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."
 

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Bengaluru-based electric powertrain start-up Entuple E-Mobility has raised INR 130 million in a funding round led by Varanium Capital, which also participation from existing investors Blue Ashva Capital, alongside high-net-worth individuals and family offices, including Mohit Oswal, founder of Roop Automotives.

The start-up operates a 25,000 sqft manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, where it produces hub and mid-motor powertrains for two- and three-wheelers. Entuple develops its motors, controllers and firmware in-house without external licensing.

The funding will be used to advance the company's technology stack and expand into new vehicle segments. Key areas of focus include:

• High-Voltage Systems: Development of motors for four-wheelers, buses and trucks.
• Power Electronics: Research and development into new-generation intelligent motor controllers.
• Commercial Vehicles: Engineering powertrains specifically for the heavy-duty commercial segment.

By deepening its indigenous technology, Entuple aims to provide powertrain solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India and international markets.

Rakesh Mishra, Founder and CEO, Entuple E-Mobility, said, “This round enables us to double down on high-voltage powertrain platforms for four-wheelers, passenger vehicles, and commercial vehicles while continuing to strengthen our core IP in motors, power electronics, and controls. We are excited to partner with Varanium Capital and our existing investors as we scale from proven 2W/3W solutions to becoming a key technology enabler for the next generation of EV programs in India and beyond.”

Satya Bansal, Founder & CEO, Blue Ashva Capital, said, “We reinforce our confidence by further participating in the current fund raise. In a market often relying on assembled solutions, Entuple differentiates itself by engineering superior technology fully designed and developed in India. This is one of the best design and engineering teams in the motor and controller space in the country, which was largely dominated by imported or assembled components in India so far.”

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Gujarat-headquartered AI automotive safety solutions company drivebuddyAI has announced its first participation at CES 2026. The company, appearing alongside its parent firm Roadzen Inc., will showcase its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

The company’s technology has recently achieved validation under India’s AIS-184 driver monitoring standard. It also meets the requirements of the European Union’s General Safety Regulation (GSR) 2144 and the EURO NCAP 2026 protocols regarding driver engagement.

The platform utilises a vision-first, closed-loop learning architecture. According to company data, the AI has been trained on 3.5 billion kilometres of driving data. In previous commercial fleet deployments, the system has been credited with reducing accidents by more than 70 percent.

The system functions by:

• Monitoring: Real-time tracking of driver behaviour and engagement.
• Risk Intelligence: Identifying potential hazards and providing alerts.
• Continuous Learning: Updating the AI model as it encounters new driving environments and edge cases.

drivebuddyAI aims to provide safety solutions to automakers and mobility operators as international regulations for vehicle safety become more stringent. By integrating real-time monitoring with risk intelligence, drivebuddyAI seeks to improve safety outcomes for large-scale fleets.

Nisarg Pandya, Founder and CEO, drivebuddyAI, said, “Participating in CES 2026 is a tremendous opportunity for us, and we are excited to be part of the world’s leading technology showcase. CES is where the future of innovation takes shape, and drivebuddyAI is proud to be among the innovators driving that future.”

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TIER IV, a developer of open-source autonomous driving software, has been selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to lead an initiative focused on industrial competitiveness.

The project involves the creation of an AI data platform and ecosystem to support the development of autonomous vehicle technology.

The initiative addresses the requirements of end-to-end AI, which relies on large volumes of diverse data. As real-world collection of rare driving scenarios is often restricted by cost and time, TIER IV will utilise multimodal AI to generate synthetic datasets.

The project is structured around three core technical areas:

• Data Collection and Processing: Gathering driving data across various vehicle models and developing automated labelling technologies to improve efficiency.
• Generative AI for Synthetic Data: Developing a multimodal generative AI model compatible with multiple sensors. This system will simulate rare scenarios, such as the moments preceding an accident, across various weather and lighting conditions.
• Infrastructure Development: Building an AI data infrastructure that allows Japanese developers to access high-quality datasets, reducing the development requirements for individual firms.

The platform is intended to standardise data access within the Japanese autonomous driving sector. By combining real-world data with synthetic environments, TIER IV aims to produce training sets that improve the safety and efficiency of autonomous systems.

TIER IV is a founding member of the Autoware Foundation and maintains the world’s first open-source software for autonomous driving. This NEDO-backed project is expected to accelerate the deployment of intelligent vehicles by providing the foundational data required for advanced AI training.

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Taiwan-based XING Mobility has announced it will showcase its immersion-cooled battery technology across three sectors – Electric Vehicles (EV), Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and AI data centres – at CES 2026.

XING Mobility’s technology is featured in Project V, an all-electric sports car from the British brand Caterham. The vehicle uses module-free, cell-to-pack (CTP) immersion cooling to manage thermal loads while maintaining a lightweight profile. A production prototype is scheduled for a global debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2026.

Royce YC Hong, Founder and CEO, XING Mobility, said, "When we began building these solutions, the world had not yet fully recognised the problems ahead. As voltage levels and power density continue to rise, the challenge is no longer just about cooled batteries, it is about solving safety, efficiency and system architecture together. XING Mobility’s immersion cooling enables every critical component of the battery system to operate within the same controlled environment, with thermal management fully integrated into the system design. At CES 2026, what we are presenting is a high-voltage power platform centred on ultra-high safety and ultra-high efficiency, capable of simultaneously supporting EV, ESS and AI data centre BBU.”

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