Q: What, according to you, are the skill gaps persist in the automotive industry still and how is ASDC addressing this?

Sanghi: Automotive manufacturers are currently facing several challenges. With increased pressure to meet customer demand for more personalised designs, they are tasked with creating a more flexible production environment, reducing engineering time and costs, and accelerating the market to remain competitive.

With massive technological transformations taking place across the sector, companies need to keep pace with the ever-evolving landscape to meet the ever-evolving demands of modern-day work.

Acquiring new skills is the key to sustain in this dynamic landscape. It is a continuous effort of both the institute and the corporation to fill the skill gap. Although there are programmes, they are not reflecting the change at the same pace as the change seen by the industry.

Companies today need people who can adapt and develop themselves to the changing technology. Whether automotive or otherwise manufacturers have recognised the importance of creating a workforce of intelligent problem solvers. In addition to these, more manufacturers are now focusing on hiring and training talents that can sustain advances in technology and drive investment. We at ASDC are doing a lot of training activities along with our teams of various zones, including holding webinars and launching various courses.

We are also continually training our team members and associates and dealers to do more reviews on the digital platforms or dealers to focus on digital retail; they were not getting used to it.

They preferred to be physically present, talking face to face, but now this lockdown has left no other option but to adopt the digital route.

Q: Customers are well informed now, and they finalise the model and variant even before reaching the showroom. In this scenario, what kind of skills needed for dealerships?

Sanghi: With ever-increasing ways to capture your customers’ attention across multiple channels, a partner specialising in the customer journey can be an invaluable asset to your business.

Considering the experience from the consumer’s perspective allows the dealer to compete with other, less traditional models.

Social distancing will bring dynamic change to the dealership business. No longer will customers feel comfortable walking into showrooms. Now, the reverse will happen, and OEMs and dealers will have to reach out to customers even more. And going digital will help them do just that.

Sales channels, dealers and OEMs per se will have to increase the transparency level dramatically. That’s because customers will now prefer to engage with them virtually, which in turn means there has to be digital.

Various experiences, like test drives of new cars, which has been a very popular method of selling a passenger vehicle, will be a much-less-used tool for sales. Likewise, a physical inspection of vehicles undergoing maintenance will take a backseat, and the OEM/dealer will have to convey images to customers about the work being done, either in real-time or in some other manner.

Q: Would the new trend catalyse unemployment further?

Sanghi: The pandemic has brought forth the concept of work from home to enable social distancing, which earlier would never have been thought to be possible for a vast majority of the jobs. You will need to train them (workforce) on how to use digital tools, and train the entire ecosystem to monitor the efficiency.

The need for top-notch cybersecurity is vital; one has to be absolutely sure that the data is secured and not misused. Data integrity needs to be 100 percent. Organisations will need to upskill existing staff to be digital and tech-savvy. All the while, the focus has to be on the data which is supposed to be the oil of the economy that is secured and owned by the owner, and not someone else.

Q: How do you match the curriculum with the ever-evolving customer needs and changing regulatory environment?

Sanghi: While the automotive industry may be facing some challenges, digital manufacturing and technological progress are enabling automotive engineers to deliver products to market faster than ever before.

This is easing the competitive pressure on car manufacturers, and going some way to fill the void left by the shortage of skilled engineers.

COVID-19 has introduced digitalisation as the key to the future. For organisations and the country, this means a huge opportunity to upskill and reskill our workforce using digital tools. This will not only help the country stabilise manufacturing activities, but will also help to improve the standard of living, that well allows for economic growth.

Q: What are the challenges you face with emerging technology trends like electrified, automated, shared technology as each of these elements needs specialised training supported by adequate infrastructure?

Sanghi: A big change happening because of digitalisation and COVID-19 has just helped increase the focus. The current lockdown has brought the focus on skilling and digitalisation into sharp focus. Smart industrialisation is here to say; one can look at their people’s daily lives, particularly in urban and some parts of rural India, to experience that they are now more reliant on digital tools than they were in pre-COVID-19 days.

While skills shortage is an issue far wider than the automotive industry, reasons can be identified why this sector has a lack of skilled workers. For the manufacturing sector, it means moving from labour-intensive methodologies to automation. COVID has accelerated the growth of the cyber-physical world. India should marry men with the machine to enhance productivity. Highly skewed income distribution and a lack of respect for labour remain a big concern. Lack of respect leads to lower productivity and efficiency, which serve to robs India of a competitive edge.

Q: The technological changes that are coming off late are mostly the result of either legislation or regulation. In this scenario, how do you see ASDC transform in the future?

Sanghi: Demand-driven skilling has been the focus of every industry. At ASDC, we’ve conceptualised the digital platform in such a way that it provides all the information together, at one place. For example, the availability of jobs in a sub-sector, what is the prediction for upcoming job roles and what are the skills in demand. It will provide links to all our partners wherein they can share their projections and find the right candidates.

There have been many modifications to the apprenticeship programmes, and these are rightly intended in making it inclusive. We are happy with the Government making these phenomenal improvements, and we hope the industry members engage more apprentices. For the automotive sector, ASDC is the delivery partner for apprenticeships. We also see a lot of enthusiasm from component manufacturers and dealers to explore apprenticeship as an option to get a skilled workforce.

Q: Today, almost all vehicles, including trucks, are connected in one way or the other. What are the new challenges that emerge out of these connected vehicles? What is the solution from ASDC?

Sanghi: The automotive industry is converging with the information and communication technology (ICT) industry at a rapidly increasing rate. Technology is reshaping the global automotive sector. In the future, cars will become computers on wheels as tech players’ move into the automotive sector to leverage their existing capabilities.

When we are talking about the challenges, it can be the difference in lifecycles in the automotive and the mobile industry is a serious challenge for the future of connected cars. New features, such as operating system upgrades and new applications, are provided almost constantly for the smartphone, whereas car manufacturers work on five-year cycles. The advent of connected cars will dramatically change the dealership model as a whole. Salespeople must plan to spend an hour or more teaching customers how to use their car’s advanced technology.

Also, issues such as privacy, security, the cost of deploying a system, data ownership, driver distraction, and equity must be taken into consideration in the technology of connected vehicles/cars.

Q: How is ASDC preparing itself to support the maintenance and repair of electric vehicles?

Sanghi: Complex maintenance is one of the most common concerns that affect electric vehicle (EV) adoption. In reality, however, the intervals between each service in an EV are almost the same as for regular vehicles, and those services are usually less complicated. Traditional vehicles have hundreds of mechanical and moving parts, whereas an EV contains far fewer. Parts of an EV are generally easy to replace and don’t wear out as quickly.

The only major “potential” expense in EV maintenance is replacing the battery. As the vehicle reaches 100,000 miles, it may have lost up to 20% of its range.

Some batteries are designed to replace modules in contrast to the whole battery, but it depends on the way the car is made. Although it may take significantly less time to perform a service on an EV, there are other differences in the service process that can affect an OEM’s aftersales business.

We at ASDC have upgraded our training systems to look after the present modes of maintenance.

The way forward is our entire training programme is under review by industry partners. We have expert groups in R&D, manufacturing; they are in the process of reviewing all our occupational standards and upgrading them, not only for the present but also for the future.

Q: What is your view on data storing wirelessly that may affect multi-brand third-party service centres; how do you see ASDC playing a role in this?

Sanghi: Wireless connectivity for the vehicle may pose serious cybersecurity threats to a moving vehicle.

However, the issue of multi-brand third-party service centres, including service aggregator platforms, are here to stay.

ASDC in partnership with some of the industry partners is keen on providing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for existing manpower as well as upskilling training of existing workers through blended digital learning modules for new technologies linked to new norms like BS-VI standards of emission, etc.

Q: What is ASDC’s work on conserving resources like use of remanufactured parts?

Sanghi: All stakeholders, including the current Government, have felt the need for a well-balanced vehicle scrappage policy; we expect to see its roll-out soon. This can boost a lot in refurbished and remanufactured parts. It opens a new sub-domain, generating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Once the policy contours are known, the training qualifications and standards will be worked upon by ASDC.

Q: What are the new courses ASDC is planning to conduct in the near future?

Sanghi: ASDC has started work on new job roles in the areas of Industry 4.0 for manufacturing and maintenance areas and the entire domain of electric vehicles. We are modifying some of the existing job roles to update the new technological changes and disruptions that have taken place in this industry. (MT)

Sona Comstar, in partnership with Tata STRIVE, has opened a vocational training facility in Chakan, Pune.

The Sona Comstar–Tata STRIVE Skill Development Centre was inaugurated by Priya Kapur, Non-Executive Director of Sona Comstar and Chairperson of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee.

Located within the Chakan industrial cluster, the facility aims to train 220 individuals during FY2026–27. The centre offers instructional programs in computer numerical control (CNC) machine operations, electrical maintenance and banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI) roles to match workforce requirements in local manufacturing and service sectors.

The Chakan project expands an existing skill development initiative between Sona Comstar and Tata STRIVE, following the establishment of a similar facility in Chennai. The Chennai centre has provided training to 623 individuals, recording an 80 percent job placement rate and 42 per cent female participation.

Priya Kapur said, "Every young person I met had a different story to tell. Different struggles, different ambitions, but the same dream of building a better future. It was inspiring to hear their journeys and learn what brought them here. Skilling is about much more than employability. It equips young people with the confidence, dignity and practical skills to build better livelihoods. Partnerships like the one between Sona Comstar and Tata STRIVE demonstrate how industry can play a meaningful role in preparing young people for the jobs of tomorrow. I hope the Chakan centre becomes a launchpad for hundreds of such journeys."

The facility will conduct continuous technical training, faculty interactions and industry placement assistance to facilitate employment across manufacturing plants and corporate entities operating in the Pune region.

Toyota Motor Corporation-owned luxury brand Lexus has introduced Lexus Flight, a helicopter transportation service operated by Aero Toyota Co, with operations scheduled to commence from 24 August 2026.

The service expands the brand's product offerings beyond ground vehicles and maritime vessels into air transport. The operational structure combines road transfers in Lexus vehicles between passenger departure points and heliports, flight connections between cities and resort locations aboard helicopters and marine transport options utilising the LY680 yacht.

The service utilises the Leonardo AW169 helicopter, manufactured in Italy, which accommodates seven passengers. The aircraft measures 14.65 metres in length, 3.21 metres in width and 4.56 metres in height, powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A1 turboshaft engines. The twin-engine helicopter reaches a maximum cruise speed of 267 kilometres per hour and maintains an operational range of 785 kilometres.

Cabin specifications for the aircraft include Wi-Fi connectivity and an onboard tablet interface allowing passengers to control climate settings, interior lighting, flight map tracking, exterior camera feeds and entertainment systems.

Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra has executed a binding agreement to raise approximately INR 3.22 billion for its electric commercial vehicle subsidiary, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (MLMML). The investment transaction values the last-mile transport business at INR 108.22 billion.

The funding round was led by global investment firm Lightrock, with participation from existing investors International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the India-Japan Fund (IJF), managed by National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).

The capital injection follows sales metrics recorded by the subsidiary, including an 85 percent YoY volume increase in electric three-wheelers during the first quarter of FY2027 and sales exceeding 100,000 units in FY2026.

Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said, “We welcome Lightrock as a partner marking a pivotal milestone in our last mile mobility initiative, highlighting the transformative potential of our growth gems. Our robust business model continues to draw top-tier investors. With Lightrock joining alongside IFC and IJF, MLMML has now achieved unicorn status in the electric vehicle market. This investment brings us closer to our goal of deploying 1 million EVs on India roads by 2031 and solidifies our leadership in the electric commercial vehicle sector.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO - Auto & Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “This investment from Lightrock reinforces Mahindra Last Mile Mobility’s leadership in the EV space. With around 40 percent market share in the L5 segment, it is at the forefront of a market that has rapidly scaled from 12 percent to 40 percent electrification in just two years. We are proud to be India’s No.1 electric commercial vehicle manufacturer for the fourth consecutive year. Crossing 100,000 EV sales in FY26 and 6 billion e-kilometres cumulatively underscores the trust of our customers and our commitment to driving sustainable, inclusive growth.”

Samir Abhyankar, Partner and Head of India, Lightrock, said, “It is a privilege to partner with the Mahindra Group through Lightrock’s investment in Mahindra Last Mile Mobility. The leadership team has done an exceptional job of building the company from the ground up into a market-leader in electric three-wheelers, underpinned by a focused strategy and outstanding execution ability. Lightrock is excited to support the Group as it continues to build sustainable, high-growth businesses capable of meeting the evolving needs of tomorrow’s India.”

At present, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility holds approximately 40 percent market share in the L5 electric three-wheeler category in India. The fund raised from the round will support product engineering, expansion of manufacturing operations and fleet deployment plans targeting one million electric vehicles by 2031.

Honda Motor Co, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has appointed Toshiyuki Yanagisawa as President and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Cars India (HCIL), effective 1 October 2026.

He will succeed Takashi Nakajima, the outgoing President and Chief Executive Officer, who will transfer to Asian Honda Motor Co., at the regional headquarters upon completion of his term in India.

Yanagisawa, an Operating Executive at Honda, currently serves as head of the India Strategic Development Office and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Digital Innovation India (HDII). In his new role, he will manage operations across both HCIL and HDII.

The structural alignment follows Honda's designation of India, North America and Japan as primary markets for its growth strategy. The India Strategic Development Office has established market plans to support business expansion in the country. Development initiatives for a vehicle scheduled for market launch in 2028 have transitioned from planning to execution.

Yanagisawa previously held positions within HCIL during earlier international postings at Honda, providing experience with domestic market operations, consumer demographics and regulatory frameworks.