse and talented workforce, whose relentless pursuit of excellence has resulted in 210 patents granted in the last 6 quarters, the highest among any Indian OEM worldwide.”
Gaurav Gupta, Deputy Managing Director, MG Motor India
At MG Motor, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of automotive innovation. We were the first one to introduce several C.A.S.E (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric) features in our products in India. We also see car as a platform (CAAP), and software as a differentiator, which we now believe that the software will also be an enabler. And Connectivity plays a major role for software to become the enabler, support the car as a platform, and takes care of customers’ requirements inside and outside the car. We see that the connectivity and software have started to play an evolving role. Today, the entire consumer base really looks at connectivity as a given in many ways."
"So, considering these customer requirements, we have introduced several ‘firsts’ in India including MG Hector, which redefined the standards of connectivity features in automobiles. With the introduction of ZS EV - India’s First Pure Electric Internet SUV, MG Astor with personal AI Assistant SUV & ADAS -2, and premium SUV- MG Gloster with ADAS (level-1) were a pivotal moment, solidifying our position as pioneers in auto tech. The recently launched MG Comet – The Smart EV, has also set new standards for next-generation urban mobility with technology-rich smart and connected features driven by software.”
