The Autonomous BAJA SAEINDIA 2024 (aBAJA) kicked off with great fanfare, marking the first day of the one-of-a-kind student competition centred on autonomous all-terrain vehicles (AATV).

This 3-day competition (from 4 to 6 October 2024) is hosted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, and marks a milestone for BAJA SAEINDIA as autonomous vehicle technology was introduced to the engineering competition. Five teams from throughout the country compete in the event, each of which must complete a unique set of tasks meant to evaluate the performance of their vehicles and teamwork.

Pre-event preparation tests were carried out at ARAI, Kothrud, Pune, from 30 September to 3 October, in the run-up to the tournament. Among these were comprehensive technical examinations, in which vehicles' electrical, mechanical and autonomous systems were carefully assessed to make sure they complied with competition regulations. Assessments of team preparedness and safety briefings were also conducted. To help teams test and improve their autonomous vehicles and make sure they matched the competition's rigorous requirements, trial run tracks were built up for the dynamic events such as Object Detection, Classification and Tracking (ODCT) and Remote Driving System (RDS).

On the first day, static events like the design evaluation and business presentation took main stage. These occasions gave the teams a chance to showcase their creative approaches and intricate designs, emphasising the intricacy and foresight required to create autonomous systems. Teams will test their vehicles' capabilities in real-world scenarios on the second day, which is expected to feature exciting activities that highlight engineering ingenuity and expertise.

Highlighting the significance of hosting the event at ARAI during the welcome address on behalf of ARAI, Ujjwala Karle, Joint Convener, Phase 3 of aBAJA SAEINDIA 2024 & Deputy Director, Technology Group, ARAI, said, “It is an honour for ARAI to host Phase 3 of aBAJA SAEINDIA 2024. This event highlights our commitment to bridging academia and industry. It is inspiring to witness students exhibit the passion and boldness necessary to tackle the complexities of the automotive landscape. BAJA SAEINDIA serves as a vital ‘Introduction to Industry’ (i2i), providing hands-on experience with real-world challenges. Furthermore, initiatives like the iNTELLIMOBILITY Ideathon empower participants to address pressing mobility issues with innovative solutions. We at ARAI are proud to support BAJA SAEINDIA and wish all participants great success in this year’s event.”

Emphasising the importance of technological innovation in shaping the future of mobility, the Chief Guest for the event, Umesh Shah, Managing Director, Autoliv, said, “aBAJA represents a confluence of creativity, engineering, and technology. It is through such initiatives that we inspire the next generation to think beyond conventional solutions and tackle real-world problems with courage and a spirit of innovation. I congratulate the participants for taking up this challenge and encourage them to bring forward their passion and ideas that will shape the mobility landscape in India and beyond. The efforts of the organising committee and all those involved in this competition are commendable. Their dedication ensures that aBAJA continues to be a platform where emerging engineers are not only tested but also encouraged to innovate and grow. I wish all the participants the very best in their endeavours and extend my best wishes to BAJA SAEINDIA as they continue to break new ground with aBAJA SAEINDIA 2025."

Shahkar Abidi, Assistant Editor at Autocar, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Stressing the importance of continuous learning and practical exposure for engineering students, he said, “Autonomous driving and intelligent mobility are no longer just concepts; they are the future. BAJA SAEINDIA has always been ahead of the curve in providing hands-on experiences to students, and aBAJA is a testament to this vision. The passion and drive I see among these students will surely propel them to become future leaders in the automotive industry.”

The grand inaugural ceremony also saw the presence of esteemed dignitaries from both industry and academia, including Ganesh Rao, Director of R&D at Continental; Shantanu Sonar, DGM at Daimler Truck Innovation Centre India (DTICI); Dr P Rajalakshmi from TiHAN, IIT Hyderabad; Balraj Subramaniam, Chairman of the Organising Committee of BAJA SAEINDIA and Saurabh Chitnavis, Joint Convener of aBAJA SAEINDIA 2024.

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  - Dr Kamal Vora October 06, 2024 06:55 AM

  Autonomous BAJA SAEINDIA 2024 is a great initiative of SAEINDIA and I would like to congratulate BAJA Committee members, ARAI, Ajeenkya DY Patil University and all the sponsors & supporters for this initiative. The registration of BAJA SAEINDIA 2024 with early bird incentive starts on 6th Oct 2024 from 8 to 10 pm. For sponsorship or registration, please contact vorakc04@gmail.com

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Horse Powertrain, a leading supplier of powertrain solutions, has launched the V20 engine through its Aurobay Technologies division with production already underway at its Skovde, Sweden, manufacturing facility.

The V20 engine aims to assist automakers in meeting emission regulations for 2026 and 2027 with units destined for customers in Europe, the US and Asia. The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine features a single architecture offered in two variants: a 400-volt plug-in hybrid and a 48-volt mild hybrid. The plug-in version provides a reduction in fuel consumption of seven per cent compared to the predecessor.

The platform design intends to reduce material costs. Hardware for the plug-in variant includes a crankshaft-mounted starter-generator, a mechanical water pump, and a re-routed cooling system. Additional updates include a multi-injection fuel system, an engine management system, and an air induction system.

Ingo Scholten, Managing Director, Aurobay Technologies Sweden and Deputy CTO of Horse Powertrain, said, “Designing one engine to meet three different regulatory regimes is harder than designing three separate engines. As the regulatory map is fragmenting, one engine that meets all three sets of rules delivers greater value to our customers, ensuring we can offer greater economies of scale. Pulling that off requires serious engineering. Further, the Skovde team also successfully changed production lines while keeping current production running.”

The Skovde plant integrated a final assembly line with the base assembly line to improve material flow. This transition occurred during ongoing operations. Output is scheduled to increase through 2026 and 2027 to meet demand.

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AEye, Inc. and MoveAWheeL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the integration of their sensing technologies for use in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving applications.

The partnership aims to combine AEye’s lidar perception with MoveAWheeL’s road-surface sensing to assist vehicles in interpreting surroundings and road conditions.

The collaboration will evaluate the pairing of AEye’s Apollo LiDAR sensor with MoveAWheeL’s friction-coefficient prediction technology. Apollo is a 1550-nanometer LiDAR sensor capable of detecting objects at distances of up to one kilometre. MoveAWheeL’s sensor uses acoustic sensing to estimate the friction of road surfaces, providing data to inform decisions regarding acceleration, braking and stability control.

Matt Fisch, Chairman and CEO of AEye, said, “Physical AI depends on giving machines the ability to accurately perceive and understand the real world. Apollo was designed to deliver long-range, real-time 3D perception that helps systems see farther and react earlier in complex environments. By exploring the integration of Apollo with MoveAWheeL’s road-surface intelligence, we have the opportunity to create an even deeper understanding of the driving environment, particularly in the adverse conditions where advanced safety systems are needed most.”

Dr. Min-Hyun Kim, Founder and CEO, MoveAWheeL, said, “While LiDAR provides the ‘eyes’ for a vehicle to see obstacles, MoveAWheeL provides the ‘tactile sense’ to feel the road. By integrating our Physical AI with AEye’s long-range perception, we are creating a complete safety stack that remains robust even in the most treacherous weather conditions.”

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L&T Technology Services (LTTS), a leading ER&D sevices company, has inaugurated its first Engineering Intelligence Centre of Excellence (EI CoE) in Munich, Germany. The facility marks a step in the company's Engineering Intelligence (EI) strategy, which focuses on embedding AI across the engineering lifecycle to support intelligent products, autonomous operations and manufacturing systems.

The centre aims to assist global enterprises in transitioning from AI experimentation to industrial transformation by combining domain engineering expertise with technologies such as GenAI, Agentic AI, multimodal AI, Physical AI and edge intelligence. LTTS states that it has filed over 237 patents in AI and GenAI during FY2026.

Located within a technology ecosystem, the Munich EI CoE will function as a collaborative hub for clients in the mobility, industrial products, sustainability and technology sectors. Its work will focus on: Applied AI solutions, Intelligent manufacturing, Software-defined products, Predictive operations and Connected engineering ecosystems.

At present, LTTS serves more than 60 clients in Europe with a team of over 4,500 engineers. The new centre is intended to improve local collaboration with clients, partners and academic institutions, facilitating outcome-driven innovation.

Amit Chadha, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services, said, “LTTS’ first EI Centre of Excellence in our Munich design centre is a milestone as it brings our deep-tech and EI-based solutions closer to the clients’ R&D hubs across the region. The centre will act as a focal point for innovation, R&D and new product development, redefining how products, platforms and manufacturing are engineered and optimised in the AI era.”

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European automaker Stellantis has announced a strategic initiative with Accenture to deploy artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital twin capabilities across its global manufacturing network using Nvidia technologies. The project focuses on creating virtual manufacturing environments powered by real-time data and physical AI.

The collaboration integrates Stellantis's automotive infrastructure, Accenture’s digital manufacturing engineering and Nvidia’s accelerated computing platforms and Omniverse libraries.

The system uses virtual factory replicas to validate manufacturing processes prior to physical installation, track metrics for quality control and conduct predictive monitoring.

Initial testing and deployment of the digital twin infrastructure are scheduled to begin with pilot programmes in North America in 2026. The long-term objective is to evaluate scalability across the carmaker's international plant footprint to establish a predictive manufacturing model.

Francesco Ciancia, Head of Manufacturing, Stellantis, said, “We are laying the foundation for the next generation of manufacturing at Stellantis. By combining digital twins, AI and advanced simulation, we are rethinking how we design, operate and continuously improve our production systems. This initiative is designed to work hand in hand with our teams, enhancing their ability to anticipate issues, enabling faster decisions and continuous improvement. Together with Accenture and NVIDIA, we are exploring new ways to drive more scalable and intelligent operations.”

Tracey Countryman, Supply Chain and Engineering Global Lead, Accenture, added, “The opportunity in manufacturing today is to scale AI across complex industrial operations in ways that deliver measurable business value. By partnering with Accenture and harnessing Nvidia’s compute and simulation technologies, Stellantis is positioned to accelerate manufacturing reinvention and lead the industry into a new era of intelligent, high-performance operations.”

The computational framework is built to enable closed-loop optimisation, a process where physical assembly lines and virtual systems continuously exchange data to improve performance. The architecture supports automated throughput adjustment, maintenance scheduling and software-defined factory operations.

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