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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The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, has announced the readiness of its ambitious and pioneering project, the ‘ADAS Test City’.

The new facility spread across 20 acres in Takwe near Talegaon, Pune, is designed as a pseudo city to replicate the diverse road conditions in India, which will be instrumental to test and validate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in a safe, secure, repeatable and controlled environment. The idea is to support the development of ADAS solutions to meet the real-world scenarios in India. The ADAS Test City is also the first-of-its-kind such dedicated facility in the country.

Furthermore, ARAI also announced that it will host ‘The ADAS Show’ in association with Aayera, at the new facility on 12 December 2025, where it expects automakers, tier 1 suppliers and technology companies to showcase their innovation and test vehicles.

Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI said, “ADAS are pivotal in enhancing road safety, and ARAI remains committed to driving the adoption of safe, smart, and sustainable mobility solutions across industry. Our upcoming ADAS Smart City Track represents a landmark initiative – India’s first dedicated proving ground designed to enable automotive and auto-tech manufacturers to rigorously test and validate their technologies in real-world conditions. We thank the Ministry of Heavy Industries for their gracious support under their Capital Goods Scheme which has enabled us to install the modular infrastructure for Verification and Validation of ADAS at the Test City. This facility will play a crucial role in advancing ADAS capabilities by empowering manufacturers to deliver best-in-class safety solutions to consumers. Moreover, this ADAS Smart City Track will not only facilitate but will boost indigenous ADAS/AV technology development from the budding start-up ecosystem. Hence, events such as The Adas Show, organised in collaboration with Aayera, are instrumental in fostering open dialogue and collaborative innovation in the realm of intelligent mobility. We look forward to insightful deliberations and a successful event on 12th December 2025.”

Syed Fareed Ahmed, Director, Aayera, added, “THE ADAS SHOW is India’s definitive platform where automotive leaders, technologists, and innovators converge to showcase and discuss the most advanced driver-assistance and safety technologies. The previous editions were inaugurated by Dr. Hanif Qureshi, IPS, Additional Secretary (Automobiles), Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India at ICAT, and witnessed participation from leading OEMs such as Honda, JSW MG Motors, BMW, Volvo, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki India, alongside global technology leaders including Bosch, ZF, Valeo, Harman, Starkenn, Rosmerta, Dassault Systemes, NXP, Uno Minda and many more. The Adas Show is a dynamic and engaging event that unites vehicle manufacturers, ADAS technology companies and testing equipment providers to present cutting-edge innovations in real-world scenarios.”

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Bengaluru-headquartered engineering R&D service company L&T Technology Services has inked a strategic partnership with Silicon Valley-based SiMa.ai, a leader in Physical AI. The partnership will focus on driving AI-driven solutions across mobility, healthcare, industrial automation and robotics.

As per the understanding, LTTS’ will combine its deep engineering expertise and domain focus with SiMa.ai’s MLSoC ONE platform and software SDK. SiMa.ai will deliver industry-leading AI hardware and software solutions by leveraging LTTS’ core engineering capabilities and human capital investments across key areas such as in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), AD/ADAS, industrial automation & robotics and healthcare.

Amit Chadha, CEO & MD, L&T Technology Services, said, “SiMa.ai cements LTTS’ position as a leader in AI-led ER&D solutions. By combining SiMa.ai’s groundbreaking AI computing technology with our expertise in design and implementation, we are empowering clients across robotics, mobility and healthcare to accelerate time-to-market, enhance operational efficiency and deliver unparalleled value. Together, we are driving the industry forward, embedding intelligence into innovative solutions that are sustainable and scalable.”

Krishna Rangasayee, Founder & CEO, SiMa.ai, said, “Our collaboration with LTTS symbolises the synergy required to scale physical AI applications globally. LTTS brings unmatched engineering capabilities and client reach, making them an ideal partner. By working together, we enable industries to harness the full potential of AI, delivering high performance and power efficiency to clients while simplifying the adoption process.”

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Rapido, a leading ride-sharing platform in India, has joined forces with the Jaipur Police Commissionerate to launch a new initiative focused on improving women's safety in the city's public transportation. This partnership, which follows a week-long awareness campaign, will see the installation of dashcams in 100 Rapido cabs to enhance ride monitoring and emergency response times.

Rapido stated that at present, 40 percent of its cab users in Jaipur are women. The initiative, titled ‘Sashakt Nari – Zimmedari Hamari’ (Empowered Women – Our Responsibility), was flagged off by Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph and Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajarshi Raj. The campaign underscores the shared responsibility of citizens, service providers and law enforcement in ensuring women can travel safely and with confidence.

Rajarshi Raji said, "Women's safety is a collective responsibility that goes beyond the role of the police. When communities, technology partners, and law enforcement work together, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for women. Initiatives like this campaign help build confidence, enabling women to move freely for work, education and daily life."

Sudipta Sen, Senior Manager at Rapido Cabs, noted, "At Rapido, safety is not an add-on; it is the foundation of every ride. With 40% of cab users in Jaipur being women, our collaboration with Jaipur Police focuses on practical measures that can make every journey safer and more reassuring. By introducing dashcams, providing 24x7 support, and driving awareness campaigns, we are working to make mobility safer, inclusive and truly empowering for women. Our goal is to ensure that every woman in Jaipur should be able to travel with confidence and see mobility as a catalyst for her independence and participation in the city’s growth.”

The dashcams will supplement Rapido's existing safety features, which include an in-app SOS button, real-time ride tracking and a call-masking feature for female customers.

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In a major move set to redefine global connectivity for mobile assets, Luxembourg-based OrbitsIQ Global (OIQ) has completed the acquisition of Munich-based NewSpace startup, UNIO Enterprise. The deal, which combines UNIO’s pioneering connectivity software with OIQ's satellite and terrestrial network capabilities, aims to provide seamless, uninterrupted service to millions of vehicles, boats, planes and autonomous systems worldwide.

The merger is poised to create a ‘ubiquitous bridge’ between cellular and satellite networks, ensuring constant connectivity for mobile assets. The partnership is a significant step towards enabling critical technologies like autonomous driving, smart logistics and predictive maintenance, all of which rely on uninterrupted data flow.

Katrin Bacic, CEO, UNIO Enterprise, said, "Joining OIQ Global marks a turning point for UNIO. With our connectivity expertise and OIQ’s constellation vision, we will redefine how mobility assets connect. This partnership allows us to accelerate our roadmap and deliver the next generation of intelligent connectivity across terrestrial and satellite networks for industries such as automotive, agriculture, logistics and maritime sectors."

Joseph J Euteneuer, CEO, OIQ Global, said, "We are delighted to welcome UNIO Enterprise into the OIQ Global family. Their AI-powered smart-switch connectivity technology is the perfect complement to our global anywhere anytime connectivity vision. Together, we will establish a seamless, multi-band mobility connectivity capability that unlocks new frontiers in efficiency, safety and operational insight around the world."

The companies believe this acquisition positions Europe at the forefront of global telematics innovation, strengthening the continent’s leadership in a field where mobility connectivity has become as essential as fuel.

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