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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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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Samsung has announced the rollout of Digital Car Key compatibility with Mahindra Electric Origin SUVs through Samsung Wallet in India. This integration offers Galaxy users a seamless way to use their smartphones to lock, unlock and start their paired Mahindra e-SUVs.

This makes Mahindra Group the first Indian automaker to integrate the Digital Car Key feature with Samsung Wallet.

Built into Galaxy devices, the Digital Car Key allows users to manage vehicle access without a physical key. Users can also share their Digital Car Key with friends and family for limited periods.

The solution is secured by defence-grade security from Samsung Knox. If a device is lost or stolen, users can remotely lock the device or delete their data, including the Digital Car key, via the Samsung Find service. Access requires biometric or PIN-based user authentication, ensuring privacy.

Madhur Chaturvedi, Senior Director, Services & Apps Business, Samsung India, said, “We are very excited to bring Mahindra eSUV owners the incredible convenience of Samsung Digital Key through Samsung Wallet. Expanding access to Samsung Digital Car Key is an important part of our commitment to delivering connected and secure experiences within the Galaxy ecosystem. Our partnership with Mahindra marks another exciting step forward in making everyday activities – like driving – hassle-free for more Galaxy users.”

Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO - Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra and Executive Director, Mahindra Electric Automobile, said, “Our Electric Origin SUVs – XEV 9e and BE 6 have captivated our customers with their advanced technology and futuristic designs. We are delighted to partner with Samsung to bring yet another first-in-class feature – Digital Car key via Samsung wallet, ensuring every journey is even more seamless and convenient. This latest innovation again exemplifies Mahindra's commitment to delivering an exceptional ownership experience with premium, intelligent electric SUVs for India.”

The Digital Car Key functionality for select Mahindra eSUVs is scheduled to roll out soon in India.

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