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.”
 
 
 

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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.”

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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

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Pune-based automotive component manufacturer Varroc Engineering has announced inked a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Suzhou Tolyy Optronics Co (TOLYY).

The strategic partnership establishes a joint framework for select programs to localise and supply next-generation digital cockpit solutions for global passenger and commercial vehicle platforms.

The alliance establishes a co-development and manufacturing platform aimed at securing joint market participation across India, Europe and North America.

As per the understanding, TOLYY will support Varroc through a multi-tiered supply and localisation engineering model. This flexible framework includes two primary supply paths: the delivery of fully integrated display modules – encompassing display panels, backlight units, touch interfaces, protective enclosures and electronic control units (ECUs) – as well as screen-only component supply intended for localised final assembly within India.

Varroc will utilise these components to manage the overall system integration, technical validation and manufacturing of advanced automotive display solutions tailored to diverse vehicle applications.

The structural cooperation model is organised around three strategic operational pillars – program-specific module supply, localised Indian assembly and industrialisation rights.

This decentralised production approach is projected to accelerate product time-to-market, strengthen automotive component supply chain resilience and meet rising OEM demand for localised, high-technology electronics.

Dhruv Jain, Whole Time Director and CEO of Varroc Business II, said, “At Varroc, our endeavour is to deliver brilliance at scale by seamlessly integrating global innovation with localised execution. This partnership with TOLYY strengthens our ability to offer cutting-edge digital cockpit capabilities while enhancing supply chain resilience and supporting OEMs to provide safe, smart and sustainable mobility solutions.”

Strong Shi, President and CEO, TOLYY, added, “TOLYY is excited to embark on this strategic partnership with Varroc, a recognised leader in global automotive manufacturing. This alliance is a testament to the industry’s recognition of our cutting-edge display engineering and integrated module capabilities. By combining our advanced technologies with Varroc’s scale and deep customer access, we are not just supplying components but co-creating the next generation of digital cockpit experiences for key markets worldwide. This partnership accelerates our shared vision of setting new benchmarks for performance, quality and supply chain efficiency in automotive displays.”

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Uber, one of the leading rides-hailing platforms, has announced a strategic investment in the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). The transaction marks one of the earliest equity investments by a global technology firm into the network.

The capital infusion builds upon Uber’s existing operational integrations with ONDC and to expand user access to multimodal transportation architectures and optimise decentralised logistics frameworks for independent earners and commercial enterprises across the open network.

The deepening collaboration focuses heavily on bridging mass public transit networks with last-mile ride-sharing services under a unified application experience.

The move will see integrated metro rail ticketing features, which are currently live across five Indian cities through the Uber application. Consumers have booked more than 10 million metro rides utilising the Uber-ONDC interoperable infrastructure, indicating strong market demand for consolidated public transit options.

Beyond passenger transit, Uber plans to co-develop enhanced supply chain and logistics features alongside ONDC to improve discovery and delivery efficiencies for businesses operating on the digital platform.

Prabhjeet Singh, President of Uber India and South Asia, said, "India has been at the forefront of building Digital Public Infrastructure that is inclusive, interoperable, and transformative at scale. Our ongoing partnership with ONDC and now this investment puts us at the heart of that innovation journey. By investing in this network, we're helping more people move, more businesses grow, and more earners thrive harnessing the power of the ONDC network.”

Adil Zainulbhai, Independent Director, ONDC, added, "ONDC is a key pillar of India’s efforts to democratise digital commerce and create a level playing field for businesses of all sizes. Uber’s investment is a strong endorsement of India’s digital public infrastructure and its potential to drive innovation, efficiency and inclusive growth."

Image only for representational purposes.

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