BASF and its partners are set to present two technologies at K 2025 that allow for the recycling of polyamides from end-of-life vehicles. While metal recovery from decommissioned vehicles has been standard for decades, about 200 kilograms of plastic per vehicle are often incinerated. The new technologies aim to change this, especially with upcoming requirements from the End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation (ELVR). Pilot projects show how automotive waste can be used as material and returned to a closed cycle for the car industry.

BASF developed a chemical recycling process that recycles used and contaminated plastic parts – including used oil pans from ZF Group vehicles. The core of the process is depolymerisation, where the long polyamide chains break down into their original monomers. The caprolactam monomer obtained from PA6 is then purified. This removes impurities that would have remained with mechanical recycling and potentially reduced the material's quality and safety.

The material is then repolymerised into high-quality polyamide, which is processed into a compound suitable for demanding car industry components, closing the automotive-to-automotive loop.

"What used to be considered non-recyclable is now the starting point for high-quality new products," said Martin Scheuble, Team Leader Circularity Engineering Plastics at BASF.

ZF Group processed the recycled material into a chassis component for Mercedes-Benz. Tests show that depolymerisation allows for polyamide compounds that can be used without compromising performance or other chemical and physical properties.

"This project highlights the potential of recycled plastic - even for technically demanding applications - and underlines ZF's innovative strength in establishing sustainable material cycles," said Dr. Michael Lohrmann, Director Materials Technology at ZF.

Solvent-based recycling of shredder residue

A second pilot project focuses on recycling automotive shredder residue (ASR) – a mixture of materials left after the removal of mostly metals and glass. Close cooperation with a recycling company, using new sorting and processing technology, has allowed the polyamides to be extracted from this mixture in a largely pure form.

This polyamide fraction was the starting material for a solvent-based recycling process. In this process, the polymer chain is selectively dissolved with a solvent, purified and then reprocessed into PA6 compounds.

Poppelmann manufactured and tested a chain guide rail in series production at Mercedes-Benz using this technology.

"The project impressively demonstrates that solvent-based recycling is a practical alternative for plastics that are difficult to recycle mechanically. It makes an important contribution to the holistic circular economy - from the car back into the car," emphasised Steffen Meyer, Team Leader Production Technology at Poppelmann.

Life cycle analyses (LCA) confirm that both the solvent-based and depolymerisation technologies offer substantial CO2 emission savings compared to both conventional polyamide production and traditional plastic recycling methods like thermal recovery.

BASF offers a range of recycling solutions, stating that targets are achieved only if technologies are used in a complementary manner, depending on the type and availability of waste.

Jana Kragenbring-Noor, Head of Sustainability & Environmental Protection at Mercedes-Benz, explained, "Mercedes-Benz is committed to the use of secondary raw materials in its vehicles today and in the future as part of resource conservation and circularity. To continuously increase the availability of such sought-after secondary materials, the expansion of existing and new recycling technologies is essential."

"We are continuously improving the efficiency of physical methods such as mechanical and solvent-based recycling. In addition, we are convinced that complementary technologies such as chemical recycling, which includes depolymerization, pyrolysis and gasification, are necessary to further promote the circular economy and reduce the plastic waste that still ends up in landfills or is incinerated today, as well as the potential to obtain high-quality recycled plastics," explained, Dr. Martin Jung, President of BASF Performance Materials.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Basemark, a provider of real-time graphics and augmented reality (AR) software, has announced a strategic collaboration with KPIT Technologies, a global mobility solutions provider. The partnership aims to accelerate the development and large-scale deployment of next-generation, multi-screen Human Machine Interface (HMI) solutions for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

As a primary milestone of this agreement, KPIT officially joins Basemark’s Rocksolid ecosystem as its first certified partner. The alliance is structured to help automotive manufacturers transition HMI concepts into production-grade series deployment faster while meeting stringent industry standards for safety, reliability and performance.

As modern vehicles transition into software-defined platforms, advanced HMIs have become critical differentiators for brand identity and consumer experience. However, scaling immersive, context-aware interfaces across multiple vehicle segments and varied display domains remains a significant engineering challenge.

This collaboration addresses those complexities by pairing specialised software hardware with global engineering scale:

Basemark's Rocksolid Platform: Provides a high-performance software environment tailored for advanced HMI and AR development. The platform is designed to support modern development workflows, including artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted creation, modification, and debugging of HMI assets and application logic.

KPIT's Integration and Engineering Scale: Brings nearly two decades of automotive software expertise, having supported more than 20 million vehicles globally. KPIT provides end-to-end capabilities across infotainment, digital cockpits, connectivity, embedded platforms, systems integration, validation, and global delivery.

The Rocksolid Certified Partner Program is designed by Basemark to ensure that OEMs can execute high-volume, safety-critical HMI programs with verified partners who have demonstrated technical excellence on the platform.

Under the agreement, KPIT will directly leverage Rocksolid Studio and Rocksolid Engine to design and deploy integrated automotive software architectures, including advanced HMI, AR Head-Up Displays (HUD), digital cockpits, and multi-display experiences.

Tero Sarkkinen, Founder & CEO, Basemark, said, “KPIT becoming the first Rocksolid Certified Partner is an important milestone for the Rocksolid ecosystem. With KPIT’s automotive software expertise and delivery scale, OEMs can accelerate their journey from HMI concept to reliable series production.”

Omkar Panse, CTO, KPIT Technologies, added, “Our collaboration with Basemark strengthens our ability to help OEMs deliver advanced HMI experiences with production readiness and scale. By combining Rocksolid’s high-performance platform with our solutions, and software and systems expertise, we enable customers to deploy differentiated user experiences across vehicle programs efficiently.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

German luxury automotive company Audi has officially introduced the Audi Nuvolari, its first-ever supercar featuring a high-performance hybrid powertrain. The company believes it is destined to become the fastest and most powerful production vehicle in the history of the brand. Production of the vehicle will be strictly limited to 499 units with customer deliveries scheduled to commence in the first half of 2027.

Named after the legendary, fearless pre-war racing driver Tazio Nuvolari, the pre-production prototype represents a monumental shift for the manufacturer. It serves as the pioneering production model to debut Audi’s brand-new, visceral design philosophy.

The technical core of the Audi Nuvolari features a complex hybrid system sporting four distinct drive units that push out a combined maximum system output of 736 kW (1,001 PS).

It uses a mid-mounted 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine that generates 588 kW (800 hp) and 730 Nm of torque. Heavily derived from motorsports, it revs up to an impressive 10,000 rpm. The engine is further complemented by three axial flux electric motors, which include two oil-cooled axial flux motors on the front axle, outputting up to 2,150 Nm of torque and enabling fully variable torque vectoring. A third electric motor is sandwiched between the mid-mounted engine and the transmission. The system relies on a lithium-ion battery with a gross capacity of 7.3 kWh.

The Audi Nuvolari has a claimed acceleration of zero to 100 kmph in under 2.6 seconds, upto 200 kmph in 6.8 seconds and a top speed exceeding 350 kmph.

To safely manage extreme velocities, Audi worked closely with its Formula 1 drivers to refine the car's aerodynamics. The vehicle features an S-duct – a vented front end that channels air to increase front-axle downforce while reducing lift – and a deployable adaptive rear wing. The wing automatically morphs through three operational configurations: Closed (minimising drag), Low Downforce (LD) and High Downforce (HD).

In its peak HD setting, the aero package generates more than 400 kg of downforce. Drivers can also manually deploy a steering-wheel-mounted Drag Reduction System (DRS) on straights to lower the wing and bleed off drag.

Structurally, the supercar utilises the renowned Audi Space Frame (ASF) technology but pairs it with an all-carbon fibre exterior for the first time in brand history. Virtually all body panels are built using high-tech prepreg autoclave technology to ensure maximum rigidity with minimal mass. Forged centre-lock wheels also make their production debut on this vehicle.

Quattro Predictive Ride

The vehicle premieres quattro predictive ride, an advanced evolution of Audi's signature all-wheel-drive system. Using a highly responsive vehicle state model fed by real-time telemetry (including yaw rate, steering angles and grip levels), the car proactively calculates traction thresholds.

Before a tyres-slip event can occur in a corner, the car seamlessly modulates longitudinal and lateral torque vectoring, tweaks active aero downforce and applies targeted brake interventions to stabilise the chassis.

Through physical rotary dials on the steering wheel, drivers can select from four core modes, plus a dedicated track setting:

• E-Hybrid: For fully electric, emissions-free urban driving.
• Balanced: Prioritises everyday driving comfort, efficiency and baseline performance.
• Dynamic: Optimises throttle response and sharpens cornering precision.
• Dynamic+: Focuses the entire hybrid powertrain on delivering maximum emotional performance.
• Track Mode: Tailors traction control behaviour to specific track environments, allowing drivers to manually step settings across Wet, Dry, Race, or completely Traction Control Off (TC Off).

The Nuvolari employs a motorsport-derived brake-by-wire system with an energy absorption capability of up to 2.8 megawatts. It permits purely electric regeneration up to 0.3 g before seamlessly engaging its hydraulic anchors.

The physical hardware consists of the new Audi Ceramic Pro braking system, utilising Formula 1 long-fibre carbon brake discs and a custom internal cooling design that boosts thermal dissipation by 21 percent over conventional carbon-ceramic brakes. Massive 10-piston fixed calipers clamp down on 420x40 mm discs at the front axle, while 4-piston calipers handle 410x32 mm discs at the rear.

The cockpit layout strips away secondary digital clutter, keeping all vital human-machine interface (HMI) menus directly inside the driver's primary line of sight. The visual identity features anodised aluminium accents and premium lightweight carbon-fibre bucket seats.

The interior is cleverly split into two distinct colour zones: a dark, muted front cabin designed to optimise high-speed driving concentration and a lighter Shadow Dune layout in the rear.

In a historic nod to Audi's rich racing heritage, the colour accents utilised across the digital HMI screens are styled as a direct tribute to the legendary 1930s Auto Union Type C speed-record race cars.

Gernot Dollner, Chairman of the Board of Management, Audi AG, said, “With the Audi Nuvolari, we are accelerating technological progress. It shows what is possible when the focus is on technology, performance, and execution through teamwork – and when we achieve progress together.”

Rouven Mohr, CTO, Audi, added, “With the Audi Nuvolari, our entire team has once again demonstrated its technical expertise, innovative strength, and dedication. This is reflected not only in the vehicle’s performance and its Formula 1-inspired technologies, but also in the ability to transfer innovations quickly and precisely into a production vehicle.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

French tier 1 supplier Valeo has expanded its presence in the electric vehicle ecosystem with the introduction of its advanced smart charging product range. The new lineup is being showcased at the Drive to Zero event at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

For the first time, the company is demonstrating its new Ineez AC charging station, which features native integration of bidirectional Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology and the ISO 15118-20 communication protocol. The implementation transforms the traditional vehicle charging point into an active hub capable of optimising local energy flows and reducing user costs by allowing real-time interaction between electric vehicles and the power grid.

The core software and hardware architecture powering Valeo's V2G charging equipment utilises a technology platform originally engineered by IoTecha, which is now owned by Valeo.

This system combines updated communication networks with a cloud-based IoT.ON management platform to secure baseline interoperability between the EV, the charger and the local utility provider.

It utilises ISO 15118-20 protocol, which serves as a secure, universal digital interface between the vehicle and the hardware to guarantee ultra-secure data transfers and support bidirectional energy flows. Embedded software stacks allow for localised implementation of varying international grid codes, optimising hardware functionality according to specific geographic requirements.

The autocharge feature streamlines the consumer charging process by incorporating automatic, cardless user authentication upon plug-in. The bidirectional power flow enables electric vehicles to feed stored energy back into power grids or localised buildings during peak energy demand periods, serving as a functional tool for asset monetisation.

At the event, Valeo is exhibiting its full Ineez commercial portfolio, structured to target residential, commercial, industrial and fleet applications including – Smart Unidirectional (V1G) AC Stations, Advanced Bidirectional (V2G) AC Stations, Energy Management Systems and Ancillary Hardware.

Isabelle D’Ambrosio, Vice-President of Smart Mobility, Valeo, said, “At Valeo, we are combining our industrial excellence and software protocols, to make advanced energy flexibility both accessible and future-proof for our customers, expanding our reach beyond the traditional automotive technology. We are proud to present our latest Ineez AC charging station that offers Vehicle-to-grid technology as well as the latest communication protocol that secures a safe interface between the vehicle and the charging station.”

Oleg Logvinov, Founder, IoTecha, added, “As EV infrastructure becomes woven into the fabric of daily life – from the driveway to the highway – the potential for asset monetisation scales exponentially. IoTecha’s platform, now a part of Valeo’s global ecosystem, bridges the gap between simple charging and smart monetisation. We aren’t just charging vehicles; we are providing a one-stop shop to turn every EV into a high-performance revenue engine.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Synopsys, Inc., a prominent provider of silicon-to-systems design solutions, will host its annual flagship Synopsys User Group (SNUG) India 2026 conference at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel on 18 June 2026.

The one-day event serves as a collaborative platform for semiconductor design engineers, technology executives and ecosystem partners across India's electronics and systems engineering sectors to discuss developments in the era of pervasive artificial intelligence.

The conference will open with a keynote presentation delivered by Ravi Subramanian, Chief Product Management Officer at Synopsys, titled ‘Re-Engineering the Future of Silicon’. The address will examine the structural transformations occurring within engineering design and development workflows, driven by specific technical shifts:

• AI and Agentic Workflows: Exploring how machine learning and autonomous agent frameworks are optimising traditional silicon layout and verification pipelines.
• Silicon-to-Systems Innovation: Evaluating the accelerating convergence of standard silicon design, multiphysics analysis and intelligent system engineering to manage high design complexity.
• Accelerated Innovation Cycles: Addressing the challenges organisational engineering teams face during truncated development timelines for complex semiconductor products.

As software-defined architectures and AI transform product development paradigms, SNUG India 2026 will run multi-track sessions detailing next-generation engineering workflows. The technical program will incorporate peer-reviewed customer presentations, expert panels and technical deep-dives covering – AI-enabled semiconductor engineering & automation tools; 3DIC and advanced packaging; managing signal integrity & layout density in multi-dye chip architectures; multiphysics chip design & hardware-assisted verification systems and design methodologies for software-defined systems.

Sudeep Kallappa Shivalli, Regional Senior Director, Go To Market at Synopsys, said, “SNUG India 2026 reflects the spirit of collaboration and innovation that has defined the Synopsys Users Group community for over three decades. As engineering teams navigate unprecedented complexity driven by AI, intelligent systems and software-defined products, platforms like this becomes increasingly important for bringing together customers, partners and technology experts to exchange insights, share experiences and collectively shape the future of innovation.”

File photo: Synopsys 2025

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!