Affordable Robotic and Automation (ARAPL) has appointed Meru Cabs Founder Neeraj Gupta as its Strategy and Growth Advisory Director.

Gupta brings over two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and leadership experience. He built Meru Cabs into a mobility brand with a customer base of over 15 million users and a fleet of over 20,000 vehicles. Meru operated at major airports and offered both inter- and intra-city services. He sold his stake in Meru in June 2021 to the Mahindra Group. Before Meru, in 2000, he founded V-Link Tours & Travels, which grew to be one of the largest enterprise mobility companies in India.

Milind Padole, MD, ARAPL, said, "We are delighted to welcome Neeraj on board. I found in Neeraj the same madness and passion to build a robotic company as mine – one that can be scaled on the world map. His proven expertise in building scalable business models and navigating disruptive industries will strengthen our strategic vision. We are undergoing a transformative stage that requires the right partners to take the ARAPL journey to the next level. Having an advisor with such rich experience as Neeraj will further enrich the company’s growth plans ahead."

Gupta's understanding of scaling businesses, customer-centric innovation and partnerships will provide direction as ARAPL accelerates its growth.

"I am excited to join ARAPL at this crucial juncture in its growth journey. With its strong foundation in robotics, proprietary technologies and international presence, led by Milind and team’s vision, ARAPL is well-positioned to capture emerging opportunities in automation across industries. I look forward to working with the leadership team to unlock new growth avenues and create long-term value."

ARAPL has demonstrated innovation in robotic welding, multi-level car parking, warehouse automation and AI-based robots. With Gupta’s insights, the company aims to expand its footprint in Europe, the Middle East and the US. It also plans to increase its presence in sectors like autonomous logistics and port automation.

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OPEN Alliance and AUTOSAR have formed a partnership to drive the adoption of Ethernet-based communication in vehicles. The collaboration aims to provide users with higher bandwidth, lower latency, and enhanced scalability between vehicle technologies.

The move seeks to address functional safety and cybersecurity requirements while avoiding duplicated work. The groups will deliver open specifications for Ethernet communication for the global automotive industry, covering areas such as the Physical Layer Specification, Switch configuration and Media Access Control Security (MACsec).

Tobias Belitz, OPEN Alliance Secretary and Renesas Networking Specialist, said, “We are delighted to announce this new collaboration with AUTOSAR. Much like OPEN Alliance, it is a global organisation encompassing leading companies within the automotive and software industry, with a unified mission to develop and establish an optimal networking strategy for modern vehicles. We look forward to working with AUTOSAR to enable greater wide scale adoption of Ethernet-based connectivity.”

Ethernet is becoming the backbone of next-generation vehicles, supporting technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and the autonomous vehicle. The partnership will ensure coordination and alignment between the groups’ activities in automotive Ethernet.

Thomas Ruping, Chairperson, AUTOSAR, said, “AUTOSAR warmly welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with OPEN Alliance as an AUTOSAR Attendee. This collaboration strengthens our joint effort to advance Automotive Ethernet and Automotive Ethernet-based technologies, with a particular focus on cybersecurity and safety use cases. In consequence the collaboration will further support the global automotive industry and foster the advancement of automotive software development worldwide.”

Key areas of collaboration include the use of MACsec, which offers a low-latency and high-performance solution for vehicles. The groups will standardise OPEN Alliance specifications within the AUTOSAR framework to ensure the interoperability of Ethernet communication. Features such as Scalable Service-Oriented Middleware over Internet Protocol (SOME/IP), Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DoIP) and Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) will be mapped.

The collaboration will see joint development of TC11, TC17, TC18 and TC19, which cover Ethernet Switch requirements, MACsec, the Remote Control Protocol and Software for Switch Management.

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The Digital Twin Lab, established by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) with Micelio and IIT Guwahati Tech Park, has now become completely operational.

The lab, supported by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), enables simulation-led development for electric vehicles (EVs) to help startups, MSMEs and car manufacturers accelerate design, validation and deployment. Its capabilities will be showcased at Micelio’s Global Clean Mobility Summit 2025.

The facility uses a ‘Hub-and-Spoke' model, with the hub at ARAI in Pune and two spokes: one at Micelio Discovery Studio in Bengaluru and the other at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. It became fully operational in June 2025.

Dr Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, said, “ARAI is proud to announce the strategic expansion of its Digital Twinning services across India, extending from the western region to the eastern and southern parts of the country. As India advances towards a future of intelligent and sustainable mobility, ARAI remains committed to empowering OEMs, startups, and automotive innovators with cutting-edge mobility solutions. We are grateful to the Ministry of Industries for their continued support in driving technology-led green mobility initiatives. We also deeply value our collaboration with Micelio, our trusted partner in this endeavour and look forward to a successful journey in broadening ARAI’s national footprint.”

The lab offers digital twin modelling for EV components, including battery packs, motors and drivetrains. It provides virtual validation environments that can simulate conditions such as wear-and-tear and energy consumption. This is supported by Hardware-in-Loop testing systems and AI/ML-based simulation tools.

Shreyas Shibulal, Founder & Director, Micelio Mobility, said, "This lab represents a fundamental shift in how India approaches EV innovation. By providing access to advanced digital twin infrastructure, we are reducing time-to-market and development costs, while also enabling a new generation of Indian EV innovators to compete globally while developing solutions specifically tailored to Indian conditions and requirements."

The facility allows startups and MSMEs to validate their concepts and refine designs without large capital investments.

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Tier 1 supplier Sona BLW Precision Forgings (Sona Comstar) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NEURA Robotics, Germany to jointly develop technologies, components and sub-assemblies.

The partnership will also focus on the industrialisation of robots and humanoids for the Indian and other agreed markets. The tie-up comes as intelligent automation sees growth in industrial and humanoid robots, driven by developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and falling computing costs. Sona Comstar, which focuses on electric powertrains, will work with NEURA Robotics to provide automation solutions across industries and create products manufactured in India.

Vivek Vikram Singh, MD & Group CEO, Sona Comstar, said, “We are excited to partner with NEURA Robotics to drive the next wave of innovation in industrial and humanoid robotics. This collaboration aligns with our vision to expand beyond the automotive domain, into a broader mobility space, supporting the future of intelligent manufacturing and service industries. By combining Sona Comstar’s engineering and manufacturing expertise with NEURA’s pioneering cognitive robotics technologies, we are well-positioned to deliver world-class solutions for the global market.”

David Reger, CEO and Founder, NEURA Robotics, said, "At NEURA Robotics, we believe true progress in robotics comes from strong partnerships that unite technology, engineering, and purpose. The collaboration with Sona Comstar represents the convergence of two innovation leaders: one redefining mobility, the other reimagining intelligent robotics. Together, we will set new standards for innovation and scalability in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.”

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AJAX Engineering, a leading manufacturer in the construction equipment sector, has begun trialling a new method of connecting digital sales leads with its dealer network using personalised video messages. The project uses the IMPACT platform from AiVANTA to automate the process.

The initiative addresses the challenge dealers face in converting online inquiries, which often lack context. AJAX now sends each incoming lead a short, automated video containing the customer's name, the product they are interested in and contact details for the closest dealer, including a Google Maps link. The videos are available in regional languages and offer quick actions such as calling the dealer, booking a demonstration, or requesting details.

Delivered immediately via WhatsApp and email, the videos allow dealers to respond to customers with context. Early results indicate the communication can improve conversion rates from leads and increase visits to dealerships.

Karan Ahuja, Co-founder and CEO, AiVANTA, said, "Our collaboration with AJAX Engineering demonstrates how personalized, tailored video communication can transform dealer ecosystems. By bringing personalisation and regional accessibility into the lead journey, we are helping OEMs and dealers work in closer alignment to serve customers better."

The move by AJAX reflects a growing trend in dealer-led industries to use digital engagement tools to support physical interactions. By linking online inquiries and dealership visits, AJAX intends to improve customer experience and help dealers achieve sales outcomes.

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