Announcing that Prime Minister Modi’s message was motivating for the Indian auto industry to work together towards new age technology, world class manufacturing, and next generation infrastructure, Kenichi Ayukawa, President, SIAM and MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki, in his address during the opening session, said that there was a need to achieve sustainable and productive growth with quality and safety, and protect our environment, resources and raw materials. Stressing on the need for focused efforts, Ayukawa mentioned that SIAM and ACMA have together worked out a localisation roadmap with a target of about 15 to 20 percent further localisation in the next 2 to 5 years. Revealing that SIAM has prepared an approach paper for long term regulation roadmap that takes care of all aspects and gives clarity on future investments, Ayukawa San said that the auto industry is working on new powertrain technologies. He appreciated the government’s announcement of the scrappage policy and PLI scheme. 

Amitabh Kant.

Recognising the contribution of the Indian automobile industry to the Indian economy, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Government of India, said that his ministry is working consistently for the growth of the automotive sector. Acknowledging the rise in localisation supported by the PLI initiatives of government, Dr Pandey said that these efforts would make the industry more robust. He stressed on the need to develop EV charging infrastructure as well as manufacture quality products that would help the Indian automobile industry to be regarded as the best in the world. T V Narendran, President, CII and MD, Tata Steel Ltd, in his address, mentioned the need for the right policy support to make India a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2025-26. It is important that the Indian manufacturing sector is strong. He called on the auto industry to focus on six key areas – electric vehicles, circularity, urbanisation, resilient supply chain and an ability to reap in functionality and embed sustainability, going forward. 
 

R C Bhargava.

In his speech, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, said that the future direction of the auto industry is in the area of shared, connected and electric mobility. He opined that there are four prominent growth drivers that the industry should focus on. These include the expansion of investment in R&D, more focus on innovation in small format mobility segment, establishment of massive charging infrastructure across the country and provision of export impetus to the industry. Kant said that EV should be an integral part in every OEM’s plans. Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari spoke about the government’s aim to increase the contribution of the automotive sector towards the nation’s GDP. Currently, the sector contributes roughly 7.1 percent towards the GDP, he said. Revealing that the government would like to see the contribution rise to 12 percent, the union minister stated that it would amount to a huge step towards making India a five-trillion-dollar economy. Expressing gratitude to the dignitaries for their presence, Vipin Sondhi, Vice President, SIAM and MD, Ashok Leyland Ltd, drew attention towards the effect of Covid-19 on sales. 
 

Appreciating the efforts of the Ministry of Heavy Industries to create world-class testing and R&D infrastructure in all the auto hubs of the country, he spoke about how the auto industry will take advantage of localisation, PLI scheme and EV charging infrastructure. These efforts, he added, will contribute to the government’s initiative of ‘Make in India’. In a session focusing on the outlook of the Indian auto industry and its role in the economic growth, Venu Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, and R C Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., drew attention to the new policies introduced over the past few years. The duo stressed on the high taxation structure on automobiles and the mandatory insurance costs. These, they said, have hugely bumped up the pricing to make vehicles expensive. Srinivasan touched on two-wheelers being taxed at 28 percent despite being the most basic means of transport. This, he added, is almost equal to cars which are a luxury item. Opining that the prices of vehicles have risen over the past few years with the switch to BS IV and subsequently to BS VI, and the change in safety norms, R C Bhargava mentioned that mounting challenges have had an effect on the sales. 
 

Venu Srinivasan.

Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj said that the government is open to discussing a change in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on automobiles. Seeking to know from the auto industry whether it is the GST rate on cars that is preventing the sector from growing, Bajaj questioned the reason behind SUV sales going up and not that of the cars in economic terms. Stating that the tax rates were higher in some states before GST came into force, he suggested the auto industry to examine in detail the reasons behind the dip in sales. Covid-19 and other factors could be at play, he reasoned. Bajaj called on the industry to keep pace with the changing technology.

Kenichi Ayukawa.

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Schaeffler and VinDynamics, a subsidiary of the Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, have entered a strategic partnership to develop and supply planetary gearboxes for humanoid robotics.

This agreement marks Schaeffler’s first collaboration with a humanoid robot manufacturer in the Asia/Pacific region, expanding a global network that already includes partners in Europe, China and the US.

The collaboration focuses on planetary gearboxes, which are components of the actuators that serve as the joints and muscles for humanoid robots. These gearboxes provide the torque density and efficiency required for robots to perform movements. Beyond hardware supply, the two organisations will gather data on robot performance and application. This data will be utilised to refine actuator design and develop services such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Maximilian Fiedler, Regional CEO – Asia/Pacific, Schaeffler AG, said, "VinDynamics is an inspiring technology partner with a clear and ambitious vision for humanoid robotics. Our collaboration underscores Schaeffler's commitment to working alongside pioneering innovators to advance the next generation of motion technologies. By integrating Schaeffler's decades of expertise in actuator and drive technologies with VinDynamics' capabilities in developing next-generation robotic systems, we are confident that this partnership will deliver significant technological advancements."

La Manh Hung, President, VinDynamics, added, "This partnership represents not only a convergence of technological capabilities but also a strategic alignment of vision, as both organisations are committed to shaping the future of humanoid robotics. We believe that by combining our respective strengths, this collaboration will unlock transformative opportunities and accelerate the transition of humanoid robots from research environments to impactful real-world applications across both industrial and everyday settings."

Schaeffler is applying technology from its existing product families to the robotics sector. The planetary gearboxes are engineered for a compact footprint while enabling the precise and energy-efficient movement necessary for robot joints to function in real-world environments.

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Rocklink India has officially inaugurated its first integrated recycling facility at the UPSIDC Industrial Area in Sikandrabad, Uttar Pradesh. This site marks a major step in establishing a domestic circular economy for critical minerals, specifically targeting the burgeoning electric mobility and renewable energy sectors in India.

The plant is designed to handle a wide variety of inputs, including 95 different types of pre- and post-consumer battery scrap, as well as complex permanent magnet alloys such as NdFeB, SmCo and AlNiCo.

The facility utilises Rocklink’s proprietary R2 technology, which focuses on high recovery efficiency while maintaining stringent environmental safety standards. It features an initial lithium-ion battery recycling capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year, capable of producing high-purity black mass.

Additionally, the site manages rare earth magnet dismantling and processing at a rate of 60 tonnes per month. To further enhance its capabilities, the company expects to complete its rare earth chloride processing line – which has a production capacity of 1,500 tonnes per year – in the first quarter of 2026, utilising a 22-meter direct-heated rotary kiln for the safe calcination of metal-bearing industrial waste.

Beyond material recovery, the facility aims to achieve over 98 percent recovery efficiency for key metals including aluminium, copper and iron.

Rocklink India also plans to integrate battery refurbishment operations, enabling the safe reuse of viable battery cells through international standards for testing and balancing to extend resource efficiency.

To support these operations, the company is expanding its Magcycle reverse logistics model and a ‘Know Your Material’ (KYM) approach to ensure structured collection and accurate material grading. Through collaborations with technology startups and research institutions, Rocklink aims to advance dismantling automation and strengthen India's domestic supply chains for critical raw materials.

Leonard Alexander Ansorge, Director, Rocklink India, said, “The establishment of this facility marks an important step in building advanced recycling infrastructure for critical materials in India. With capabilities to process lithium-ion batteries and rare earth magnets, we aim to support the development of a circular ecosystem for critical raw materials that are essential to electric mobility, renewable energy systems, and advanced manufacturing.”

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AUMOVIO (formerly Continental’s Automotive business) and trinamiX, a subsidiary of BASF, have co-developed a non-invasive blood alcohol measurement system for vehicle cockpits.

First showcased at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, the technology uses miniaturised near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to detect ethanol molecules through the skin, providing precise results in under 10 seconds.

The system is designed to meet emerging global safety regulations for driver-monitoring systems (DMS) and alcohol interlocks. Unlike traditional breathalysers, which require the user to blow into a tube, this solution operates by simply touching a fingertip to a discreetly integrated sensor, which could be placed on the dashboard, steering wheel, or within the centre console.

The sensor works by emitting invisible near-infrared light pulses into the tissue beneath the skin.

The light interacts with ethanol molecules, creating a unique reflection pattern (a molecular fingerprint). Through AI-based algorithms process these reflections in real-time to derive a precise blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The technology’s performance has been scientifically validated through a clinical study registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS).

By integrating this health and safety feature directly into the vehicle's User Experience (UX), AUMOVIO and trinamiX aim to make sober-driving verification as seamless as a smartphone fingerprint scan. The solution is highly configurable, allowing manufacturers to set different threshold levels based on local legal requirements.

Pavel Prouza, Head of the User Experience (UX) business area at AUMOVIO, said, “By integrating a blood alcohol measurement solution directly into the vehicle cockpit, we are clearly demonstrating how health and safety features can be seamlessly and discreetly incorporated into the vehicle interior while enhancing the user experience. With our future-ready solution, we are increasing road safety while maintaining the usual level of convenience.”

Dr. Wilfried Hermes, Director of Consumer Electronics & Automotive, trinamiX, added, “Our NIR spectroscopy technology offers a reliable, user-friendly way to measure blood alcohol levels directly in the vehicle and sets new standards. By providing OEMs with an effective tool to comply with future regulations, we are laying the foundation for greater safety for all road users without compromising driving comfort.”

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Innoviz Technologies, a leading LiDAR tech supplier, has announced the launch of the InnovizTwo Ultra Long-Range (ULR) LiDAR. This new automotive-grade sensor is said to be engineered to provide high-fidelity, real-time spatial awareness at an infrastructure scale, specifically designed to meet the demands of emerging Physical AI systems.

The ULR variant extends the InnovizTwo product line and the SMART family, utilising the same production tools and processes as the standard InnovizTwo to ensure a smooth manufacturing ramp-up. First samples have already been delivered to select customers.

The InnovizTwo ULR is a Class 1 eye-safe sensor that significantly pushes the boundaries of long-range 3D sensing. It has a claimed upto 1 km range detection, up to 667 pts/deg² (High-resolution 3D point cloud), a 120 deg x 24 deg with ±5 deg digital panning field of view. It uses Power over Ethernet (PoE) for streamlined SMART deployments, connectivity and is resistant to dust, rain and extreme temperatures.

The sensor is designed to address critical gaps in industries where ultra-early detection and high-inertia movement require extensive reaction times.

• Autonomous Heavy Trucks: Kilometre-scale perception is essential for the long stopping distances and high inertia of heavy freight.
• Perimeter & Border Security: Enables early detection of humans, vehicles and animals over vast areas with lower false-alarm rates than traditional radar.
• Drone Detection: Fine angular resolution allows for the tracking of small, low-reflectivity aerial targets that typically evade cameras and radar.
• Infrastructure & Smart Cities: Supports city-scale digital twins and long-range traffic prediction to manage congestion and incidents upstream.
• Aviation & Port Safety: Single-sensor monitoring for foreign object debris (FOD) across entire runways and taxiways.

Omer Keilaf, CEO and Co-Founder, Innoviz Technologies, said, "With the InnovizTwo Ultra Long-Range LiDAR, we are extending the boundaries of what our LiDAR can do in the field. Physical AI systems require precise, real-time 3D understanding of the world, not probabilistic inference alone. The combination of kilometre-scale range, extremely high-resolution 3D sensing, and the durability of an automotive-grade LiDAR gives operators across a wide range of industries a tool that performs reliably in harsh conditions, day or night."

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