Bosch has always been known for its cutting-edge technology, including in the mobility sector. The company completed 100 years in India this year and has also come up with a new smart campus called Spark.NXT, which was launched in July this year in Bengaluru, India. Spark.NXT has several parts to it, along with sustainability and mobility being a prominent focus.

Bosch, a leading supplier of technology and services, has been bringing together comprehensive expertise in vehicle technology with hardware, software and services to offer complete mobility solutions. The Bosch mobility solutions web portal presents highlights from the areas of connected mobility, automated mobility and powertrain systems and electrified mobility. In fact, Bosch is present in all of the mobility segments in India – from passenger vehicles to heavy commercial vehicles and light commercial vehicles to three-wheelers and two-wheelers.

Adding another feather to its cap will be one of the latest steps of the company – expanding its artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) activities in India by transforming its headquarters in Adugodi, Bengaluru, into a new smart campus called Spark.NXT. The inauguration of the same took place in Bengaluru, India, in July this year, also with the company celebrating 100 years of Bosch in India.

Throwing light on Bosch completing 100 years on Indian soil, Soumitra Bhattacharya, Managing Director at Bosch Limited and President of the Bosch Group, India, averred, “In terms of automotives, we have moved from an automotive components manufacturer to a systems manufacturer to a solutions manufacturer.”

Over the last five years, Bosch has invested INR 8 billion in developing the campus, which has the capacity to potentially house 10,000 associates. The 76-acre site is Bosch’s first smart campus in India and features multiple smart solutions based on sustainability, security and user experience for associates, visitors and facility management. It is designed to adapt to the needs of the users, and the smart solutions are innovated on the foundation of Bosch’s technological know-how.

In truth, in the construction phase, a strong emphasis was placed on recyclable materials and the transplanting of trees, ensuring an increase in green cover. 

As an AIoT company, Bosch India leveraged its world-class artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), automation and digitalisation capabilities to develop its smart campus in pursuit of its vision for a sustainable, self-reliant and future-ready India. To further enhance its R&D capabilities for the new way of working, the company has also trained over 10,000 associates through a comprehensive reskilling initiative over the past two years.

Spark.NXT – what is it?
Bhattacharya explained that Spark. NXT is a curiosity to transition and transform, and to meet the business expectations of not only grabbing the opportunities but co-creating the opportunities of the future.

Filiz Albrecht, Member of the Board of Management and Director of Industrial Relations at Robert Bosch GmbH, who officially took responsibility for Bosch India from 1 July 2022, talked about Spark. NXT and asserted, “Spark.NXT demonstrates our commitment to both sustainability and the well-being of our associates. It features a variety of smart IoT and machine learning (ML) solutions, which are expected to cut energy consumption on the campus by nearly 30 percent. The new campus will be an inspiring environment for our associates that will help them unleash their creativity and spark future innovations.”

In his inaugural speech, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that the Bosch Spark.NXT campus will certainly take the lead in developing futuristic products and solutions for India and the world. “I am happy that Bosch India has worked not only on innovation but also in giving it scale,” he said and added, “A key pillar in this will be sustainability. I was told that Bosch has achieved carbon neutrality both in India and outside of the country, which is very inspiring. Bosch came to India 100 years ago as a German company, and now it is as much Indian as German. This is a great example of German engineering and Indian energy.”

Spark.NXT has been broken into six parts – Spark.Mobility, Spark.Living, Spark.Industry, Spark.Software, Spark.Sustainability and Spark. Culture.

Spark.Mobility
“In mobility, we are talking of green mobility under four core factors – personalised, automated, connected and electrified,” Bhattacharya enlightened and continued, “For the last 12 years, we have worked on safety and reducing road accidents very closely with the Government of India.”

Spark.NXT and collaboration
Bhattacharya further put across that they are trying to do obsessive collaboration, not just with their customers or start-ups but for their group companies. “Many of these legal entities are currently, and will be further, housed inside the campus. We work together with software and hardware engineers, look at what the customers need and co-create the solutions,” he elucidated and continued, “Today, it’s all about where people get together and co-create through collaboration and also create opportunities.”

Giving a concrete example, Bhattacharya said, “Let’s take the example of driver drowsiness in some vehicles. So the emergency brakes, the cockpits, the connectivity and the various aspects that we will further announce in the areas of hydrogen electrification are all simple but clear examples of what we are trying to do.”

“So this campus, with this environment, allows us to get not just internal collaboration but external collaboration as well,” he stated.

Bosch’s sustainable practices
Albrecht further stated that the Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. “We have 128 locations across the globe and the company generated a sale of EUR 78.7 billion in 2021,” she shared and went on, “Bosch is a value-driven company and our commitment to sustainability is an integral part of the corporate culture. The key for us is technology, and as an innovation leader, we develop products and solutions of outstanding quality that help conserve natural resources and improve the quality of life.”

Albrecht went on to mention that as a company, Bosch has a long history of sustainable practices. She asserted, “Sustainability is no longer just a ‘nice to have’. Today, sustainability is our core mission, and we are working hard to live up to our responsibility here. By acting in an economically, environmentally and socially responsible manner, we want to improve the quality of life of the present and future generations as well. The Bosch Group has been carbon neutral since 2020.”

Focusing on carbon neutrality
“While making our own operations carbon neutral was in itself a big step, we are now focusing our efforts on reducing emissions outside of our direct sphere of influence,” Albrecht asserted and continued, “We are aiming to reduce our annual upstream and downstream emissions by 15 percent by 2030. To achieve this, we are, firstly, pursuing a circular economy strategy that involves keeping materials and products into usability for as long as possible. Secondly, we are striving to optimise energy efficiency in our existing products. And thirdly, we are shifting our product portfolio towards carbon neutrality.”

Coming to Bosch India, Albrecht cited that it is playing a key role in carbon neutrality, water management and energy efficiency, and that the people at Bosch India are doing some inspiring work in sustainability. While sustainability is central to a company’s corporate strategy, its success depends on the people. Bosch India wants to create an environment that enables its associates to develop their full potential and contribute to the company’s long-term success. It is preparing its associates for the transformation and helping them to develop personally and acquire new skills.

Investment in electromobility, digitalisation and more
“One more area of focus is reskilling associates and preparing them for the technologies of the future,” Albrecht informed and continued, “Over the past five years, Bosch has invested EUR one billion in this and plans to invest another billion in artificial intelligence, electromobility, software, digitalisation and Industry 4.0, to name just a few, over the next five years. Here as well, India is playing a key role for both our company and the global arena. The country has an advantage of demography and the availability of talent that can power global solutions.”

The importance of diversity
She went on to aver that when it comes to their workforce, they are convinced that their tremendous diversity is one of their most important factors of success. As a global player, Bosch has associates from some 150 different countries, and diversity is one of the core values of the company. The company is working hard at all levels of the Bosch Group to increase its diversity further by also bringing in women in leadership roles.

Coming to India, Albrecht said, “India is a highly diverse country, with a variety of cultures and languages. We believe that India’s diversity is key to its engine of innovation, and we’ll continue to invest in our local workforce in the years to come."

Bosch’s presence in Karnataka
Bhattacharya spoke of the company’s presence in Karnataka and mentioned that Bosch has the largest R&D centre in the world (outside of Germany) in Karnataka and that Bosch Global Software Solutions is headquartered in Koramangala. “Our collaboration with the Government of Karnataka has been there for a very long period,” he mentioned.

He further highlighted, “We transitioned the country from BSIV to BSVI in a record time of three years, where Europe and other countries took eight years. We have also worked very closely with the Government of India for Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai, who was the Chief Guest at the ceremony, applauded the work done by Bosch India, especially in Karnataka. He asserted, “It is a pleasure to be part of the inauguration of the Spark. NXT Campus of Bosch India. The company has had its presence in the state for several decades now, and it is heartening to host India’s largest smart campus here. Karnataka, primarily Bengaluru, has been a technology hub and houses the largest number of R&D centres across the globe. This campus is another feather to its cap.”

The chief minister further added, “This campus showcases R&D capabilities for both automotive and non-automotive products and services, and I hope that this will elevate the city’s leadership in the field of technology to a greater level.”

Campus walkthrough
The media was even given a walkthrough of the new smart campus, taking them through three of the solutions – Bosch Air Quality Management, Smart Working Solution and Visitor Management System.

Bosch Air Quality Management – Bosch India has already taken a lot of measures inside the new campus to reduce the impact of air pollution. Some of the measures include increased green cover (by 30 percent) and increased green energy – the company has made its entire campus a non-motorised zone. Plus, it has some new initiatives, like paperless work culture, planned.

However, in order to understand the effect of the emissions surrounding the campus (traffic, construction etc.) on the campus, the company has deployed its air quality monitors inside the campus and regularly monitors the data. This data is provided to the associates and is available as real-time information. The data is also made available to visitors on a big screen in the lobby etc.

Smart Working Solution – With the hybrid working model becoming the new norm, this opens up opportunities to reduce some real estate costs by decreasing the number of desks available. Naturally, it becomes important for the associates to know if there are desks available before they go to the office. Therefore, in order to facilitate this kind of flexible working model, Bosch India has come up with a smart solution, ‘Flexi Booking App’. Through this application, associates can check the availability of the desks and book the same from the comfort of their homes.

Another smart solution that Bosch India has come up with is ‘Automated Comfort Assistant’ application. Through this application, associates can provide feedback on how they feel about the office temperature (too hot, too cold etc.), and the system automatically adjusts the temperature based on this feedback so that everyone feels comfortable.

The combination of these two solutions gives real-time usage for facility management to optimise the workplace. This eventually helps in a considerable reduction in the cost of the real estate.

Visitor Management System – The Smart Visitor Management Solution scans a visitor’s face and gives automatic access. Plus, this solution also has a smart locker that works on a QR-based system – when an employee sends an invite to a visitor, the visitor gets a QR code on their mobile. The visitor just has to show the QR code as smart locker and a locker is assigned to them. There is no manual intervention involved; it's all automated.

The benefit of this solution is that it gives the visitor a seamless experience – there is zero dependency and enhanced security.

In order to make the solution much smarter, the company also wants to implement geo fencing (so that visitors do not go into any areas of the campus where they are not supposed to go), go cardless and include a robot to assist visitors around the campus.

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Hindustan Zinc, a global integrated zinc producer, is advancing its mining strategy with a fleet intelligence system powered by Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Through monitoring of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery, the company is capturing real-time data on equipment uptime, reliability and energy consumption to optimise operations, enhance machine lifespan and elevate productivity.

The data-driven approach has led to measurable improvements across equipment categories over the last three fiscal years FY2024 to FY2026:

• Jumbo drilling machines achieved a 28 percent improvement in reliability and uptime.
• Load Haul Dumpers recorded a 24 percent rise in uptime.
• Low-Profile Dump Trucks showed an improvement of over 27 percent.
• Efficiency has also improved, seen in the Power Pack to Percussion ratio for Jumbo machines, which decreased from 3.8 to 3.4, indicating better energy use for equivalent output.

This transformation is managed by Hindustan Zinc’s Collaboration Centre, which serves as the central nerve for real-time data integration and decision-making. Data from sensors and IIoT devices, deployed in collaboration with Machine Max (a Vedanta Spark startup partner), is processed and analysed into insights for both frontline teams and strategic leaders.

Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said, “With stronger data capture, cutting-edge IIoT integration and advanced analytics, we’re moving from reactive to predictive operations. The optimisation of our heavy earth-moving fleet has been a game-changer for our uptime and efficiency. This project is a clear step towards smarter, real-time decision-making and building a high-performance, energy-efficient mining ecosystem.”

The digital initiative is integral to the company’s strategy for automation, smart mining and sustainability. Hindustan Zinc is also deploying other technologies, including an AI-powered camera surveillance system that has resulted in an almost 50 percent reduction in manual intervention for safety and compliance. The company is currently working with over 20 technology startups on more than 50 projects through Vedanta Spark.

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Tier 1 automotive supplier Lumax Auto Technologies (Lumax) has inaugurated its new Technology Centre in Bengaluru, christened the ‘Smart Hub for Innovation and Future Trends’ (SHIFT).

The new facility will focus on accelerating the company’s electronics engineering and digital capabilities amid the global transition toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

The inauguration saw participation from Lumax’s key customers and partners, including leaders from Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Hero MotoCorp, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors and TVS Motor Company.

The new centre aims to serve as a nucleus for advanced research and product development in key areas such as in-cabin experiences, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), connectivity and embedded electronics.

Anmol Jain, Managing Director, Lumax Auto Technologies, said, “This centre marks a major step toward our Tier 0.5 vision, enhancing our strengths in electronics, mechatronics and digital systems. We aim to lead the transformation toward intelligent, connected and sustainable mobility and Bengaluru’s dynamic tech ecosystem provides the ideal environment for this journey.”

The tier 1 supplier stated that the component industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by electrification, digitisation and autonomous technologies. As vehicles become increasingly software-centric, Lumax Group is working to integrate intelligent systems and deliver seamless user experiences.

Deepak Jain, Promoter Director, Lumax Auto Technologies, said, “The launch of our Technology Centre reaffirms our long-term commitment to customer-centric innovation and technological leadership. As the industry transitions toward software-defined vehicles (SDV), the future of mobility will increasingly be driven by intelligence, connectivity and digital integration. SHIFT will enable Lumax Group to accelerate innovation, strengthen collaboration and shape intelligent mobility solutions of the future.”

The SHIFT Technology Centre is equipped with advanced electronics labs for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, rapid prototyping and product validation, enabling end-to-end innovation from concept to commercialisation.

Satish Sunderesan, CTO, Lumax Auto Technologies, said, “With SHIFT, we aim to converge talent, technology and transformation to engineer software-defined and digitally driven vehicles and evolve from smart systems to autonomous intelligence.”

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Mattel, AirConsole, and BMW have launched Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive, a title for BMW customers on the AirConsole gaming platform. The game was announced at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo.

The game follows the success of Mattel’s UNO Car Party! and combines a brand, automotive innovation and social play.

A feature of the game is the Panoramic Drive track, a level where players race Hot Wheels cars inside the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X. Players can also get behind the wheel of a car inspired by the BMW iX3, the series version of the Vision Neue Klasse X, to race alongside a range of classic Hot Wheels vehicles.

This integration will be for BMW drivers until June 2026.

With the game, players can earn points from races, unlock Hot Wheels cars and customise them. Game features include:

• Race cars – Choose from a lineup of 8 Hot Wheels vehicles, as well as a BMW iX3.
• Tracks – Zoom through six courses, including the Panoramic Drive track built inside the BMW Neue Klasse X.
• Race Options – Compete in Quick Race, Cup Mode and Custom Track mode.
• Multiplayer action – Up to four players can join the fun with smartphones as controllers.
• Customisation – Unlock and customise cars to show off custom looks on the track.

The market for in-car gaming is expanding, and players expect integration and content. N-Dream, the company which developed AirConsole, aims to make the car a new frontier for shared entertainment.

Anthony Cliquot, CEO, N-Dream, said, “Cars are no longer just about driving them, they’re becoming entertainment hubs. BMW’s continuous investment into exclusive content with AirConsole is a testament of in-car entertainment’s growing importance. With BMW and Mattel, we’re proving that the passenger experience can be as iconic as the drive itself.”

Since 2022, the BMW Group and N-Dream have been pioneering gaming in BMW vehicles. AirConsole is available in current BMW and MINI models with Operating System 9 (in combination with BMW Digital Premium / MINI Connected Package) and with BMW Operating System 8.5 (in combination with BMW ConnectedDrive Professional). It will also be available with the new BMW Operating System X.

Also read: KPIT Acquires Majority Stake In AirConsole Creator N-Dream

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Tsuyo Manufacturing, an electric powertrain design and manufacturing start-up, has raised INR 400 million in a Pre-Series A round led by Avaana Capital. The investment will fund Tsuyo's next phase of growth, including the establishment of a second R&D centre and the commissioning of a new greenfield manufacturing facility.

Founded in 2020, Tsuyo has delivered over 150,000 powertrain units across various EV applications to more than 25 OEMs. The company aims for a 7-8x growth within the next three years, with expansion plans targeting Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea and Europe.

The company said it is a tier-1 supplier of integrated powertrain solutions to OEMs, including Mahindra, Volvo Eicher and Sonalika, with products covering three-wheeler, four-wheeler, Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV) and off-road applications.

It claims to be the only Indian supplier with a validated powertrain platform for HCVs and retrofit solutions for existing ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) fleets.

The upcoming third manufacturing unit will focus on producing high-wattage electric motors (up to 250 kW) and transmission assemblies, with an initial annual capacity target of 20,000 units. The new facility will also include a vehicle testing track and end-of-line validation systems aligned with PM e-Drive and FAME standards.

The new R&D centre will concentrate on power electronics, embedded systems and prototype development. Tsuyo has filed four patents and has 25 more in the pipeline, including innovations in rare-earth-free motors and hybrid magnet-based motors.

Vikas Verma, Venture Partner at Avaana Capital, said, “Tsuyo is building the backbone of India’s energy transition. Their vertically integrated powertrain, critical for electrification across automotive and industrial applications, exemplifies the kind of indigenous, scalable innovation that will define India’s role in building globally resilient supply chains and reducing reliance on rare earth mineral-based technologies. We’re proud to partner with a team that brings together deep design and engineering innovation with the operational excellence needed to scale commercially”.

Vijay Kumar, Founder & CEO, Tsuyo, said: “Our mission has always been to design and manufacture powertrain systems from India that compete at a global level. With Avaana’s support, we’re scaling high-wattage motor production and advancing deep-tech R&D. From magnet-less designs to novel winding approaches and localised tooling, our focus is on creating more efficient, reliable and sustainable powertrain solutions.”

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