Flipkart

Flipkart, a leading e-commerce giant, is revving up its offerings ahead of its annual Big Billion Days sale, aiming to become a top destination for buying two-wheelers.

The company is betting on a wider selection of both traditional and electric bikes, along with new financing options and a recent GST rate cut, to attract buyers during the festive season. The e-commerce giant's push comes as more consumers are comfortable making large purchases online. 

Sujith Agashe, Vice-President of Electronics at Flipkart, said, “Purchasing a two-wheeler is a significant decision for many, and we’re seeing a growing number of consumers choosing digital platforms for the convenience and transparency they offer. The demand for two-wheelers on Flipkart has grown three-fold in the last one year which reinforces customers’ validation of our customer-centric initiatives. This festive season, we’ve further streamlined the experience, from product discovery to financing, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free process for our customers. At Flipkart, we’re committed to showcasing how a fully digital journey, supported by trusted partners and robust customer service, can make two-wheeler ownership more accessible and convenient across the country.”

To meet this demand, Flipkart has significantly expanded its two-wheeler portfolio. The platform now features a wide range of vehicles, from commuter bikes and scooters to high-performance and premium motorcycles. Top brands like Hero MotoCorp, TVS Motor Co, Bajaj Auto and Suzuki Motorcycle India are available, as are major electric vehicle players such as TVS iQube, Chetak, Ather, Vida, Ola and Ampere.

Adding to the lineup, Flipkart will launch Royal Enfield Motorcycles during the Big Billion Days event, further diversifying its premium selection. The platform will also feature motorcycles from Jawa Yezdi, KTM and Triumph.

A key factor in Flipkart's strategy is making two-wheelers more accessible. The company is offering flexible financing solutions, including a fully digital loan process powered by HFCL and IDFC First Bank, with EMI options extending up to 48 months. Credit card no-cost EMI plans of up to 24 months are also available, alongside exclusive offers for Flipkart Axis Bank Card and SBI Card holders.

This focus on affordability is well-timed with a recent GST rate revision, effective 22 September 2025, which reduced the tax on two-wheelers below 350cc from 28 percent to 18 percent. This tax cut, combined with Flipkart's festive deals, is expected to make this an ideal time for many consumers to purchase a new vehicle.

Flipkart has also invested in simplifying the ownership journey, aiming to make it a fully digital process. Customers can complete everything from booking and vehicle registration to insurance purchases from their homes. The platform ensures authenticity by partnering directly with manufacturers, who then handle fulfillment and after-sales support through their authorized dealers. To assist buyers, Flipkart has a dedicated team of two-wheeler experts available 24x7 to answer questions about products, financing and delivery.

Intangles Launches AIS-140-Certified Product Portfolio For India’s Commercial Vehicle Sector

Intangles AIS140

Intangles has launched an AIS-140-certified product portfolio in India across four distinct configurations: InCert, InSight, InGenious and InVision+. The product lineup supports commercial vehicle segments ranging from three-wheelers and cabs to light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles and buses.

The portfolio integrates India's AIS-140 vehicle tracking and emergency alert requirements with predictive fleet intelligence. InCert provides certified tracking, trip management, geofencing, and driver alerts. InSight adds driver behaviour reporting, fuel consumption insights and fault codes with repair guidance. InGenious introduces predictive vehicle health monitoring, fuel management, and automated operations tools. InVision+ combines the certified hardware with AI-powered video telematics using dual cameras and in-cabin voice alerts.

All four versions run on Intangles' InRoute fleet intelligence platform. The devices are available through field sales channels and the company's direct-to-consumer platform, InCentral, which handles compatibility checks, purchases, and VLTD certificate generation.

Anup Patil, CEO, Intangles, said, "The size of a fleet should not determine whether an operator can access predictive intelligence. A vehicle off the road can significantly affect a business, whether it owns five vehicles or five hundred. With a certified device already installed and connected whenever the vehicle runs, operators should be able to choose the value it delivers to their business. Intangles’ new range brings this promise to life through #ChoiceOkPlease, giving operators the flexibility and freedom to choose a solution that meets compliance requirements and addresses their everyday operational challenges."

ARAPL Subsidiary Humro Secures US Department Of War Approval For Autonomous Industrial Vehicles

ARAPL - ARAPL RaaS

Affordable Robotic & Automation (ARAPL) has announced that its subsidiary ARAPL RaaS, operating under the Humro brand, has received Conditional Approval from the US Department of War for its specified autonomous industrial vehicles under the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) framework.

The approval, issued by the FCC following national security assessments, covers Humro’s Maia2000 autonomous pallet trucks and Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklifts. The decision grants the specified devices exemption from FCC Covered List restrictions, which were introduced in July 2026 for foreign-produced robotic devices.

Humro is among 13 global robotics operators, and the only Indian entity, to receive conditional authorization under the updated guidelines. The approval enables the company to enter the US material-handling market, subject to compliance with onshoring plans, local manufacturing commitments over the next two years, and equipment authorisation requirements.

Robinson Philipose, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Humro, said, "This is a significant milestone for Humro and an important validation of our technology and our commitment to building globally competitive robotics solutions. Being among the first few robotics companies worldwide to receive Conditional Approval under the revised US regulatory framework is a matter of great pride for us."

"Following the regulatory changes, our team worked relentlessly to replace certain key components that did not meet the revised guidelines. This also required us to make corresponding changes to our technology to ensure compliance. We completed the modifications, submitted our application and secured FCC approval within a remarkably short period. This demonstrates the agility and technical capabilities of our team. The approval strengthens our position as we look to expand our international footprint and take our autonomous material-handling solutions to customers in the US. We see considerable potential for robotics to transform warehouse, manufacturing and logistics operations. As part of the Conditional Approval, we are also committed to commencing manufacturing in the US in phases over the next two years. We are actively looking to partner with like-minded local players to establish our manufacturing operations in the country," Philipose.

Melind Padole, Founder and Director, ARAPL Group, said, "These are exciting times, with our teams in the US and India expanding rapidly. Securing FCC approval within such a short period demonstrates the strength of our team and the capabilities of our products. As we prepare to commence manufacturing in the US in line with FCC requirements, we have also begun working towards meeting the requirements of the Buy American Act (BAA) and the Trade Agreements Act (TAA). In parallel, we are developing a new technology platform based on Vision-Language Action models. Our next-generation robots will be more human-like in their ability to perceive, understand and interact with their surroundings, and will incorporate reinforcement learning capabilities. This will enable them to learn from experience, adapt to changing environments and perform increasingly complex tasks."

Infineon Partners Qualcomm To Support Central Car Computers For Software-Defined Vehicles

Infineon

Infineon Technologies has announced a technology agreement with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to integrate a microcontroller-based design pattern into Qualcomm's Snapdragon Ride reference platforms for high-performance computing and in-vehicle Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The initiative combines Qualcomm's systems-on-chip (SoC) with Infineon's hardware and software components for safety management, connectivity and memory handling to support centralised architectures in Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). The development will be highlighted ahead of the electronica trade fair in Munich.

The subsystem is built around an Infineon AURIX microcontroller and OPTIREG integrated circuits for power management, operating alongside Qualcomm's Snapdragon Ride and Ride Flex platforms to monitor system health, coordinate safety mechanisms and provide real-time control.

The architecture is supported by a dedicated software package designed to pre-integrate firmware and connect with vehicle networks such as Ethernet and CAN. In addition to the microcontroller subsystem, Infineon contributes BRIGHTLANE Automotive Ethernet and USB connectivity devices alongside SEMPER NOR Flash memory qualified for the Snapdragon Ride ecosystem.

Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division, Infineon, said, "With Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride, we enable the automotive industry to build and scale a new generation of car computers that combine tremendous computing and AI capabilities with the reliability required on the road. Our collaboration reflects a fundamental approach to centralised vehicle computing, which combines a powerful SoC with a set of specialised components around it, including a safety microcontroller, power management, connectivity and memory devices. All these components need to work together seamlessly to help enable safe vehicle operation. Infineon provides essential functional building blocks and integration expertise for building the trust foundation for software-defined vehicles that leverage the power of AI."

LG Energy Solution Launches Global Battery Innovation Contest 2026

BIC 2026

LG Energy Solution has announced the launch of the Battery Innovation Contest 2026 (BIC 2026), inviting universities and research institutions globally to submit research proposals between 29 October and 6 December 2026 via its online open innovation platform, BRIDGE.

Now in its 10th year, the program aims to identify and fund research concepts with potential for commercialisation across the battery industry. BIC 2026 incorporates two application streams: a thematic call addressing specific development topics identified by LG Energy Solution across materials, cells, battery management systems and artificial intelligence; and an open-topic call permitting researchers to submit original proposals.

To safeguard intellectual property, the contest uses a two-stage evaluation process requiring a brief concept proposal during the initial review before shortlisted applicants submit detailed submissions.

Since 2017, the Battery Innovation Contest has supported approximately 50 research projects. Select projects with verified feasibility have been expanded into longer-term initiatives at the company's Frontier Research Laboratory joint research centres. Previous outcomes include patent filings for physics-based battery management models and research on room-temperature all-solid-state batteries published in academic journals.

Je-Young Kim, CTO, LG Energy Solution, said, "By joining forces, industry and academia can drive innovation across the battery industry. Building on our differentiated technological competitiveness, LG Energy Solution will continue to accelerate its growth in the battery market."