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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Vedanta Aluminium has deployed its first cohort of 30 women crane pilots at the Bharat Aluminium Company  (BALCO) unit in Korba, Chhattisgarh. The group includes 20 Pot Tending Machine (PTM) pilots and 10 beam-raising operators, marking a shift toward women-led operations as the facility enters the ‘million tonne club’.

The pilots operate in a smelting environment, executing tasks for stable metal production. These responsibilities include: anode changing & covering, tapping of molten aluminium and beam raising activities across all potlines.

The deployment followed a training programme involving classroom instruction, simulator sessions and on-the-job exposure. Currently, beam-raising activities at the plant are led by women designated as Beam Raising In-Charge in each room.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to automate core manufacturing roles and make them gender-agnostic. Vedanta Aluminium has previously implemented:

• Jharsuguda: India’s first fully women-operated potline.
• Lanjigarh: An all-women team managing the digital command centre at the alumina refinery.
• Logistics: An all-women locomotive crew for in-plant rail operations.

BALCO also integrates transgender professionals into functions such as forklift operations and security, supported by policies including financial assistance and paid leave for gender reaffirmation.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “Automation and advanced technologies are reshaping how modern aluminium operations function across all our units. This transformation is creating space for a new generation of highly skilled professionals to lead critical, technology-enabled roles. At Vedanta Aluminium, we are proud to see women stepping confidently into these specialised positions across our operations. This milestone at BALCO reflects our commitment to building a future-ready workforce while fostering greater participation of women in core manufacturing.”

Naaz Fatima, a PTM pilot, commented, “Working as a PTM pilot is both challenging and deeply rewarding. What I value most is that the company trusts us with these critical operations and invests in our growth. It feels empowering to know that our work directly contributes to BALCO’s progress and that we are shaping a new future for women in industrial roles.”

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KKR, Allfleet India and PMI Electro Mobility Solutions have announced definitive agreements for a strategic partnership. KKR-managed funds will commit up to USD 310 million to scale Allfleet’s electric bus platform and enhance PMI Electro’s manufacturing capabilities.

As part of the transaction, KKR will acquire a majority stake in Allfleet and a minority stake in PMI Electro. This represents the eighth investment globally under KKR’s Global Climate Transition strategy and its first in India.

Established in 2022, Allfleet serves as the e-bus platform for PMI Electro, focusing on the ownership and operation of public transport fleets. The company is currently deploying over 5,000 electric buses under long-term service agreements with various state transport authorities across India.

The partnership will see an integrated model covering manufacturing led by PMI Electro, ownership and operations by managed by Allfleet and lifecycle support by technical maintenance and infrastructure management.

KKR’s investment is drawn from its Global Climate Transition strategy, which has committed over USD 44 billion to sustainability initiatives since 2010. The firm’s global portfolio in this sector includes transport electrification specialist Zenobe in the UK and solar developer Avantus in the US.

The capital will be used to expand Allfleet’s presence in Indian cities and support the national transition toward decarbonised urban mobility.

Neil Arora, Partner and Head, of KKR’s Climate Transition strategy for Asia-Pacific, said, “Transport electrification is a critical pillar of the energy transition, and India – with its scale, urbanisation trends and decarbonisation ambitions – represents one of the most significant opportunities for the sector globally. The differentiated combination of Allfleet’s proven, scalable platform and PMI’s manufacturing and service expertise stands out as a full-service solution in this market. We look forward to supporting Allfleet’s next phase of growth by working together with PMI and leveraging KKR’s global operational expertise and experience investing across climate transition.”

Aanchal Jain, CEO, PMI Electro and Director, Allfleet, said, “This investment by KKR marks a defining milestone in our journey and is a powerful endorsement of the integrated electric mobility platform we have built at Allfleet. PMI Electro’s vision is to create a scalable, reliable, and future-ready ecosystem that can transform public transport in India. As our cities grow and mobility needs evolve, clean, efficient, and accessible public transport will play a central role in shaping a more sustainable future.”

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Navi General Insurance has launched its motor insurance product, expanding its portfolio into the automotive sector. The offering provides a digital, app-led process for car and two-wheeler insurance with instant policy issuance and a zero-commission structure.

The company’s business model removes intermediary commissions traditionally associated with agent and dealer-led distribution. This direct-to-customer approach is intended to pass cost efficiencies to the policyholder.

Motor insurance currently accounts for approximately 30-35 percent of total premiums in the Indian general insurance market. The sector is supported by mandatory third-party cover requirements and increasing vehicle ownership.

The company’s service includes digital integration, comprehensive coverage options, electric vehicle-specific plans, add-on covers and underwriting & claims.

Vaibhav Goyal, Managing Director & CEO, Navi General Insurance, stated, “Motor insurance is one of the most widely held financial products in India, yet the buying and claims experience remains complicated. We see a tremendous opportunity to change that. As a digital-first, direct-to-customer insurer, we are cutting out commissions entirely, thus passing those savings directly to customers through competitive pricing. Simplifying finance for every Indian is at the heart of what we do at Navi, and with motor insurance, we're extending that promise to a product that touches millions of vehicle owners every year.”

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Kordsa, a subsidiary of Sabancı Holding, presented its advanced material technologies to a global audience at the JEC World 2026 trade show in Paris. The company featured its latest breakthroughs in composite technologies tailored for the aviation, energy and automotive sectors. The event also served as a platform for Kordsa to communicate its sustainable growth strategy and technological transformation to an international network of stakeholders.

Held from 10 to 12 March 2026, JEC World is recognised as the premier global event for the composites industry. By convening the entire value chain, the exhibition enabled Kordsa to prominently display its expanding role and expertise in composite materials. The company’s presence was reinforced by its international subsidiaries, including US-based Fabric Development, Inc., Textile Products, Inc. and Axiom Materials, Inc., alongside Italy’s Microtex Composites Srl., demonstrating a unified approach shaped by evolving market demands.

Among the key innovations showcased were Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) technologies, carbon-reinforced prepregs, thermoplastic automotive interior components and structural body parts. These solutions are engineered to deliver high performance and reduced weight while simultaneously boosting production efficiency and minimising carbon footprint. For the aviation and energy industries, the company highlighted advanced composites designed to meet stringent demands for high-temperature resistance, durability and operational reliability.

Ergun Hepvar, CEO, Kordsa, said, “JEC World is one of the most important global meeting points in the field of composite technologies. On this platform, which brings together the entire value chain of the industry, we have the opportunity to closely observe both the current state of technologies and the trends that will shape the future. This year, we clearly saw that solutions focused on sustainability, lightweighting, high performance and production efficiency are becoming increasingly decisive. At the same time, we witnessed a transformation in customer expectations towards more integrated, agile and sustainable solutions. As Kordsa, we will continue to be an active part of this transformation and to develop value-creating solutions together with our customers.”

Emphasising that Kordsa differentiates itself in composite technologies by offering an end-to-end integrated structure, from R&D and serial production to supply chain and certification processes, Hepvar further added, “The increasing demand for advanced material solutions further strengthens our position in composites. We position composite technologies as one of our two strategic focus areas in Kordsa’s future. In this field, we adopt an approach that expands technological depth, product diversity and application areas simultaneously. Composite technologies stand out as a core area shaping both Kordsa’s present and future. Our goal is to deepen our capabilities here, build a structure that generates higher added value, differentiates itself and grows together with its customers.”

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