INDEA has formed a strategic collaboration with ATS India (Automotive Test Systems), operating under the auspices of the XLRI Centre for car Design & Management (XADM), India's first school specifically dedicated to automobile design and management. This partnership represents a critical turning point in the school's development. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Avik Chattopadhyay, Chairperson of XADM and Founder of INDEA, and S Ramanathan, Managing Director of ATS India.

In keeping with its pioneering role in the field of automotive education, ATS will supervise the whole project management process as part of the MoU. This includes designing, setting up and commissioning the proposed design studio and prototyping facility within the school. The duties include defining the necessary servers, software, hardware and other equipment as well as the civil infrastructure, which includes the water and energy supplies. In order to guarantee ongoing operational effectiveness, the MoU also calls for the selection of premier suppliers and partners in addition to long-term maintenance agreements. The goal of this partnership is to increase capacity building and knowledge sharing between the two companies, all the while maximising resource utilisation for testing and research.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Fr K S Casimir, Director, XLRI Delhi-NCR, said, “The partnership with ATS is a significant step in the direction of building a world-class design facility as part of the design school. We value their expertise and experience. Together, we will bring the best brands in the business as partners in setting up an institution for the greater good that will do the nation proud.”

Avik Chattopadhyay, Chairperson – XADM and Founder – INDEA, added, “To create a global benchmark, one needs the best domain experts, and we at XADM are privileged to have ATS as one at the initial stages of the setting up of India's first dedicated automobile design school. They will get the best from across the world for the design and prototyping facilities that are core to the school. Ramanathan and the ATS team share our dream and commitment towards building a world-class institution.”

S Ramanathan, MD, ATS India, commented, “The setting up of the state-of-the-art centre focusing on Automotive Design Management by XLRI is a first in India. It’ll give an opportunity for the students to learn the nuances of designing and developing as well as managing an automotive ‘protoshop’. They’ll get to learn design management, parts manufacturing, vehicle integration as well as basic testing and validation. It will benefit the industry in a big way, especially start-ups who can come and use these facilities for their product development. We expect this project to set up a great example of industry-academia collaboration in the automotive space and are really happy to be associated with such a prestigious project.”

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Lusso Designs India, a vehicle customisation company and part of Arpanna Group of Companies, has opened its first flagship experience centre in Mumbai.

The facility will function as a showroom and design atelier, displaying vehicles and components such as alloy wheels and upholstery. Lusso Designs is collaborating with designer Dhanesh Chheda of Just Men for this venture.

The company operates production hubs in Pune and Dubai and caters to brands such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Porsche, Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia India and Hyundai Motor India.

Pratik Malkan, Chairman, Arpanna Group of Companies, said, "For over five decades, our Group has been built on the belief that enduring businesses are created by combining craftsmanship, innovation and an uncompromising commitment to quality. Lusso Designs represents the natural evolution of that philosophy into the luxury mobility space. India today is witnessing a new generation of discerning consumers who seek experiences that are deeply personal and globally benchmarked. With Lusso, we are not simply introducing another automotive customisation brand—we are creating an ecosystem where design, engineering and craftsmanship come together to redefine luxury ownership for the Indian market and beyond."

Vihaan Malkan, Director, Lusso Designs, said, "The inauguration of our flagship experience centre in Mumbai marks the beginning of a new chapter for the luxury automotive ecosystem in India. Over the past five decades, our group's legacy has been anchored on absolute discretion, precision engineering, and uncompromising quality. Through this experience centre, we are seamlessly fusing international luxury benchmarks with local design sensibilities. We are empowering discerning Indian vehicle owners to realise their ultimate vision of ultra-luxury, personalised comfort, and sustainable design, transforming their vehicles into a true extension of their individual identity."

The new facility is designed for vehicle customisation, offering services ranging from interior overhauls to the integration of materials.

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Tropicool Autotronics has unveiled its 360deg Around View Monitoring (AVM) System for commercial vehicles at the Prawaas 5.0 exhibition in India. The system is designed to improve driver visibility and eliminate blind spots.

It provides a bird's-eye view using four HD cameras, offering dynamic guidelines for parking and reversing. The system features automatic camera switching based on vehicle movement and multi-channel recording. The architecture is built to support future safety applications and is designed for buses, trucks and commercial vehicles.

Khushboo Shinagare, CEO, Tropicool Autotronics, said, "Commercial vehicle safety is evolving rapidly, and visibility is one of the biggest challenges drivers face every day. Our 360deg AVM System empowers drivers with complete situational awareness, reducing blind spots and improving passenger and pedestrian safety. We are delighted to introduce this solution at Prawaas 5.0 and support India's vision for safer, smarter mobility."

This launch expands the company’s portfolio, which includes vehicle electronics, parking assistance and passenger systems.

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone of having a total of 6,000 service touchpoints across India with the opening of a new facility in Kozhikode, Kerala. The company’s service network now operates in over 3,000 cities and towns.

The new workshop in Kozhikode covers 1,820 square metres and includes service bays, body repair bays and electric vehicle charging and service capabilities.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, said, “In automobile business, along with the product, the convenience of quality service support is essential to enhancing a customer’s vehicle ownership experience. As our customer base continues to grow, we are equally focused on expanding our service network to provide greater convenience and peace of mind to customers. The inauguration of our 6,000th service touchpoint reflects this commitment. I would like to thank our dealer partners and service team, as together we have accelerated workshop activation and added our most recent 1,000 touchpoints in just around two years. Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our service footprint, and in FY 2026-27, we plan to add about 500* service touchpoints across the country.”

The company’s service network includes workshops, sales and service points, rural workshops and mobile service units. Maruti Suzuki also provides digital tools for customers, such as the Maruti Suzuki App, an AI-powered virtual assistant called S-Assist and vehicle health assessment documents.

In the 2025-26 financial year, Maruti Suzuki opened 502 service touchpoints and recorded 28.4 million vehicle services.

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Tesla has inaugurated a destination charging station at Nexus Select Citywalk in New Delhi. The site features six 11 kW AC destination chargers located in the P1 parking area. This addition brings Tesla's total in India to 6 charging stations, comprising 20 superchargers and 20 destination chargers.

Alongside the charging site, Tesla has opened a pop-up store at the mall, which operates from 6 July to 10 July between 11 AM and 9 PM. Visitors can view the Model Y L and the 2026 Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive.

The Model Y L is a six-seat SUV with a cargo capacity of 2,539 litres and a range of 681 km. Pricing for the Model Y L begins at INR 6.19 million, with monthly EMIs from INR 49,990 and a down payment of INR 650,000.

The 2026 Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive seats five passengers, offers 2,138 litres of cargo space, and provides a range of 500 km. It is priced at INR 5.08 million, with EMIs starting at INR 39,990 and a down payment of INR 650,000.

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