The division will provide expertise, resources and equipment, enabling some customers to carry out testing that they wouldn’t have been able to previously and others to meet strict deadlines.

Regulatory and consumer testing is expanding rapidly, placing increasing pressures on manufacturers. In 2014, the Euro NCAP assessment included 6 ADAS test scenarios, in 2020 it is now 39, an increase of 650 percent. On top of this, the drive for safety has meant that advanced technologies that were once the preserve of prestige vehicles are now commonplace at all price levels, resulting in a growing number of vehicle models requiring driver assistance and crash avoidance testing. By 2022 many advanced driver assistance systems will be made mandatory for all new cars in 40 countries.

Wesley Hulshof, Senior Applications Engineer – Testing Services, AB Dynamics, said, “Vehicle testing and assessment is more complex and requires more resources than ever before and this trend is likely to continue as the scenarios evolve. This poses a significant challenge, whether you are a major vehicle manufacturer or test laboratory lacking the resource to carry out the required quantity of testing, or a start-up that doesn’t have the test equipment or expertise. Our service is a scalable and flexible solution to meet the customers’ specific needs.”

“By taking advantage of our extensive knowledge, clients can negotiate even the most complex of testing scenarios. This allows them to progress projects as efficiently as possible, achieve greater testing capacity and enhance the skillsets of their own teams. In particular, customers may find our support most beneficial in staging increasingly common swarm testing environments that require the accurate control of 7, 8 or more vehicles or targets. These swarm scenarios, which are becoming essential for developing Autonomous Driving technologies, can quickly strain an entire lab’s resources and knowledge. This type of test requires a significant investment in testing equipment and choreographing the scenario can be incredibly complex,” Hulshof said.

AB Dynamics’ unique Simpia toolchain software is used throughout all of its products, meaning complicated ADAS or AV test scenarios need only be generated once and can then be precisely replicated from virtual testing on the simulator to real life on the test track or vice versa, achieving considerable time savings.

The flexibility of the service is particularly beneficial for smaller companies who only have a limited need for testing, perhaps for a standalone project. It allows them to complete their own programme without the need for heavy investment in personnel and equipment, giving access to an ‘on-demand’ service that provides the opportunity to bid for bigger projects.

The service is tailored to an individual customer’s requirements, whether it's consultancy, training or the completion of physical testing. Using its extensive suite of industry-leading test products, the company can provide a ‘turn up and test’ service, supplying and operating the test objects only, or, if preferred, control the entire scenario on a customer-supplied test vehicle. With several international bases and the ability to transport teams and equipment, it is a global service offering.

“Our robots and test systems have long been adopted worldwide as the first choice for vehicle testing. By passing on this expertise to our customers, we are ensuring that they can successfully overcome any testing challenges as a result of evolving technology and, if they do already have the relevant knowledge, help them to optimise their workload and efficiency,” he added. (MT)

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced that its participants secured 9 medals at the IndiaSkills National Competition 2025-26.

The cohort achieved 5 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze medal across seven vocational categories. The competition serves as the primary platform for vocational excellence in India, with participants progressing through district, state and regional levels before reaching the national finals held in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.

In the Mechatronics category, Deepu M S and Jayanth K won gold, while Ganesh P B and Punith Kumar received silver. Shashank S and Abhishek S S secured gold in Robotic System Integration, followed by Chirag G and Vinay M H with silver. In Additive Manufacturing, Pavan B S achieved gold and Harshith K B took silver. Individual gold medals were also awarded to Tejas B S for Auto Body Repair and Punith P for Mechanical Engineering CAD, while Praveen Y H earned a bronze medal in Welding.

The winners will now enter selection rounds for the WorldSkills Competition 2026, which is scheduled to take place in Shanghai, China, from 22 to 27 September. WorldSkills involves young professionals from over 60 countries competing in more than 65 technical skills. Toyota Kirloskar Motors’ participation in these events is part of a broader strategy to train technicians through advanced infrastructure and curricula aligned with international manufacturing standards.

G Shankara, Chief Strategy Officer, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota, we believe manufacturing excellence begins with nurturing exceptional talent. The remarkable performance of TKM participants at these prestigious events reflects their ability to excel across diverse skill categories and compete at the highest level. Their achievements embody the spirit of the Skill India Mission – empowering youth, nurturing creativity and fostering innovation. With such milestones, TKM continues to set new benchmarks in skill development and plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s growing talent landscape”

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Cars24 has announced that former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni has joined Crashfree India, a national road safety initiative, as its Goodwill Ambassador.

The partnership aims to address the high rate of traffic fatalities in India by shifting public focus towards driver accountability and discipline. India currently records the highest number of road deaths globally, with 180,000 fatalities reported in 2024.

Despite possessing approximately 1 percent of the world's vehicles, the country accounts for 11 percent of global road deaths.

The initiative highlights a demographic crisis, noting that 66 percent of those killed in 2024 were aged between 18 and 34. Data indicates that seven in ten fatalities were linked to overspeeding. Through this collaboration, Cars24 seeks to move the conversation beyond annual statistics and integrate safety into the daily mobility habits of Indian drivers.

The programme focuses on behavioural change, suggesting that improved judgment and patience on the road can prevent the majority of accidents.

MS Dhoni, said, “I have spent a big part of my life around cars, bikes, and roads. When you love driving and riding, you also learn to respect them. You understand that control matters, judgment matters, and patience matters. A vehicle gives you freedom, but it also gives you responsibility. On our roads, too many people still see safety as a rule to follow only when someone is watching. That mindset has cost us far too much. We already know what is going wrong. We know how many lives are being lost. We know the habits that put people in danger every day. What we need now is not more excuses. We need more responsibility, more discipline, and more respect for life. Roads may be beautiful, but they come with real risks. As much as we love them, they can be dangerous. We have the data. We know what the problem is. We know what needs to change. The only thing missing is the will to make it a priority. This isn’t something I was asked to do. This is something I decided to do.”

Vikram Chopra, Founder and CEO, Cars24, sad, “Some missions need encouragement. This one needs scrutiny. Crashfree India cannot be built by people who only know how to say the right things. It needs someone who sets a harder standard: someone strict, deeply observant, unwilling to indulge comfortable language and clear enough to call out the truth without softening it. Dhoni is exactly that. He does not mince words and that is one of the most valuable things about him. His understanding of Indian roads is grounded in lived experience rather than theory alone. Years of navigating them have given him insights into driver behaviour, road conditions and the split-second decisions that matter most. Every meeting with him has been inspiring, not in a superficial way, but in a way that leaves you sharper, more serious and less satisfied with easy answers. Dhoni holds us to a higher standard and his involvement challenges us to push this mission further. That changes the seriousness of the work. And that is exactly what this mission needs.”

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The UK government is securing 4,200 jobs following an investment of more than GBP 700 million into the advanced manufacturing sector.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle announced the measures during a visit to Agratas in Somerset, where a GBP 380 million grant was confirmed to support the construction of a gigafactory. The facility, built using British steel, is projected to generate GBP 43 billion in economic growth over 25 years and will include a training unit to provide 300 apprenticeships.

Additional funding includes GBP 47 million for the Battery Innovation Programme to support research and development projects and GBP 190 million for the automotive industry. Of this, GBP 90 million in DRIVE35 funding has been awarded to firms including Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover for prototype development, while GBP 100 million is allocated to suppliers in the North East and West Midlands to assist in the transition to electric vehicle manufacturing.

The UK government is also providing GBP 115.44 million through the Made Smarter programmes to help small and medium-sized enterprises adopt digital technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, a GBP 182 million engineering skills package has been implemented to train the next generation of technicians, alongside GBP 1.4 million for autonomous freight and passenger service trials in UK ports.

Peter Kyle, Business Secretary, UK Government, said, “This government is backing the industries of the future by investing in auto firms, SMEs and battery manufacturers across the country - helping to boost economic growth and our resilience, secure jobs and put more money in people’s pockets. In an unstable world, our Modern Industrial Strategy is providing investors the stability and confidence they need to plan not just for the next year, but for the next 10 years and beyond. That is what sets us apart from the rest, and will help ensure advanced manufacturing remains a thriving sector in the UK for decades to come.”

Earl Wiggins, Vice-President of Manufacturing Operations, UK for Agratas, said, “We welcome the UK Government’s investment as we build a battery manufacturing facility that will play a vital role in delivering net zero and strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in battery manufacturing. This funding will support the development of our Somerset facility, enabling us to produce battery cells for our anchor customer, JLR (Jaguar Land Rover). Over the next year we will have over 2,200 people working on the site, and that growth will continue over the coming years.”

Julian Hetherington, Automotive Transformation Director at the APC, said, “This globally significant investment by Agratas reinforces the UK’s accelerating position in pursuit of road transport decarbonisation through the production of vital high-performance batteries for electrified vehicles. I’m delighted that the ATF has been able to support Agratas in their investment in new facilities, creating secure and highly skilled jobs in this area and across the supply chain.”

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said, “Recent global events have highlighted the need for resilient supply chains, making this new investment in the sector both timely and important. The UK has a highly skilled and innovative automotive industry, but long‑term competitiveness depends on a policy framework that encourages investment. The modern Industrial Strategy provides that forward‑looking support, and today’s announcement demonstrates strong government backing for one of the UK’s most vital industries.”

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Hyderabad-headquartered electric vehicle company Olectra Greentech has launched a new brand identity and tagline, ‘Transforming Everyday’. The update marks the company’s transition from a specialist bus manufacturer to an organisation providing integrated mobility and energy solutions.

The brand repositioning is built upon three operational pillars intended to guide product development and market engagement:

• Pragmatic Futurism: Developing platforms for real-world conditions.
• Accessible Innovation: Ensuring technology remains scalable and usable.
• Trusted Guide: Establishing the company as a partner within the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem.

The mission statement accompanying the refresh focuses on delivering innovation and execution excellence to create value for stakeholders in the mobility and energy sectors.

The updated visual language reinterprets existing company elements – the Olectra Prism – a central triangle representing structural integrity and direction. The Olectra Universe – a surrounding circle symbolising the ecosystem of stakeholders, infrastructure and cities.

Olectra currently operates with a portfolio that has expanded to include electric trucks and tippers alongside its established bus manufacturing division. The company maintains a manufacturing pipeline primarily serving government sectors.

Mahesh Babu, Managing Director, Olectra Greentech, said, “Olectra’s new brand identity is not just a visual change – it represents our ambition, mindset and the direction we are heading. It ensures that our brand, organisation and long-term strategy are aligned. As we transform from a pioneering electric bus manufacturer to a future-ready, innovation-led organisation delivering integrated mobility and energy solutions, this new identity reflects our core values and our commitment to ‘Transforming Everyday’ across the mobility and energy ecosystem.”

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