Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd (Sona Comstar), a global provider of automotive technology solutions, has signed an agreement to acquire a 54 percent equity stake in NOVELIC, a Serbia-based company founded in 2012 and a provider of mmWave radar sensors, perception solutions and full-stack embedded systems.

The equity stake will be acquired for €40.5 million through a combination of primary and secondary purchases with a staggered payment structure in the ratio of 60:20:20 at closing, 12 months and 24 months, respectively. Sona Comstar states that the transaction values NOVELIC at an enterprise value (EV) of €64.5 million on a pre-money basis and €75 million on a post-money basis, with an implied valuation multiple of 26 times CY22 Estimated PAT. The transaction is expected to close by the end of Q4 FY23 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

Sona Comstar claims that the acquisition is expected to be EPS accretive for it from the first year and offers strong growth opportunities over the medium term. The acquisition of NOVELIC is accretive to Sona Comstar's management bandwidth, given a shared cultural commitment to innovation, technology and profitability, states the automotive technology solutions provider.

In line with its strategic roadmap, Sona Comstar is foraying into the ADAS sensor market. With the acquisition, Sona Comstar states that it has started building its third business vertical of ADAS sensors and software to address the megatrends of increasing vehicle autonomy and automation.

According to Sona Comstar, NOVELIC's mmWave radar technology is the best solution for in-cabin sensing due to its high accuracy, lower cost and privacy protection of occupants' privacy. Through its sophisticated radar design and signal processing algorithm, NOVELIC's in-cabin monitoring solution detects life presence (LPD), child presence (CPD) and seat occupancy (SOD) amongst others. As per Sona Comstar, NOVELIC's in-cabin solution is highly accurate as it works under all light conditions, detects vital signs (heart rate and respiration) and locates objects anywhere in the cabin. NOVELIC's mmWave radar-based solution removes the need for weight sensors and associated wiring harnesses, resulting in significant cost savings for carmakers. Unlike cameras, mmWave radar-based in-cabin sensing protects the privacy of occupants in the car, claims Sona Comstar.

The current NOVELIC team, led by its founders Darko Tasovac, Veljko Mihaljovic and Dr Veselin Brankovic, will continue to lead the operations, ensuring continuity while leveraging Sona Comstar's scale and customer access for business development. According to Sona Comstar, the founders will hold 46 percent equity in NOVELIC after the completion of the transaction. 

Commenting on the acquisition, Vivek Vikram Singh, Managing Director and Group CEO of Sona Comstar, said, “I am excited to welcome NOVELIC to the Sona Comstar family. With this acquisition, we have added market leading, in-cabin radar-sensing technology to our technology offering. Increasing vehicle autonomy and automation is an emerging technology revolution in our industry. As we had done with EVs in 2016, we are taking a meaningful early step in the direction of the electrified autonomous vehicles or e-AV. NOVELIC adds the hardware and software capabilities to design integrated systems for autonomous driving, including AI and ML as well as ASIC experience, to what we already have in mechanical, electric and electronic abilities. It is the beginning of building our third business vertical of sensors and software. In addition to its technology prowess, Novelic is unique in its approach to profitability and sustainable growth. In many ways, NOVELIC is like Sona in how we value money, technology and growth.”

Sharing his thoughts, Mihajlovic, Co-founder and CTO of NOVELIC, said, "NOVELIC was founded with a clear mission to develop end-to-end capabilities in mmWave radar technology and to commercialise it through various product lines. We started as a team of five, and today, we are over 160 people, among which 130 engineers and 10 PhDs developing product platforms at various European locations. We have managed to do it organically by providing value to our customers and generating and growing our revenue and profit year after year. For moving to the next phase of our growth, we are delighted to have a strategic partner in Sona Comstar which shares the same commitment to innovation and technology and will support us in scaling up our business. The moment we first interacted with the Sona Comstar team, we knew this was 'the one' because we had a great alignment of core values."

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Bengaluru-headquartered engineering R&D company L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has been certified at Caterpillar’s 2025 Supplier Excellence Recognition (SER) event. This marks the second consecutive recognition for LTTS following its initial certification in 2024.

The recertification highlights LTTS's delivery, quality standards and its relationship with Caterpillar in the Mobility segment.

As a strategic supplier, LTTS provides engineering services that support Caterpillar and its customer base. LTTS has worked on Caterpillar’s sustainability goals and has driven engineering innovation and operational performance.

Alind Saxena, Executive Director and President of Mobility and Tech at L&T Technology Services, said, “This recognition means a great deal to all of us at LTTS. Being SER-certified two years in a row is a testament not just to our team’s dedication, but also to the strength of our relationship with Caterpillar. We deeply appreciate Caterpillar’s support and the trust placed in us. Our pledge is to continue raising the bar, adding value, and delivering engineering excellence in everything we do.”

Caterpillar's recognition is awarded to suppliers who meet criteria in areas including quality assurance, timely delivery, innovation and alignment with the company’s values.

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Aptiv, a global technology firm, has announced its Gen 8 radar technology, designed to meet the demands of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The radars, powered by Aptiv’s antenna and silicon design, deliver the performance and resolution needed to support Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)–driven ADAS functions.

The Gen 8 radars are intended to allow hands-free driving in complex city environments, providing perception at a lower cost. Both front-facing and corner radar units represent a step forward in how vehicles sense their surroundings, offering reliable performance across real-world conditions.

The same core technology also powers the new Aptiv PULSE Sensor, a solution that combines radar and camera data to improve perception around the vehicle. By integrating ultra short-range capability with a surround-view camera, PULSE is claimed to be able to replace up to four ultrasonic sensors, improving detection accuracy while reducing system complexity and cost for vehicle manufacturers.

Javed Khan, Executive Vice-President and President of Software, Advanced Safety and User Experience, Aptiv, said, “Aptiv pioneered radar technology in production vehicles more than two decades ago, and today, we’re once again setting the pace. Our Gen 8 Radars mark a major step forward in the journey toward intelligent, software-defined vehicles – delivering all-weather reliability, 4D perception and deep environmental awareness that enable global automakers to safely and cost-effectively scale to higher levels of automation.”

Backed by over 25 years of radar technology experience, Aptiv’s Gen 8 radars use proprietary software and hardware, introducing improvements in performance for a broader range of driving solutions across challenging weather and lighting. The radars enable new driving scenarios – such as Navigation on Autopilot (NOA) – in complex environments like city streets and car parks, due to an expanded field of view.

The key features of Aptiv’s Gen 8 radar technology include –

• Forward Radar: Offers long-range detection beyond 300 metres with fine 4D angular resolution, allowing improved classification of static objects. This system delivers a 30 percent performance increase and doubles the vertical field of view compared to its predecessor.
• Dual-Mode Corner Radar: Improves the range performance of the previous generation by increasing the vertical field of view’s (FOV) resolution, providing capability in close-range, low-speed scenarios such as frontal automatic emergency braking (AEB) and automated parking. Compared to the prior generation, horizontal discrimination improved by 25 percent and vertical discrimination is now possible.

The Gen 8 radars aim to deliver detection, precision and adaptability. Aptiv claims it offers scalable solutions, including a large increase in object detection count and superior accuracy for target detection and tracking, even in high dynamic range environments. It also supports AI-powered systems by delivering high-quality sensor data to machine learning models.

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United States-based Edge Energy, a developer of patent-pending energy conversion technology for electric vehicle fast charging, has announced a strategic investment from Germany-based PRETTL Mechatronics & Actuators (PMA), a leading mechatronics solution supplier for the automotive, electronics and energy sectors.

The funding round includes an equity investment and working capital. This partnership will support Edge Energy’s expansion of access to EV charging and utilise PMA’s manufacturing and electronics capabilities.

Edge Energy’s EdgeEV Power Source is claimed to allow fast EV charging without expensive three-phase power upgrades, offering deployment up to six times faster than traditional methods. The technology allows businesses and fleet operators to install DC Fast Chargers in various locations, supporting EV uptake.

PMA’s U.S. subsidiaries provide capabilities in coil winding, encapsulation and automated assembly, serving industries like automotive and energy.

Shaun Shuler, CEO, of Edge Energy, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with PMA, whose electronic and manufacturing expertise aligns perfectly with our vision for accessible EV charging.”

Johannes Prettl, CEO, PMA Group, said, “Edge Energy’s innovative EV charging solutions complement PMA’s commitment to sustainable technologies. We are excited to partner with Edge Energy on their next stage of growth.”

The investment combines Edge Energy’s technology with PMA’s electronics and manufacturing capabilities, aiming for growth for Edge Energy.

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Tata Technologies has announced a partnership with Synopsys, a provider of engineering solutions, to accelerate the shift towards Software-Defined Mobility (SDV). The collaboration aims to accelerate the development, verification and validation of automotive electronics systems, helping Original Equipment Manufacturers address the complexity of SDVs.

The collaboration will combine Tata Technologies’ expertise in vehicle engineering with Synopsys’ virtualisation solutions to enable the deployment of electronics digital twins (eDTs).

The companies have already worked with a leading European luxury OEM in a pilot engagement, delivering a blueprint to transition the manufacturer's existing electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture to a next-generation software-defined design. Pilot programmes with other major OEMs are also underway across North America, Europe and India.

The joint effort will focus on major SDV domains, including ADAS, powertrain, chassis, infotainment and electrification. Key areas of focus include:

• Shift Left Enablement: Developing virtual prototypes and simulation models for early software bring-up.
• Analysis: Using Synopsys tools for performance, power, safety, and reliability analysis for faster ECU development cycles.
• Verification: Providing embedded systems and software verification and validation services aligned with ISO 26262 and ASPICE standards.

Sriram Lakshminarayanan, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Technologies, said, “The digital shift is redefining the future of mobility, and our partnership with Synopsys is a purposeful step towards realising a future led by software-defined innovations. As OEMs move to new ways of working, there is a growing demand for engineering and digital services. Together, we are empowering OEMs to deliver safer, smarter, and more sustainable vehicles that enhance the human experience and accelerate the industry’s transition to a software-defined future.”

Tom De Schutter, Senior Vice-President, Product Management & Markets Group at Synopsys, said, "The complexity of SDV systems requires a new level of collaboration across the automotive ecosystem. By bringing together our world-class digital twin, verification, and IP platforms with Tata Technologies’ engineering expertise and global delivery, we are enabling OEMs to accelerate development, validation and delivery of complex software- and AI-defined vehicles. The collaboration is a great example of how the automotive ecosystem is coming together to accelerate innovation while reducing risk and time to market in a dynamic mobility landscape.”

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