Dr Tapan Sahoo has taken over a new role of head of digital enterprise, information and cyber security at Maruti Suzuki. Last year, he was elevated to the position of Executive Director, Engineering. In his new role, Dr Sahoo will focus on innovating business practices and enhancing customer experiences as well as operational excellence through the integration of cutting-edge technologies like AI/ ML, AR/VR, industry x.0 etc. He will also focus on machine learning technologies besides commitment to strategic collaborations with startups and academia that could pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in the value chain.
With over three decades of rich experience in product development, vehicle engineering, design, cost and programme management, Dr Sahoo has been instrumental in transforming concepts into tangible product innovations and championing supplier capability development. The culmination of this vast and varied experience should help Maruti Suzuki's digital transformation agenda, ensuring customer satisfaction and cutting-edge technology at the core of the business strategy.

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Emirates-based automotive company W Motors has announced its new contract manufacturing division at the ongoing ‘Make it in the Emirates’ event in Abu Dhabi.

The company has inked strategic partnerships with ROX Motor, AIH Group and India’s Force Motors.

As per the understanding, W Motors partnership will localise the production of ROX 01 and future models in the UAE.

With AIH Group, it aims to manufacture and SKD operations for production quality.

In addition, the company will develop new vehicle models with Pune-headquartered automotive major Force Motors in the UAE. The partners also aim to explore a range of services and initiatives aimed at driving cross-border innovation in mobility solutions, targeting both local and global markets.

W Motors stated that it aims to build a robust automotive ecosystem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and make it a global hub for advanced automotive manufacturing and innovation.

For the unversed, W Motors was founded by Ralph Debbas in 2012 with a vision to manufacture high-performance luxury sports cars in the Middle East. The company has established its presence in Dubai and focusses on design, research & development, vehicle engineering as well as manufacturing of vehicles. Over the years, W Motors has evolved from one of the most exclusive luxury hypercar manufacturers in the world to the only fully integrated mobility solutions provider based in the region.  

At present, it has fostered a range of partnerships with global automotive companies such as MAGNA, Ruf, Michelin, Everatti, Genesis, Motul, Valeo and Triton Electric Vehicles, among others.

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Japanese tier 1 supplier Toyoda Gosei Co, which specialises in rubber and plastic parts, has developed a new technology to recycle high-quality plastic from end-of-life vehicles.

This technology aims to meet the growing demand for recycled plastic in the automotive industry against strengthened environmental regulations, which is pushing towards decarbonisation and circular economy through its use in various vehicle models, starting with the Toyota Camry.

The company shared that till now, it was difficult to obtain recycled plastic that could meet similar performance equivalent to new material due to impurities and other factors. Generally, waste plastic was burned to recover heat or refused for lower performance requirements.

But now Toyoda Gosei’s technology allows recycled plastic to have performance equivalent to that of new material even with 50 percent ELV plastic (polypropylene). 

For this, the company collaborated with Isono Co, to procure quality raw materials for recycling and leveraged Toyoda Gosei’s original material modification technology, meeting the quality standards for automotive parts for practical application. 

The tier 1 supplier shared accelerates horizontal recycling for reuse in the same parts and contributes to CO2 reduction.

Toyoda Gosei claims this is the first time in the world that recycled plastic containing 50 percent ELV plastic is used in interior parts such as glove boxes that require impact resistance.

It is also further advancing recycling plastic and rubber with decarbonisation as a key aim, based on its medium-term and long-term 2030 Business Plan. Going forward, Toyoda Gosei aims to expand applicable products, such as those associated with vehicle design, and will move ahead with the improvement of recycled plastic.

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Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), a leading two-wheeler manufacturer in the country, has laid down the foundation stone for its new manufacturing plant in IMT Kharkhoda, Haryana. 

The groundbreaking ceremony of Suzuki Motorcycle India’s second manufacturing plant was led by Kenichi Umeda, Managing Director, Suzuki Motorcycle India, Takashi Ise, Executive General Manager, Motorcycle Operations, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan and Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Executive General Manager, Quality Assurance and Inspection Operations, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan along with Senior Leadership Team from Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) and Suzuki Motorcycle India in the esteemed presence of Dr Manoj Kumar - Deputy Commissioner, Sonipat and Kyoko Hokugo, Minister of Economics, Embassy of Japan in India.

The company is investing about INR 12 billion towards the new manufacturing facility, which will have an annual production capacity of 750,000 units in the first phase. Spread across 100 acres of land the facility will initially cover 25 acres and an additional 25 acres dedicated to green space. The plant will go on stream in 2027 and is expected to generate employment for around 2,000 people.

Kenichi Umeda, said, “Laying the foundation stone for our second plant in India, reflects our focus on not just growing as a brand, but to grow with the people and communities of India. By establishing our facility at IMT Kharkhoda, we look forward to contributing to the region’s development, generating employment, and supporting the government’s vision for industrial progress. Parallelly, the Kharkhoda plant will help us to serve our customers better, support our dealer partners and strengthen collaboration with our suppliers. The basic concept of this plant is lean manufacturing. It will also feature modern automation and energy-efficient systems, helping us move towards Suzuki’s global vision for carbon neutrality and sustainability.”

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The first month of FY2026 has begun on a slow start with almost all segments in the red, barring SUVs, which seems to be on a dream run.

A total of 1.85 million vehicles were sold last month in the country, which was a 13 percent decline as compared to 2.13 million vehicle sold last year. Even when compared to March 2025, this translates to a decline of 12 percent.

Looking at the passenger vehicles segment, SUVs with 201,062 units sales grew by 12 percent, while passenger cars and vans saw a decline of 5 percent respectively. A total of 348,847 passenger vehicles were sold last month, which was 4 percent higher YoY.

The three-wheeler space saw a flat decline with 49,441 units sold across categories, as compared to 49,774 units sold last year.

The two-wheeler segment registered a decline of 17 percent YoY, with 1.45 million units sold, as compared to 1.75 million units sold last year and 1.65 million units sold last month.

The scooter segment with 548,370 units saw a decline of 6 percent YoY , while motorcycle sales declined by 23 percent YoY at 871,666 units sold last year.

Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM said, “Passenger vehicles segment posted its highest-ever sales of April in 2025, with a growth of 3.9 percent as compared to April 2024. Auto industry smoothly transitioned to the new regulatory regime of 2nd stage of On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) 2 regulation for two-wheelers and three-wheelers from April 2025 onwards, in addition to rolling out E20 compliant gasoline vehicles across the country from this month.”

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