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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Japanese auto major Toyota Motor Corporation has announced the start of sales for its e-Palette BEV, a new battery-electric vehicle designed for a wide range of mobility services. The e-Palette, which went on sale 15^th September, is not just a form of transportation but a versatile platform that can be transformed into a mobile store, service space, or entertainment vehicle.

The e-Palette features a spacious interior and large windows, creating an open, customisable environment. Its design allows for multi-use applications throughout the day, such as serving as a shuttle bus in the morning and a retail space later on. The vehicle is also designed with accessibility in mind, featuring a low floor, wide sliding doors and an electric ramp to accommodate wheelchair users.

While currently supporting Level 2 automated driving, Toyota aims to introduce vehicles with Level 4 automated driving systems to the market by fiscal year 2027. The e-Palette will be deployed in areas like Toyota Arena Tokyo and the upcoming Toyota Woven City for transportation and mobile retail services. Additionally, Toyota plans to conduct automated driving demonstrations in collaboration with partners to advance its mobility vision.

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Tata Technologies Ltd has announced its strategic acquisition of German automotive engineering firm, ES-Tec Group, for EUR 75 million. The deal, which will be paid over two years and includes performance-based earn-outs, is set to significantly bolster Tata Technologies’ capabilities in next-generation mobility solutions and expand its European footprint.  

The move is expected to accelerate the company’s engineering research and development (ER&D) growth, specifically in high-demand areas like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Connected Driving and Digital Engineering. The acquisition also adds a substantial talent pool of over 300 skilled engineers with deep expertise in systems engineering.  

The acquisition aligns with Tata Technologies’ global growth strategy, placing it in a stronger position within Germany, a key hub for automotive innovation. The company's management believes the deal will unlock significant commercial synergies, allowing for cross-selling opportunities and broader access to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) accounts. The transaction is projected to be EPS accretive from the first full year of operations. The automotive industry is in a state of flux, with European OEMs increasing investments in electrification and software-defined vehicle platforms. Tata Technologies is positioning itself to capitalise on this trend, with the market for Engineering Service Providers (ESPs) in Europe projected to grow from EUR 4.5 billion in 2020 to EUR 11.7 billion by 2030.  

Warren Harris, MD & CEO, Tata Technologies, said, “The acquisition of ES-Tec Group is a strategic leap that enhances our ability to deliver end-to-end product engineering solutions across the automotive value chain and represents our commitment to expand our global footprint in accessing innovative engineering capabilities. Technical depth, customer centricity and regional strength align perfectly with our strategic vision to be the first partner choice for global OEMs navigating the shift towards intelligent, connected, and sustainable mobility.”  

Marc Wille, MD & CEO of ES-Tec, said, “Joining forces with Tata Technologies is a key step for the ES-Tec Group to extend the breadth and depth of capabilities and expand our international presence. Together, we are ready to take on the future challenges of the automotive industry – delivering real value for our customers through competitive pricing, outstanding quality, and faster development cycles.”

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Renesas Electronics, a global supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, is set to showcase its comprehensive portfolio at electronica India 2025. The event will take place from 17 to 19 September at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, with Renesas located in Hall 2 at Booth H2.C01.

The company's exhibition will highlight its latest innovations for industrial, automotive and consumer applications. The featured product lines encompass High Performance Computing, Embedded Processing, Analog & Connectivity and Power solutions, all engineered to simplify and enhance modern technology. Key demonstrations will include scalable automotive MCUs and SoCs for next-generation vehicle systems, power innovations utilising GaN HEMT technology for efficient energy conversion and a wide array of Analog & Connectivity solutions for diverse markets. A significant focus will be on Renesas 365, a pioneering industry platform powered by Altium, which is designed to streamline the development of software-defined products by unifying silicon and software on a collaborative cloud platform. The booth will also display innovative university projects developed with Renesas design kits.

In a collaborative effort with partner Quest Global, Renesas will present live demonstrations of autonomous driving and ADAS technology. These demonstrations, powered by the Renesas R-Car V4H SoC, will offer attendees a hands-on experience by allowing them to sit in a demo car on site.

Furthermore, Renesas leadership will be active participants in the conference agenda. On the first day, Malini Narayanamoorthi, Country Manager and VP, MID Engineering, Analog & Connectivity Group, Renesas India, will deliver a keynote at the CEO Forum. This will be followed by appearances from other senior directors in a Fireside Chat and the e-Mobility Conference. The second day will feature additional Renesas directors speaking at the e-Future Conference and the Innovation Forum, underscoring the company's commitment to industry dialogue.

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Technology group MAHLE is demonstrating its commitment to a multi-faceted approach for sustainable transportation at the 2025 IAA Mobility exhibition (being held from 9 to 14 September 2025) in Munich, Germany. The company is showcasing (in Hall A1) a portfolio of production-ready innovations designed to accelerate the decarbonisation of road traffic, emphasising that its solutions address immediate customer challenges rather than being distant concepts.

A central theme of MAHLE's strategy, encapsulated under the ‘Efficiency³’ banner, is technological diversity. The group is advancing solutions across three core areas: electrification, thermal management and sustainable internal combustion engines. This broad approach is presented as vital for effective climate protection, enhancing European competitiveness and safeguarding employment, positioning it as a necessary alternative to a single-technology pathway.

A key innovation for electrification is a new range extender system. This compact unit acts as an onboard generator, dramatically alleviating range anxiety by enabling electric vehicles to achieve up to 1,350 kilometres on a single charge. The system's 800-volt high-voltage generator boasts a peak efficiency of over 97 percent and is designed for cost-effective integration into existing vehicle platforms. By allowing for a smaller, right-sized battery, it also contributes to reducing both material costs and charging times on long journeys.

Complementing this is a novel thermal management module, which directly tackles the issue of battery range loss in cold weather. Acting as the central interface for the vehicle's cooling and refrigerant cycles, the module integrates a high-efficiency heat pump. This elegant solution eliminates the need for additional energy-draining heaters, maintaining optimal temperatures for the drivetrain and passenger comfort while increasing overall range by up to 20 percent. Its compact, future-proof design is compatible with current and next-generation refrigerants.

For the existing global vehicle fleet, MAHLE is presenting a pragmatic solution for immediate carbon reduction with its ethanol-powered Power Cell Unit. This package of specially developed engine components, including wear-resistant pistons and adapted valves, allows internal combustion engines to run on pure bioethanol (E100). Lifecycle analyses indicate this technology can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent, offering a viable and immediate path to decarbonise millions of vehicles without compromising performance.

Beyond powertrains, MAHLE is leveraging biomimicry and artificial intelligence to enhance component efficiency. A revolutionary bionic radial blower, its blades inspired by the aerodynamic efficiency of penguin flippers, was developed using an AI-assisted process termed ‘superhuman engineering’. The result is a component that is significantly quieter and 15 percent more energy-efficient than conventional blowers.

The company's exhibit also features its smart charging infrastructure solutions. The established chargeBIG system offers a scalable, cable-based charging network, now including a compact wallbox and a mobile unit for temporary sites. Furthermore, MAHLE is advancing inductive charging with a convenient positioning system, recently recognised as a global standard by SAE International, which ensures optimal vehicle alignment for energy transfer efficiency exceeding 92 percent.

Additional highlights include diagnostic tools like the E-HEALTH Charge unit, which can assess a high-voltage battery's health in just 15 minutes, and an intelligent cabin climate control system that uses AI to personalise the environment for each occupant. Through this comprehensive array of products, MAHLE is positioning itself as a pivotal force in shaping a efficient and sustainable mobility landscape.

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