Netrasemi, a Kerala-based semiconductor startup building system-on-chips (SoC), has raised INR 100 million in a Pre Series A round from Unicorn India Ventures to build Edge AI for IoT products.

Netrasemi, founded in 2020 by Jyothis Indirabhai, Sreejith Varma and Deepa Geetha, has designed three SoCs, namely Netra-R1000, Netra-A2000 and Netra-A4000. Built on an effective Netrasemi DSA (Domain Specific Architecture), all three chips are high-performance ML-capable devices using the company's unique graph-stream hardware acceleration architecture. Solution providers may create sophisticated ML and vision application use cases more quickly and easily with the help of Netrasemi processors. Targeting the surveillance, smart sensors, smart infrastructure, machine vision & industry 4.0, robotics, drones and autonomous vehicles segments, Netrasemi will market its SoCs to end-user verticals such as government, industrial, BFSI, transportation and others.

Anil Joshi, Managing Partner, Unicorn India Ventures, said, “There are attractive opportunities in the Edge AI software market, and there is absolutely no denying that the AI industry has the potential to transform various sectors. The funding accelerates Netrasemi’s mission to deploy the solutions on a better scale. We believe Netrasemi will continue to sustain its momentum with its most powerful AI chip for edge devices and strengthen its position in this space. The company has witnessed remarkable progress in the last 12 months and has designed new solutions. Hence, we believe the market opportunity is huge and the company has built the right momentum to capitalise on this segment.”

Jyothis Indirabhai, Co-Founder, Netrasemi, said, “Netrasemi family of chips will be the first AI/ML SoCs from India for intelligent edge devices, with a full array of digital IPs inhouse developed. We not only own the chip but also own what goes inside. We are excited to be backed by Unicorn India Ventures and believe this funding will play a crucial step for us to fuel our continued expansion and success.”

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3ev Industries, an electric three-wheeler manufacturer and 3eco Systems, an EV logistics platform, have announced a partnership to equip 10,000 electric vehicles with AI-powered dash cameras. The hardware, manufactured by video telematics company Cautio, will become a standard feature on all vehicles produced by 3ev Industries.

At present, 1,200 vehicles equipped with the technology are operational in Bengaluru and Chennai. The remaining units in the 10,000-vehicle commitment will be rolled out across OEM and fleet platforms, representing a large-scale safety integration for the Indian three-wheeler segment.

The Cautio systems use an architecture designed for Indian urban conditions, characterised by high temperatures, dust and inconsistent 4G connectivity. The technology employs edge computing to process data on the device, reducing reliance on cloud connectivity for safety functions.

The key feature of the integrated AI technology include Driver Monitoring System (DMS), Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensors, real-time alerts and operational dashboard for fleet operators.

The collaboration extends to joint research and development, driver training programmes, and road safety advocacy. By embedding safety systems at the factory level, the partners aim to establish a framework for risk management as fleet electrification scales.

Suman Mishra, Director, 3eco Systems, said, “Our objective was not just to add monitoring hardware, but to deploy technology that meaningfully supports drivers on the road. Following a detailed evaluation across global and domestic platforms, Cautio emerged as the right partner, combining technical capability with a deep understanding of Indian operating conditions. Other platforms required reliable 4G connectivity that simply does not exist across all our routes.”

Karan Kadaba, Director, 3ev Industries, added, “This collaboration reflects our continued focus on building a safety-first operating framework for drivers, fleet partners, and passengers.”

Ankit Acharya, Co-Founder & CEO, Cautio, said, “The electric three-wheeler driver is the new face of India’s urban mobility workforce. These are young people building livelihoods, serving communities, connecting cities. They deserve the same level of safety that protects drivers in premium fleets. But safety cannot stop at a device - it must extend to how we train drivers, how we develop technology, and how we hold ourselves accountable to the communities we serve.”

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Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have announced a strategic investment in Qnovo, a developer of battery software. The funding expands an existing collaboration to deploy Qnovo’s battery intelligence software across electric vehicle (EV) platforms and future mobility systems.

The investment follows a period of collaborative testing where Qnovo’s algorithms were validated against the reliability standards of both car manufacturers. The software provides a digital accounting of battery health via a hardware-free architecture, allowing for real-time monitoring of performance and safety.

According to the IEA’s Global EV Outlook 2025, battery demand is projected to reach 4,000 GWh by 2030. As battery adoption increases, the industry faces challenges regarding affordability, reliability, and lifecycle economics.

Qnovo’s technology uses physics-based predictive algorithms to manage battery charging. This data-driven approach is designed to – provide precise data on battery degradation for underwriting warranties; determine residual value by identifying the value of batteries throughout their lifecycle. And optimise performance by managing charging in real-time to maintain safety and longevity.

Hyundai and Kia join a group of investors in Qnovo that includes BorgWarner, Blue Earth Capital, Climate Investment, Constellation, RockPort Capital and US Venture Partners. The collaboration aligns with a shift toward software-defined vehicles where intelligence governs the performance of autonomous systems and robotics.

Nadim Maluf, CEO, Qnovo, said, “Hyundai Motor and Kia’s investment is a testament to the strategic importance of sophisticated battery intelligence for charging and vehicle experience. We are creating a new standard for how batteries are managed, valued and scaled globally.”

Chang Hwan Kim, Executive Vice-President, Hyundai Motor Company, said, “Partnering with Qnovo enables us to integrate the leading battery intelligence into our EV platforms. Qnovo’s unique approach to battery intelligence aligns with our vision for the future of mobility, where software is an important driver of the customer experience and vehicle longevity.”

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Autolane and HEVO Inc. have announced a strategic partnership to integrate wireless charging hardware into autonomous vehicle (AV) operations. The collaboration aims to create a platform that combines curbside orchestration with automated charging for pickups, deliveries and rideshare services.

At present, Autolane provides a layer for autonomous vehicles to coordinate stops and routing across retail centres and commercial hubs. By incorporating HEVO’s Rezonant wireless charging hardware and Journey software, vehicles on the Autolane platform can charge during dwell time without manual intervention.

The companies will begin joint trials in 2026 using electric vehicle platforms equipped with HEVO hardware. The trials are designed to validate automated docking, charging during wait times and the integration of charging data into mission planning engines.

The integrated platform includes:

• Autolane Operating System: Orchestrates AV pickups and deliveries across mobility hubs.
• HEVO Rezonant Hardware: UL-certified and SAE-qualified wireless charging components for fleet operations.
• HEVO Journey Software: Enables fleet analytics, depot automation, and charging workflows.
• Infrastructure: Construction-free installation to allow deployment across private properties.

The partnership addresses the requirement for automated charging to support the scaling of autonomous commerce. By removing the need for human plug-in support, the system is intended to increase vehicle uptime and reduce operational costs associated with manual labour and infrastructure work.

The deployment will focus on retail hubs, logistics centres and campus mobility systems. Recent shifts in federal regulations regarding autonomous vehicle permitting have provided a supportive environment for these integrated commercial deployments.

Ben Seidl, CEO and Co-Founder, Autolane, said, "Charging has been one of the last remaining manual steps in autonomous operations. Our platform orchestrates where AVs go, when they stop and how they interact with the built environment. Integrating HEVO's wireless charging into that workflow means AVs can now complete their missions and recharge without human involvement. This is a major unlock for autonomous commerce at scale."

Jeremy McCool, Founder and CEO, HEVO, said, "Autonomous commerce requires autonomous charging. By integrating our Rezonant wireless charging hardware and Journey software with Autolane's operating system, we are enabling AVs to complete deliveries, pickups and rideshare tasks while charging automatically in the background. Launching these commercial trials is just the beginning. We are building a scalable blueprint for autonomous charging across multiple vehicle platforms and geographies."

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HARMAN, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., has introduced two connectivity platforms at MWC Barcelona 2026 designed to expand vehicle communications across terrestrial, satellite and two-wheeler segments.

In collaboration with Viasat, HARMAN has introduced in-cabin voice calling via satellite connectivity. The solution uses HARMAN’s Ready Connect Telematics Control Unit (TCU) and Viasat’s Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) constellation to provide communication in areas with no cellular coverage.

The system supports the 3GPP NB-NTN standard, allowing drivers to contact emergency services or roadside assistance in remote regions. The hardware utilises the Qualcomm Snapdragon Modem‑RF Gen 2 system for connectivity management. A future roadmap includes moving towards broadband satellite services to enable high-bandwidth media streaming for software-defined vehicles.

HARMAN also unveiled Ready Ride, its first end-to-end connectivity platform specifically engineered for the two-wheeler market. Powered by the Snapdragon Digital Chassis system-on-chip (SoC), the platform addresses the fact that less than 5 percent of motorcycles globally currently use telematics.

Key features of the Ready Ride platform include:

• Durability: IP69-certified sealing and rugged connectors designed to withstand dust, water ingress, and motorcycle-specific vibration levels.
• Safety and Security: Support for crash and tip-over detection, eCall functionality with a backup battery and planned features for stolen vehicle tracking and remote immobilisation.
• Rider Experience: Dual Bluetooth support and compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to replace the need for handlebar-mounted mobile phones.
• OEM Efficiency: A scalable hardware and software stack that supports over-the-air (OTA) updates, reducing time-to-market and engineering rework for manufacturers.

Dhanaji Khade, Vice-President, HARMAN, said, “Through our collaboration with Viasat, HARMAN Ready Connect demonstrates how its satellite-enabled architecture... can extend communication beyond traditional terrestrial networks. This includes enabling voice services that facilitate immediate safety and emergency assist applications.”

Sandeep Moorthy, Senior Vice-President, Advanced Non-Terrestrial Services at Viasat, stated, “Satellite connectivity has arrived for the automotive industry. Through our collaboration with HARMAN, vehicles can now connect directly to our satellite network. That means major benefits for drivers all around the world; not only to stay safe when they’re outside of cell coverage, but to access the range of applications that space technology can bring.”

Shahriar Ravari, Ready Ride Business Lead, HARMAN, said, “Ready Ride brings our leading connectivity expertise to two-wheelers, reducing complexity with a standardised TCU foundation that helps OEMs launch faster, lower program cost, and scale confidently across regions and generations.”

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