The first day of May 2025 is set to become a landmark in the history of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as the Fastag Authentication System (FASTag) ends.

The FASTag electronic toll collection system in India, which uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, was introduced to enable seamless toll payments without stopping at toll plazas. This is set to be replaced with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that will collect toll through a device, possibly fitted in the vehicle number plate. This system will calculate tolls through GPS and GPS-aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) as per the actual distance travelled.

This will eliminate the need to pay tolls for the entire highway if one is getting off earlier. With its introduction, toll transactions are expected to see a reduction in technical glitches, helping clear long queues faster. The government of India has received feedback for a more efficient upgrade to FAStag, the bank-based digital wallet system that has been in use since 2016.

So far, users crossing a single toll plaza multiple times a month are issued monthly passes worth INR 340, which means INR 4,080 a year. On the other hand, a yearly pass for INR 3,000 is being proposed for the whole year, allowing unlimited travel across various national highways of India. As per Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), GNSS with annual and lifetime passes for private cars is the solution to decongest Indian highways.

Though originally slated for 1 April, the launch of the new toll collection system has now been scheduled for 1 May. As per media reports, a better network of India’s satellites are being activated for it. GNSS will be in operation alongside FAStag during the initial stages, with select lanes receiving technology for the new system.

The trials with the new technology are already underway on Panipat-Hisar and Bengaluru-Mysore national highways.    

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Simulation engineering specialist Ansys and BlueKei Solutions, a leading consulting firm specialising in digital engineering, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote and advance digital engineering practices in India.

The partnership aims to drive innovation across industries including, aerospace and defence, automotive and high-tech. They will collaborate to integrate advanced digital engineering methodologies and tools to support organisations transitioning from component-based engineering to a systemic approach. BlueKei will have access to Ansys MBSE product portfolio and methodology and have access to Ansys licenses on a need-basis for joint engagements. On the other hand, BlueKei will identify gaps in solutions and work with Ansys tools where needed, leveraging Ansys’ expertise.

Mike Yeager, Area Vice-President, India and Japan, Ansys, said, “Ansys has always been dedicated to empowering organisations with high-quality digital engineering solutions. Our partnership with BlueKei presents a valuable opportunity to facilitate the adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), enabling businesses to refine their engineering processes for improved efficiency and innovation. With BlueKei, we are strengthening our digital engineering capabilities, paving the way for organisations to optimise their engineering practices and drive transformative results.”

As per the understanding, the partners will create a seamless synergy between simulation-driven methodologies and structured systems engineering practices. This will allow businesses across industries to embrace innovation, optimise resources and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

Murali Pullela, Director of Sales – India, Ansys, said, “This partnership between Ansys and BlueKei marks a definitive leap forward in the adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in India. By uniting Ansys’ industry-leading MBSE solutions with BlueKei’s specialised expertise, we are poised to eliminate critical gaps in system engineering and deliver exceptional value to our clients. Together, we will drive significant innovation and efficiency across industries, empowering engineers with the most effective tools and methodologies to tackle complex challenges head-on.”

Ajit Mutalik, Co-founder & Director, BlueKei Solutions, added, “Our collaboration with Ansys empowers us to expand integrated engineering solutions spectrum that maximise efficiency, shorten development cycles and elevate overall product performance. By harnessing Ansys' advanced simulation tools, we provide our clients with a powerful digital framework designed to conquer complex engineering challenges.”

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Pune-headquartered software and technology company KPIT Technologies has inaugurated its new technology centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, to further strengthen its footprint across global mobility hubs.

The first for KPIT in the Nordic region, the Gothenburg center will support European OEMs and investment to tap into the region’s vibrant talent and innovation ecosystem.

Located at Lindholmen Science Park, the facility is at heart of Sweden’s automotive and mobility R&D ecosystem, which is also surrounded by Swedish passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers, academic institutions and cutting-edge mobility start-ups.

Sachin Tikekar, President & Joint MD, KPIT Technologies, said, “Our vision is to reimagine mobility for a cleaner, smarter and safer world. Sweden is a powerhouse of innovation, especially around safe and sustainable mobility, with Gothenburg at its epicentre. Our presence here allows us to be physically closer to leading Swedish and European OEMs, enabling faster collaboration and solving their core business challenges with our software, hardware design and manufacturing engineering capabilities. We are excited to work with local talent, harness Sweden’s focus on technology and green transition, and co-develop solutions for challenges of mobility OEMS globally.”

The new Swedish facility will work in closely with KPIT’s centres in Germany, UK, France, Italy and more — and enhances the global delivery network that spans the USA, Japan, China, Thailand, India and Tunisia.

Patrik Andersson, CEO of Business Region Goteborg, said, “This is a strategically important investment for the Gothenburg region. The fact that KPIT Technologies is expanding here strengthens the capacity of our automotive cluster and confirms our city’s importance as a global hotspot in software-defined mobility and transport. We know that the company sees great growth opportunities in Sweden. We warmly welcome their investment in Gothenburg."

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Shenzhen-headquartered smartphone and electronics brand Realme has inked a three-year strategic partnership with the Aston Martin Formula One Team.

As part of the understanding, the electronics company will introduce a co-branded mobile – the Realme GT 7 Dream Edition on 27 May in Paris, France. This smartphone will not only sport the flagship performance of the Realme GT series but also incorporate the iconic two-wing design and the custom Aston Martin Green. Furthermore, as part of this collaboration, the two parties plan to jointly develop two models annually.

Sky Li, CEO, Realme, said, “Collaborating with a legendary racing team like Aston Martin Aramco is a crucial step for us to push the boundaries of innovation. Only our most perfect products get the ‘scarab wings’ and take flight, so we are excited to use our new platform with the team to continue to bring stand-out designs and premium craftsmanship to users across the globe.”

Matt Chapman, Head of Licensing and Merchandise, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, said, “It’s a pleasure to welcome Realme to the team, with the launch of our first ever co-branded phone. The GT 7 Dream Edition combines high-performance with innovative design, and we look forward to working together on the collaboration of future models.”

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German commercial vehicle major Daimler Truck has announced the appointment of Raghavendra Vaidya as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Effective 1 June he will succeed Marcus Claesson to lead the company's IT, driving innovation and growth across the organisation.

At present, Vaidya serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTICI) and is responsible for all IT operations in the country. He joined Daimler in 2016 as Senior Vice-President-IT at Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI). In the past, he has held various leadership positions for several business divisions at General Electric. Interestingly, Vaidya will continue to be based out of Bengaluru but focus on the global scheme of things for Daimler Truck.

Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management for Truck Technology, said, “We are excited to welcome Raghavendra Vaidya to our Executive Team. In his previous role Raghavendra has built, strengthened and sharpened the Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTICI) in Bangalore into an integral part of Daimler Truck for central functions, engineering and IT. With a career spanning over 25 years in various IT positions he brings a wealth of experience and know-how, strategic vision and leadership to his new role to lead our company into a rapidly evolving data-driven future.”

"I would like to thank Marcus for his contribution establishing our new IT set-up following the spin-off from the former Daimler AG. Marcus has managed an Herculean task to set up a stand-alone IT including major transformational moves and led vehicle connectivity across all brands worldwide surpassing the milestone of more than 1 million connected vehicles. We wish Marcus all the best for his future, and we are convinced that Raghavendra will build on this strong foundation," added Gorbach.

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