The ACMA Mobility Foundation (AMF), an initiative of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Germany, to advance cutting-edge Research and Development (R&D) collaboration for India’s auto component industry.

The MoU was signed in the backdrop of the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2024) in New Delhi. The strategic partnership aims to provide a robust platform for industry-driven research and innovation, to the Indian auto component industry as it transforms to support the mobility industry in addressing challenges of carbon neutrality, circularity, safety and environment. Through this collaboration, AMF and Fraunhofer will leverage their expertise to drive advancements in technology, sustainability, and product innovation, thereby contributing to the growth and competitiveness of the Indian automotive ecosystem. The MoU will be effective for an initial period of three years, with potential extensions based on mutual agreement.

The partnership will focus on the following –

R&D Collaboration: Fraunhofer Institutes will work with AMF on applied research, focusing on new product development, process innovations, and competitive R&D for the Indian auto components sector.

Technical Expertise: Fraunhofer's technical experts will engage with Indian automotive companies to improve process technologies and introduce sustainable production methods.

Sustainability and Road Safety: Joint projects aimed at sustainable production and road safety will be explored, with a focus on circular economy principles and pre-competitive technologies that can be implemented across the automotive sector.

Vikrampati Singhania, Director, AMF & MD, JK Fenner (India) said, “This is a significant milestone for the Indian auto component industry. Collaborating with Fraunhofer, a world leader in applied research, will strengthen our efforts to drive innovation, enhance product quality, and accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility solutions. This partnership underscores our commitment to shaping a future-ready automotive industry in India.”

Vinnie Mehta, Director & Secretary, AMF added “This partnership will enable Indian companies to tap into Fraunhofer’s vast expertise and experience in applied research, helping them meet global standards while fostering innovation at a competitive cost.”

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, with its 76 research institutes and a significant global presence, brings over 3.4 billion euros (INR 298 billion) in annual research funding. The Fraunhofer Traffic and Transportation Alliance, with its cluster of 18 institutes, will be at the forefront of this collaboration, providing specialised research and development services to the automotive ecosystem in India.

Dr Johann Feckl, Director and Section Head Precompetitive Research and International Relations, Fraunhofer HQ, highlighting the strengths and capabilities of the Fraunhofer Institutes elaborated, “India and Germany are strong and natural partners in mobility. Fraunhofer possesses excellent strengths in applied research around the entire value chain of mobility from materials to manufacturing and even mobility concepts and India’s strengths are in manufacturing and qualified manpower. We are delighted that on the occasion of the Intergovernmental consultations, we are concluding this very important partnership with ACMA. We look forward to strengthening our long standing partnership.”

Anandi Iyer, Director, Fraunhofer Office India said, “Fraunhofer works closely with the industry to crunch the innovation cycle and bring new processes and products faster to the market. We are already working very strongly with the Indian automotive industry since the last 16 years with ACMA as a valued partner. It will be exciting to bring the German and Indian industry to work on India- specific challenges, create proof of concepts and then scale it at a much faster pace, thus combining German engineering and Indian ingenuity for a win-win alliance,”

This partnership is set to enhance technology and trade relations between India and Germany, while creating a sustainable talent pool of skilled researchers and technical experts well-versed in global best practices.

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Tier 1 supplier Uno Minda has announced that its Board of Directors has approved setting up of a greenfield manufacturing facility for aluminium die casting in Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra.

The new facility is targeted to meet the growing demand for casting components, particularly in electric two- and four-wheelers. As automakers look to introduce alternative energy vehicles with higher energy efficiency, lightweighting becomes a critical focus area. This is an area where aluminium die casting has emerged as a critical requirement for lightweight, high-performance vehicle platforms. EVs fundamentally require significantly more aluminium-based structural and thermal components compared to their internal combustion counterparts—making advanced die casting capabilities central to EV powertrain and body applications.

In addition, the upcoming facility will play vital role in supporting Uno Minda’s backward integration strategy by supplying essential casting components to its forthcoming four-wheeler electric vehicle powertrain plant.

The new project involves a total planned capital investment of approximately INR 2.1 billion, to be implemented in a phased manner over the next five years. The investment will be funded through a balanced mix of internal accruals and debt. Phase 1 of the plant is expected to commence commercial operations by Q2 FY27.

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German private equity investor Mutares SE & Co is set to acquire Continental’s drum brakes production and R&D location in Cairo Montenotte (Italy) as part of its new platform investment in the automotive and mobility segment.

This follows the Continental Group’s recent announcement to spin off its automotive business as an independent company, Aumovio in September 2025.

As per the understanding, Mutares will take over all employees and business activities related to Continental’s drum brake business in Cairo Montenotte. This is expected to add about EUR 100 million in revenue for the company in 2025. The facility in Cairo Montenotte, Italy, is a production and R&D site for hydraulic drum brakes and manufactures products such as the Parking Brake for Simplex Brakes (EPB-Si) and the Drum Brake (Si). It employs around 400 people.

Johannes Laumann, CIO, Mutares, said, “With the acquisition of Continental’s Cairo Montenotte site we are strengthening our automotive and mobility segment. The long-standing expertise, strong product portfolio and highly skilled workforce provide an excellent foundation for operational development and future growth.”

Philipp von Hirschheydt, member of the Continental Executive Board and CEO of the future Aumovio, added, “We are confident that Mutares, with its extensive experience in the automotive business, is the right owner to lead this site into the future. Our shared goal is to ensure continuity for employees, customers and partners while securing long-term prospects for the Cairo Montenotte location.”

“With this agreement, we further consolidate our European manufacturing footprint. Moreover, it marks an important step in our strategy in Europe to better allocate R&D and investments with our product strategy and future technologies, such as electric braking or integrated friction solutions. The transaction deal follows Automotive’s strategy to sharpen our focus on our core business and streamline our business operations,” added Hirschheydt.

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Tier 1 automotive supplier Forvia Hella has announced the appointment of Subramanian Narayanan (Subu) as the new Head of Global Development Center India.

It was in May 2001, Narayanan started his journey in the automotive industry as a Product Designer at Visteon Corporation.

In 2005, Subu joined the Forvia Hella Group (formerly Hella Lighting and Faurecia) and over the course of nearly two decades, he held various positions in the company. Most recently, he was the Head – Technical Center and Program Management.

In his new role, Narayanan will be tasked with leading new product development and technological trends for Forvia Hella.

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Highway Roop Precision Technologies (Highway Roop), a global auto components platform formed by the integration of Highway Industries and Roop Automotives, has appointed Dharmesh Arora as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Arora brings a wealth of experience to Highway Roop, having most recently served as CEO for Asia Pacific at Schaeffler Group for over five years. Prior to that, he held the position of CEO for Schaeffler India for seven years. His extensive career also includes two decades in leadership roles within purchasing and supply chain at General Motors. He started his journey in the automotive sector in 1986 as a Product Engineer at Maruti Suzuki India, making him a seasoned industry veteran.

Mohit Oswal, Non-Executive Chairman of Highway Roop, said, “We are excited that Dharmesh has joined as CEO of Highway Roop. He is a highly experienced professional who has a deep understanding of the automotive industry and brings decades of global experience in building and managing automotive businesses”.

He added that Arora’s focus will be on "accelerating growth, driving operational excellence and leveraging innovation to deliver enhanced value for the Platform’s customers and strengthen its market position."

Dharmesh Arora said, “I am honoured to join Highway Roop at such an exciting time for India’s automotive industry. The platform’s strong manufacturing capabilities, diverse product portfolio, and global customer base create a powerful foundation for expansion.”

Highway Roop is a prominent manufacturer of forged and precision-machined components, including steering system assemblies and various transmission and powertrain applications. The company caters to electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles. The platform has also indicated its intent to acquire synergistic assets as part of its growth and expansion strategy within the auto components sector.

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