Rapido Banks On Airport Services To Enhance Its Technological Prowess And Expertise

Rapido Banks On Airport Services To Enhance Its Technological Prowess And Expertise

With a priority to provide a seamless customer experience by tackling common pain points like ride rejections among others, the app-cab aggregator Rapido has established cab zones at airports in cities like Visakhapatnam and Surat. 
Keen to expand its presence, the company is working to expand its reach to other cities with airports such that it can tap airport routes with competitive fares and well-conditioned vehicle fleet. 
Revealing that they are expanding their airport services across other metro cities in the current quarter of FY2024025, Rapido Cabs Head, Rajiv Bhyri, mentioned at an event in Kolkata that they see airport routes as a key area for growth due to the high demand for reliable, round-the-clock transportation options. 
“With the increasing number of travellers, we believe our airport services will offer riders the lowest prices while our zero-commission model maximises captains' earnings,” he averred. 
Providing an insight into Rapido’s strategy to address the ride rejections faced by commuters that use app-based aggregators, Bhyri said, “Rapido is focused on providing a seamless customer experience and resolving common pain points such as ride rejections that many commuters face with app-based aggregators. With the rise in airport traffic, our strategy emphasises affordability and reliability. By offering competitive fares and maintaining a fleet of well-maintained vehicles, we aim to ensure a dependable and pleasant journey for our customers.”
Entering an association with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Rapido has already began offering affordable and seamless commute solutions to travellers at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. The service was inaugurated by State Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty. State Transport Secretary Dr Saumitra Mohan and others were also present. 
To set up dedicated cab service zones at Kolkata Airport where travellers can easily access safe, reliable and budget-friendly rides through its platform, Rapido is emphasising on tech-powered SaaS business model. This business model is designed to guarantee real-time ride availability and highly competitive pricing. 
"With the launch of this service at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, we're not just offering cost-effective travel solutions but also creating valuable employment opportunities for our local drivers. The technology-driven approach aligns with our vision of making West Bengal a leader in smart mobility and we're confident this initiative will set new benchmarks,” expressed Chakraborty.
Rapido Co-founder Pavan Guntupalli explained: "At Rapido, our mission is to revolutionise mobility by delivering reliable, safe and affordable solutions through innovation. Our collaboration with the Airports Authority of India to introduce dedicated cab zones at major airports is a significant step in enhancing the traveller experience while empowering local communities through job creation. With Rapido’s technology-driven platform, passengers can expect seamless airport commutes at the most competitive prices."
 

Tensor Unveils Level 4 Autonomous Robocar At European AV Summit

Tensor

Tensor, a Silicon Valley-based artificial intelligence firm, has introduced the Tensor Robocar to the United Kingdom at the 5th annual European AV Summit. The vehicle is the first production-ready Level 4 autonomous car designed for personal ownership.

The Robocar features a dual-mode strategy, allowing for both manual and fully autonomous operation. A key hardware innovation is the world's first foldable steering wheel, co-developed with automotive safety supplier Autoliv.

The vehicle architecture is built for full-stack redundancy to meet regional safety and reliability standards. Tensor's engineering utilises agentic AI and adaptive design to manage complex driving environments. The company has established a technical ecosystem through several strategic partnerships:

  • Compute and AI: Collaboration with Arm for power-efficient compute platforms and Nvidia for AI processing.
  • Infrastructure: Integration with Oracle for cloud systems.
  • Manufacturing and Insurance: Partnerships with VinFast for scalable production and Marsh for insurance frameworks.

The UK appearance follows a global launch announcement in August 2025. The European AV Summit served as a platform to engage with regulators, insurers and city planners regarding the implementation of personal Level 4 ownership.

Tensor plans to commence production this year. Initial commercial availability is targeted for the UAE, EU and US markets.

Jay Xiao, Chief Executive Officer, Tensor, said, "Showcasing Tensor at the European AV Summit offered a vital opportunity to demonstrate a production-ready Level 4 vehicle to the policymakers, insurers and industry partners who shape Europe's AV future. Our purpose-built Robocar is engineered for full-stack redundancy providing a level of safety and reliability that combines agentic AI and adaptive design to meet rigorous regional safety standards. Tensor, showing for the first time in the UK, helped translate our technical evidence into practical pathways for safe, consumer ownership across European cities and soon - globally.

AVL And Ansible Motion Join Forces To Accelerate Virtual Vehicle Development

AVL And Ansible Motion Join Forces To Accelerate Virtual Vehicle Development

AVL Mobility Technologies, Inc. has joined forces with Ansible Motion to integrate its AVL VSM software with Ansible Motion’s Driver-in-the-Loop simulators. This combination accelerates virtual development, allowing automotive manufacturers and suppliers to significantly cut down on both the time and expense associated with testing and validation.

The AVL VSM platform serves as a versatile real-time simulation tool capable of modelling individual components, entire systems and full vehicles. It enables engineers to evaluate vehicle dynamics and safety under realistic conditions while considering how various attributes and systems interact. This supports a more cohesive approach to optimising vehicle characteristics early in the design process. When paired with an Ansible Motion simulator, users can conduct virtual test drives to refine chassis dynamics, powertrain behaviour and advanced driver assistance systems.

To demonstrate this integrated solution, AVL has installed an Ansible Motion Theta Seat simulator at its Ann Arbor, Michigan, Technical Centre. This setup allows customers to experience the combined VSM and simulator capability firsthand. The impact is amplified when leveraged alongside AVL’s existing Software-in-the-Loop, Hardware-in-the-Loop and Virtual Test Bed technologies within the facility’s Advanced Mobility & Simulation Lab, enabling a seamless transition from virtual models to further development.

Gary Newton, Vice President – Business Development, AVL, said, "By combining AVL VSM with Ansible Motion Driver-in-the-Loop simulators, manufacturers can move critical decisions to the front of the development cycle, dramatically reducing physical prototypes and test iterations. This tool combination can have an enormous impact on timeline and budget. Imagine validating 70+ track scenarios per day in multiple conditions, surfaces and drive events. The result isn’t incremental improvement; it’s months saved and millions preserved."

Salman Safdar, Business Development Director, Ansible Motion, said, "Through our continuing collaborative efforts with AVL, we’re developing new ways to conduct subjective and objective evaluations of qualified concepts much earlier in the vehicle design cycle. Connecting our simulators seamlessly with a feature-rich simulation environment like AVL VSM elevates the virtual vehicle development process for manufacturers seeking to shorten development times, realise cost savings and reduce environmental impacts."

AUMOVIO AI Hub Receives Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award

Aumovio

German technology company AUMOVIO has been awarded the Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) in the ‘Innovate!’ category for its internally developed AI Hub.

The platform, recognised by Microsoft Germany and Roland Berger, integrates artificial intelligence into industrial workflows to assist with tasks ranging from code optimisation to predictive maintenance.

The AI Hub functions as a centralised system that allows employees to deploy and create specialised AI agents. These agents automate routine activities and provide decision-making support across various corporate functions.

Current deployments and use cases include:

  • Software Engineering: Monitoring compliance with internal coding standards and guidelines.
  • Procurement: Analysis and assessment of commercial contracts.
  • Manufacturing: Diagnostic support for maintenance teams to identify technical failures.
  • Scale: Over 1,500 AI agents are currently active, serving 21,000 employees globally.

The system integrates with standard office software and engineering tools. It features a built-in code interpreter for dataset analysis and utilises standardised protocols to interact securely with internal applications.

AUMOVIO developed the platform in-house, transitioning from a proof of concept to a company-wide rollout in under 18 months. This internal approach allows the company to maintain control over system architecture, data protection and the integration of emerging AI technologies into industrial environments.

Recent updates to the platform include secure access to local machines and internal servers, enabling agents to provide closer support for daily operations.

Jean-François Tarabbia, Member of the Executive Board and Head of Architecture and Network Solutions, AUMOVIO, said, "Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how industrial companies operate. With the AUMOVIO AI Hub, we have created a platform that brings AI directly into our employees’ daily workflows. By combining advanced AI capabilities with deep industrial expertise, we enable our teams worldwide to access relevant information faster, handle complexity more efficiently, and automate routine tasks to create more room for innovation."

Mobileye Secures Major US Automaker Contract For Integrated Driver Monitoring System

Mobileye

Israel-based autonomous software technology company Mobileye has announced that a US automaker will integrate the Mobileye Driver Monitoring System (DMS) into its future vehicle models.

The programme utilises the EyeQ6L system-on-chip (SoC), with production scheduled to commence in 2027. The agreement expands an existing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) partnership and is expected to encompass millions of vehicles.

The platform unifies interior sensing, including DMS and Occupant Monitoring (OMS), with exterior road perception on a single chip. This integration allows the system to evaluate driver engagement by correlating eye gaze with real-world road conditions.

Key technical objectives include:

  • Hardware Consolidation: Running driver monitoring and ADAS perception on one SoC to eliminate the requirement for a separate Electronic Control Unit (ECU).
  • Contextual Awareness: Distinguishing between general distraction and active driver engagement by monitoring whether attention corresponds with specific road events.
  • Alert Precision: Reducing false alerts and refining takeover requests for higher levels of vehicle autonomy.

The system is designed to meet Euro NCAP 2026 scoring requirements and prepare for the Euro NCAP 2029 protocol, which is anticipated to shift the industry benchmark from basic eye tracking to detection of meaningful engagement.

Nimrod Nehushtan, EVP of Business Development and Strategy, Mobileye, said, “The next generation of intelligent driving demands richer context from every part of the vehicle – the road ahead, the cabin, and the interplay between them. At the same time, automakers are looking to scale advanced driving features across their lineups without the cost penalty of additional hardware or complex system integration. Mobileye DMS delivers on both – running context-aware driver monitoring on a single ADAS chip and ECU platform. This combination is something Mobileye is uniquely positioned for, and we look forward to helping our customers deploy at scale.”