After its longtime partner Renault revealed plans to sell off its interests in Nissan, which recently made news as one of the partners in a three-company alliance involving Honda and Mitsubishi as the other two to capitalise each’s strengths, Nissan is trying to save itself from collapse as per a recent report in news.com.au. 
Offering just one compact SUV model in India, the Magnite, Nissan, as per the report, has between 12 to 14 months to survive as it works to fill up the gaping hole Renault’s departure will leave in its finances. 
Searching for a new investor to ensure its survival beyond 2025, Nissan –finalising the terms of its new electric vehicle partnership with Honda that has been its arch rival – is evaluating ‘all options’ including getting Honda to purchase a stake in it, claim industry sources. 
The development coincides with a major restructuring that the Japanese automaker has undertaken amid declining sales in China and USA. With the 25-year partnership – which began in 1999 with Renault saving Nissan from going belly up – nearing an end, the company is at a juncture where it would have to team up with other organisations, including automakers, to counter situations that could be an outcome of intense geopolitical shifts and the rising clout of Chinese players across continents in areas such as EVs. 
 

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The Honda India Foundation (HIF) has held a ground-breaking ceremony for a Road Safety Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Viramgam, Gujarat.

The centre is designed to provide road safety education through training and simulation-based learning. It is scheduled to open in 2027 and is expected to provide safety programmes for 5,000 people each year.

The CoE will feature a Road Safety Education & Awareness Wing equipped with training tools for students, youth groups and local communities. Additionally, it will include an Accident Research & Data Analytics Unit to examine traffic patterns, identify risk locations and assist with safety audits.

Vinay Dhingra, Trustee, Honda India Foundation, said, “Road safety requires a combination of awareness, training and data-driven insights. Through this Centre of Excellence, we aim to create a practical platform that supports safer road behaviour, promotes road safety education and contributes to more informed safety interventions. This initiative reflects Honda India Foundation's continued commitment to strengthening road safety awareness and fostering safer road-use practices at the community level.”

Gyanender Singh Malik, Director General of Police, Gujarat State, said, “We appreciate Honda India Foundation’s support in setting up this Road Safety Centre of Excellence in Gujarat. The Centre will help strengthen structured road safety education and support data-led interventions for safer roads. Such collaborations add value to the state’s efforts towards improving road safety awareness and reducing road accident risks.”

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French automotive major Renault India has further deepened its India commitment with strengthening of its design team in the country.

The company has roped in Jean-Philippe Salar as the new Design Director at Renault Design Centre India. He succeeds Julien Sabatier, who is set to take on the role of Head of Design Factory India and UI Management.

Sabatier led the Design Studio for the last three years and, on his part, was instrumental in setting up Renault’s Design Studio in India as part of the French automakers ‘renault. rethink’ strategy. He delivered over 10 projects for Renault for both India and Europe market and played a key role in the introduction of the new Duster SUV in India.

In his new role, he will focus on developing and industrialising future projects and implementing UI (User Interface) functions in India.

Salar is a Renault Group veteran having started his journey with the French automotive brand in 1996, and has extensive design experience across brands such as Renault, Dacia, LADA and Mobilize.

The design centre is part of the company’s ‘design in India’ and ‘make in India’ strategy. It functions as a hub of excellence, particularly due to its proximity to Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India (RNTBCI).

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China’s SAIC Motor-owned British marquee brand MG has unveiled its technology roadmap centred on its next-generation Plug-in Hybrid+ systems, SolidCore battery integration and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) at MG Tech Day at its UK headquarters in London.

The automaker unveiled its new Plug-in Hybrid+ system, which features 1.1-litre and 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engines. The company states that it achieves thermal efficiencies exceeding 42 percent. The powertrain incorporates a hybrid transmission with two technologies: Power Split and Motor Decoupling. The latter isolates the generator during electric driving to improve energy efficiency.

The first model to feature this system will be the MG ZS Plug-in Hybrid+, scheduled for launch in 2027.

MG also confirmed the introduction of its SolidCore battery across future Plug-in Hybrid+ models. This semi-solid-state technology is designed to provide consistent power delivery and range stability across various temperatures and driving conditions. The battery will debut in three upcoming B, C and D-segment SUVs.

Furthermore, MG is refining its driving assistance technologies using data collected from over 1.2 million kilometres of driving across 24 European countries.

The One Touch iAD system for parking is production-ready, supporting scenarios such as kerbside parking, reverse paths of up to 100 metres and exit manoeuvres in tight spaces.

A highway assistance system capable of managing motorway entry, exit and lane changes is scheduled for a late 2027 debut in a new MG SUV. Urban NOA capabilities are planned for 2028.

Lastly, the company is conducting Level 4 Robotaxi trials across Europe, the Middle East and China to support long-term mobility research.

MG company stated that these developments reflect a focus on ‘making advanced technology more accessible, useful and relevant for everyday drivers.’

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Stellantis-owned Peugeot and the Strate School of Design have formed a partnership to focus on design and innovation within the automotive sector. Through this collaboration, students will work on projects related to mobility, user experience and technology under the guidance of Peugeot design experts and Strate faculty.

The initiative aims to provide Peugeot with access to student designers while offering students experience in the automotive industry. The projects are intended to act as a laboratory for mobility solutions.

Matthias Hossann, Design Director, Peugeot, said, "This partnership reflects our commitment to bringing academia and industry closer together, in order to foster innovative solutions to the challenges of sustainable mobility. It also enables us to engage with and support young design talents from the earliest stages of their educational journey."

Mike Levy, Head of the Transportation and Mobility Design Department, Strate School of Design, said, "This collaboration provides our students with an exceptional opportunity to confront the realities and ambitions of an industry undergoing profound transformation. By working alongside an internationally renowned automotive design team celebrated for its boldness, they gain first-hand experience of its methodologies, expertise, and high standards. In return, it offers PEUGEOT valuable insight into how this new generation of designers envisions its design practice, its perception of the brand, its relationship with mobility, and the future narratives that shape it."

The partnership is intended to combine academic and industrial perspectives to develop designers for future mobility and vehicle projects.

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