Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has commissioned a new, modern Mechatronics Lab inside its Oragadam (Chennai) facility. This lab has been built to significantly increase the efficiency of software architecture verification and validation. It has also been built to ensure cost efficiencies in the range of 70-80 percent when compared to traditional methods. 

The agile methodologies deployed in the lab will facilitate the rapid identification and resolution of software bugs through a close-loop feedback system. The testing and verification methods that earlier took weeks and months will now take days with the new lab in the loop, thereby drastically improving the efficacy of quality and testing processes. 

The Mechatronics Lab verifies and validates software feature functionality for trucks and buses that not only meet current safety standards, but also helps Daimler Truck products manufactured in DICV stay ahead of the curve in meeting future global safety regulations.

Instrumental in driving DICV’s research and development efforts, particularly in enhancing the efficiency, safety and performance of its trucks and buses as well as shrinking the ‘time-to-market’, the lab would enable simulation and confirmation of rare fault cases that are challenging to reproduce in real-world conditions, ensuring comprehensive verification and validation.

The lab's infrastructure includes a flashing station for pre-production verification of all ECUs, ensuring hardware and software compatibility before production, thus minimizing errors, and reducing the need for re-releases. The ADAS setup allows on-road data to be reproduced in the lab, aiding initial software modifications and reducing vehicle dependency, saving time and cost. The lab also enables safe verification of Driver State Monitoring (DSM), avoiding risky in-vehicle trials.

Speaking about the new lab, Pradeep Kumar Thimmaiyan, President of Product Engineering & Chief Technology Officer, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said, “Our new Mechatronics Lab signals a transformative phase in our Research and Development operations, ushering us into an era that underscores enhanced agility and breakthrough innovations. Beyond validation, our Mechatronics Lab stands as a hub for innovation, positioning us uniquely on the global stage. Already, the lab is the core of our future electrical and electronic architectures. The DICV Mechatronics Lab complements the company's long-term vision, positioning it at the forefront of technological advancements in the commercial vehicle sector. It underscores our commitment to 'Make and Develop in India, for India and the World’, embodying our vision to not only cater to domestic needs but also to set new benchmarks internationally.” 

Dilip Shrivastava, Head of Mechatronics and Software Technology, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles added, “Our Lab can verify and validate around 300 features, encompassing over a thousand signals within 10 days, and can verify 600 fault codes in a developing product in just a few weeks, which otherwise would have taken months. Our aim is to ensure our software architecture gets verified and validated before it gets embedded in our trucks and buses as early identification of software bugs which saves enormous developmental cost. Keeping our long-term vision in mind we are bringing such efficiencies that can accelerate product development cycles for which our Mechatronics Lab will play a lead role. By establishing the lab, evaluation of diverse vehicle architectures has become seamless, eliminating the need for multiple test vehicles while enhancing the overall efficiency.”

Copeland, a sustainable climate solutions company, inaugurated its new Engineering and Technology Center in Pune, Maharashtra, as part of its broader INR 5 billion India investment plan.

The company aims to leverage India’s STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) talent pool and aligned with the country’s ambition to become a global innovation hub. It aims to strengthen its innovation ecosystem with engineering labs spanning 9 countries in order to advance its engineering and R&D efforts locally and globally.

For the automotive industry, Copeland provides cargo management solutions with refrigeration expertise that supports cold chain logistics.

The Pune facility will see over 320 engineers across engineering, R&D, software and firmware development focus on innovation and product development, along with providing agility to respond to market requirements.

Ross B Shuster, CEO, Copeland, said, "Copeland’s presence in India spans over three decades. Our current investment plan, including this investment in our new state-of-the-art Pune Engineering and Technology Center, as well as the in-progress expansion of our manufacturing operations in Atit, underscore our commitment to the India market. With more than 15 percent of our global engineering team located in India, the local team plays a vital role in developing sustainability-focused technologies and products for both local and global customers. As global demand for sustainable solutions continues to rise, this new Engineering and Technology Center will focus on advancing energy-efficient and low-GWP and natural refrigerant technologies for global deployments across the HVAC and Refrigeration industry.”

Patrick Forsythe, CTO, Copeland, said, "Innovation is in Copeland's DNA, and our new Pune Technology and Engineering Center further enables our efforts to solving some of the world’s most complex climate challenges. We have a longstanding track record as an industry steward and continue our commitment to support regulatory compliance and global sustainability objectives. This investment will enhance Copeland's focus on innovation to help customers meet their net-zero goals and drive impactful change.”

The Pune tech centre will support demand for innovative and sustainable heating, cooling, cold chain and industrial solutions.

Zuno General Insurance (formerly Edelweiss General Insurance), a new-age digital insurer, has introduced Zuno SmartDrive, which now makes its core motor insurance product come with its innovative Pay-How-You-Drive (PHYD) feature as default.

This the company claims makes it the first insurer in India to offer mobile telematics embedded in car insurance, which incentivises customers to drive safer.

Under the scheme, a Zuno motor insurance policyholder will get access to a personalised, reward-driven pricing based on their actual driving behaviour. They will be able to track their driving score through mobile telematics that is embedded in the Zuno app.

The company expects its tech-savvy customers in the 24-45 age bracket will benefit the most. The customer’s score will be determined on the customers actual driving incorporating speed, braking and distracted driving behaviour. A customer with a good score will get a lower premium and vice-versa.

Shanai Ghosh, MD & CEO, Zuno General Insurance, said, “By incorporating Pay-How-You-Drive in our Zuno SmartDrive motor cover policy, we are empowering customers with greater control over their premiums while encouraging safer driving by linking pricing to safe driving habits. This initiative reinforces our commitment to providing our policyholders with an easy, friendly and transparent experience while also contributing to safer roads for everyone. With Zuno SmartDrive, we're not only reimagining insurance but also promoting safer driving practices by incentivising safe driving behaviour. For us, this isn't just insurance; it's a commitment to innovation, transparency, and a safer tomorrow.”

Returning for the 2025 season and 75th anniversary year this weekend, the Formula 1 sport has released a round-up on the progress made towards its sustainability and social commitments last year. In the form of 2024 Impact Report, which will be released later this year, the progress made towards its sustainability and social commitments with Net Zero as the goal for 2030, the Formula 1 sport has – on the environmental front – made significant investments in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as part of its ultra-efficient logistics strategy. 
It has invested significantly in SAF as it delivers an estimated 80 percent reduction in associated carbon emissions per flight compared to the use of conventional aviation fuel. The combined investment in SAF with Global Partners DHL and Qatar Airways reduced total related emissions by more than 8,000 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), an approximate 19 percent reduction in related emissions– compared to traditional aviation fuel – for the air freight charter programme operated by Formula 1 across the flyaway events of the 2024 season.
The delivery of innovative low-carbon energy generation systems using renewable sources such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), biofuel, solar panels, and battery began testing in 2023. Last year, they were used at the Red Bull Ring, the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. For the 2025 season, a programme will be rolled out to reduce more than 90 percent of carbon emissions at all European Grands Prix in key areas such as the Paddock, Pit Lane, and Event Technical Centre. 
As part of the sport’s ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions associated with travel and logistics, improvements were made to the geographical flow of races around the world in 2024. This included agreement from the Promoter in Japan to move the Suzuka race back from September to April to fit with the Asia Pacific segment of the schedule, while Azerbaijan took its slot to align with Singapore. The organisers of the Qatar Grand Prix also approved a move to the penultimate spot in the schedule, back-to-back with Abu Dhabi. From 2026 the Canadian Grand Prix will be hosted earlier in the year and the Monaco Grand Prix will take place on the first full weekend in June, consolidating the European leg of the F1 season into one period, removing an additional transatlantic crossing and delivering significant associated carbon reductions. 
Last year, F2 and F3 cars ran on 55 percent Aramco advanced sustainable fuel and the FIA medical and safety cars operated on 40 percent of it. In 2025, the F2 and F3 cars will move to 100 percent use of it, ahead of the Formula 1 cars adopting the fuels in 2026 in the new hybrid engines that will take to the circuit next year. 
The technology has implications for the automotive industry and existing petrol cars, as the fuel developed by Formula 1 will be a ‘drop-in’ that can be used in road cars without modification and will serve as a sustainable alternative of global benefit. 
Throughout the 2024 season, the cars all operated with FSC approved Pirelli tyres, which means the natural rubber in the type complies with the FSC’s strict standards for sustainable forestry. Some 80 percent of promoters powered aspects of their events using alternative energy sources such as solar panels, green tariffs, and biofuels. Over 90 precent of promoters began offering greener ways to travel to the race.
On the social commitments front, the Formula 1 sport – in 2024 season – marked the fourth year of its F1 Engineering Scholarships programme, which would support 50 underrepresented students by the end of 2025. The Scholarship covers the entire cost of the student’s tuition, together with living expenses for the full duration of their degree, enabling them to focus on their studies. It also offers them support to set them up for their careers, including work experience with one of the ten Formula 1 teams, as well as career workshops and mentoring. 
Formula 1 also launched the global education programme ‘Learning Sectors’ in collaboration with the British Council to inspire young learners in Brazil, India, South Africa, and the UK to pursue STEM subjects. The year long programme kicks off this year with 130,000 students in 700 schools. 
F1 Academy, the sport’s female-only series, competed alongside Formula 1 at seven events last year, completing 21 races. Through F1 Academy’s partnership with the international karting series, Champions of the Future, female participation in racing increased from five percent in 2023 to 25 percent in 2024. 
The sport also continued with hosting apprenticeships and workshops, such as The Next Grand Prix challenge in association with the Social Mobility Business Partnership (SMBP) charity, which challenges students aged between 16 and 18 from a breadth of backgrounds to assume a business leadership role and deliver a fictional bid for a new Formula One World Championship location. 
Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1, said, “Innovation and community drove Formula 1's work in 2024. We are thrilled to outline our progress and continued work in this space. Formula 1 as a sport is uniquely positioned to take action through our global reach and technological leadership.”
 
 
 

American computer technology company Sandisk has introduced what it claims is industry's first automotive grade UFS4.1 interface device – Sandisk iNAND AT EU752 UFS4.1 Embedded Flash Drive (EFD).

This not only strengthens its product portfolio but also supports the automotive industry by enabling faster and secure access to data.

The company's solution will support the requirements of Software Defined Vehicles (SDV), which use high volumes of data along with more frequent over-the-air (OTA) updates. The UFS4.1 interface enables software updates to happen faster.

The new solution is said to provide 2x the performance of Sandisk’s UFS3.1 device and double the capacity previously available in the market. The Sandisk iNAND AT EU752 UFS4.1 is available with upto 1TB of storage space.

Key features of the product include – health status reporting to prevent potential system failures while the vehicle is operating; fast boot replaces the need for a separate NOR device; the fast boot is also critical for safety systems such as rearview camera systems that need to be operational within two seconds.

The UFS4.1 has a claimed write speed of upto 3,900 MBPS and 4,200 MBPS of read speed.

Representational image courtesy: Erik Mclean/Pexels