Altair has announced the winners of the 2024 Altair Enlighten Award, which is presented by it in association with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR). 

The award winners are companies with diverse backgrounds such as DuPont, BMW M GmbH, Dow Inc., Toyota, General Motors, CompositeEdge GmbH, WEAV3D, Braskem and Clemson Composites Center and reflect sustainability and light weighting advancements that successfully reduce carbon footprint, mitigate water and energy consumption and leverage material reuse as well as recycling efforts. 

The prestigious Enlighten Award have a 12-year history and have become a coveted prize for automotive industry’s most forward-thinking companies, according to Altair. 

Recognised by EV Magazine as a top 10 sustainability award in 2024, the award looks at products, processes and organisations that are ushering in the next generation of groundbreaking automotive technology. “We are thrilled to once again recognise the organisations creating a more sustainable future. This year’s winners can consider themselves the best innovators meeting those challenging targets,” said James R. Scapa, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Altair. 

Alan Amici, President and Chief Executive Officer, Center for Automotive Research, averred, “We cannot wait to recognize this year’s winners, and we are once again thrilled to present this award in conjunction with Altair and the rest of our valued partners.”

Image for representative purpose only.

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German chemical major BASF has announced the results of long-term material testing that predicts a service life exceeding 100,000 hours for its latest generation of polyamides used in electric vehicles (EVs).

The shift toward e-mobility has increased durability requirements for plastic components under the bonnet, with components now requiring a lifespan of 45,000 to 55,000 hours, compared to 5,000 hours for internal combustion engines (ICE).

The increase in required service life is driven by battery charging processes that require constant temperature regulation. To verify performance, BASF transitioned from standard air-heat testing to hydrolysis storage, which involves ageing materials in water-glycol mixtures. The company employs the Arrhenius equation to determine the relationship between temperature and reaction rate, allowing for the extrapolation of service life under standard operating conditions.

The material tested, Ultramid, features glass fibre reinforcement and a low halogen content. Testing initiated in August 2020 indicates that the hydrolysis resistance of this polyamide allows it to maintain its properties for over 100,000 hours. These components are typically utilised in vehicle pumps and valves.

The data provides the automotive and haulage sectors with verification that plastic components can withstand the chemical and thermal demands of long-term EV operation.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle and technology company Ultraviolette Automotive has unveiled its voice assistant, christened ‘Violette’, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026. Developed in partnership with Soundhound AI, the system allows riders to interact with the F77 electric motorcycle using voice commands to manage vehicle functions and access data.

The technology was demonstrated through the wake phrase ‘Violette’, enabling users to switch riding modes, start navigation and retrieve information from the user manual, such as tyre pressure specifications and service instructions. The system also provides proactive alerts, ride statistics and pre-ride checks via voice interface.

To facilitate interaction without visual distraction, the voice assistant operates through an audio-integrated helmet. This setup serves as the primary interface between the rider and the motorcycle, allowing for the retrieval of information while maintaining focus on the road.

Narayan Subramaniam, CEO & Co-Founder, Ultraviolette Automotive, said, “At Ultraviolette, we believe AI is going to play a pivotal role in enhancing rider safety. As a technology-first company in the mobility space, our mission has always been to redefine the riding experience by fusing cutting-edge engineering with intelligent systems. The integration of Violette A.I. with Soundhound AI marks a significant step in advancing human–machine interaction. By enabling seamless voice-led control we are creating a riding experience that is intuitive, immersive, and future-ready, allowing riders to stay fully focused on what matters most- the road ahead”.

Niraj Rajmohan, CTO & Co-Founder, Ultraviolette, said, “At Ultraviolette, we have spent years developing technologies that make a meaningful impact in the mobility space, with a singular focus on bringing riders closer to their motorcycles in the most effortless way possible. Artificial Intelligence plays a crucial role in this transformation and in elevating the riding experience by anticipating rider needs, simplifying complex interactions, and delivering information instantly and safely. Violette A.I. represents a huge step in that direction, where every command, every query, and every interaction enhances rider confidence, safety, and comfort. By embedding intelligence directly into the riding experience, we are not only simplifying how riders engage with their motorcycles but also creating a new paradigm of connected mobility that is smarter, safer, and deeply human-centric”.

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GAC International and Grab have established a strategic partnership to deploy 20,000 electric vehicles (EVs) across six Southeast Asian countries within the next two years. The agreement, signed on 7 January 2025, marks a shift for GAC from product exports to the expansion of an integrated ecosystem comprising products, services and data.

The collaboration focuses on the introduction of three models under the AION brand: the AION Y, AION ES and AION V. These vehicles will be integrated into Grab's fleet to serve the taxi and ride-hailing segments. The AION V, which holds a Euro NCAP five-star safety rating, is positioned as the flagship SUV for the region, while the AION Y and ES models target the high-volume electric taxi market.

Beyond vehicle supply, the companies intend to integrate the Grab driver app directly into GAC’s intelligent cockpit systems. This technical link is designed to improve order acceptance efficiency and driver safety. The partnership also covers the development of aftersales support, data value mining and charging infrastructure to support the large-scale deployment of EVs in the region.

Xia Xianqing, President of GAC Group, attended the exchange, while the agreement was signed by Wang Shunsheng, Vice President of GAC International, and Dylan Choon, Regional Manager of Strategic Partnerships at Grab.

The move comes as the Southeast Asian EV market reported a 50 percent YoY sales increase in 2024. By leveraging Grab’s user base, GAC aims to build brand awareness and gather market insights for future model development. The initiative is intended to reduce regional transport emissions in line with carbon neutrality targets.

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Visteon Corporation has announced an expanded technology partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra that will see its next-generation SmartCore Pro cockpit domain controller deployed in Mahindra’s XUV7X0 SUV lineup.

Unveiled at CES 2026, the SmartCore Pro builds on the SmartCore system introduced in the Mahindra XUV700 in 2021. The new system integrates cockpit electronics, surround view camera technology and telematics on Mahindra’s Adrenox+ platform. It features a three-display configuration supporting vehicle information, infotainment, ADAS visualisation and connectivity, alongside an integrated 360-degree camera system.

Francis Kim, Vice-President of Global Sales & Commercial Excellence and General Manager for Rest of Asia, Visteon, said, “The automotive industry is shifting from discrete systems to fully integrated digital platforms, and India is among the fastest-moving markets in this transition. This partnership demonstrates how strategic OEM collaboration can accelerate time-to-market for complex technologies while laying the foundation for software-defined vehicles.”

Alongside the Mahindra announcement, Visteon also showcased the production specifications and OEM implementations of its High-Performance Compute solution built on the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform. The solution follows Visteon’s collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies announced at Auto Shanghai 2025 and is now being demonstrated with multiple global OEMs.

The High-Performance Compute platform supports centralised vehicle architectures and software-defined vehicle strategies. It enables on-device AI processing, multi-display support, multi-user experiences and personalised cockpit features. The system uses the Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU and enhanced NPU AI performance, while Visteon’s cognitoAI Concierge digital assistant operates using the company’s QWEN 7B model.

Uday Dodla, Vice-President, Product Management, Visteon, said, “This High-Performance Compute solution addresses a critical challenge our OEM partners face as they transition to centralized architectures. By consolidating multiple ECUs into a single, powerful platform, we're enabling automakers to reduce complexity and costs while delivering the sophisticated AI-driven experiences that consumers increasingly expect.”

Mark Granger, VP, Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, said, “Visteon's demonstration of its High-Performance Compute solution on the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform highlights the momentum toward centralized, software-defined architectures that will power the next era of intelligent, connected vehicles.”

Visteon said the platform is designed to support a common architecture across vehicle segments, allowing OEMs to scale features while consolidating electronic control units and supporting long-term cost efficiencies.

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