Takazuri has collaborated with BASF, a leading supplier, manufacturer and innovation partner of plastic additives, to create smart building solutions that are built to last in Eastern Africa.

These smart solutions incorporate Climatile technology, a patent-pending roofing and cladding system from Takazuri, which utilises locally collected and converted post-consumer materials to create a cool roof or wall that improves indoor temperatures by improving insulation and solar emittance and reflectance. Additionally, it offers a corrosion-free, safe surface for collecting rainfall. BASF's additive packages are specially designed to accommodate the region's particular weather conditions.

The Climatile is equipped with an intelligent clipping system that enables the surface integration of useful add-ons like biophilic elements and incredibly light frameless solar panels, thereby offering an ‘upgradable’ solution and equipping buildings to provide the most essential resources for climate resilience.

Takazuri has also strategically teamed with Gabriel Chemie, a top European masterbatch maker, who offers customised Combi-Batch that includes stabilisers and colours to help with uniformity and dispersion in the polymer matrix during tile conversion. In addition to being crucial for stabilising virgin plastics, additive stabilisers are also necessary components for enhancing the quality of post-consumer recyclables, which is necessary for sustainable applications like Climatile.

“Sustainability is at the core of our business. Our commitment is reflected in our products, which are designed for high performance and multi-functionality while utilising locally collected and converted waste from urban settings, and soon, from ocean plastics collected off the Kenyan coast,” explained Maria Schlesinger, Co-Founder and CEO, Takazuri. “Throughout the development of our technology, BASF has been an invaluable partner, assisting us in areas such as process optimisation, thermal stabilisation and enhancing the service life of the post-consumer recyclates. BASF’s expertise has been especially crucial in creating additive packages tailored to the harsh weather conditions in this region.”

“Our team discussed extensively with the Takazuri team to understand the technical requirements, specifications and market positioning targeted by Climatile. On this basis, it was possible to optimally design the most suitable additive system to meet the challenges of using post-consumer recycled materials for long-term outdoor exposure,” added Bettina Sobotka, Head of Global Marketing and Development, Plastic Additives, BASF. “We sincerely hope that the construction sector and local communities in East Africa can benefit from this collaboration, thereby fostering economic growth.”

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Affordable Robotic and Automation (ARAPL) has appointed Meru Cabs Founder Neeraj Gupta as its Strategy and Growth Advisory Director.

Gupta brings over two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and leadership experience. He built Meru Cabs into a mobility brand with a customer base of over 15 million users and a fleet of over 20,000 vehicles. Meru operated at major airports and offered both inter- and intra-city services. He sold his stake in Meru in June 2021 to the Mahindra Group. Before Meru, in 2000, he founded V-Link Tours & Travels, which grew to be one of the largest enterprise mobility companies in India.

Milind Padole, MD, ARAPL, said, "We are delighted to welcome Neeraj on board. I found in Neeraj the same madness and passion to build a robotic company as mine – one that can be scaled on the world map. His proven expertise in building scalable business models and navigating disruptive industries will strengthen our strategic vision. We are undergoing a transformative stage that requires the right partners to take the ARAPL journey to the next level. Having an advisor with such rich experience as Neeraj will further enrich the company’s growth plans ahead."

Gupta's understanding of scaling businesses, customer-centric innovation and partnerships will provide direction as ARAPL accelerates its growth.

"I am excited to join ARAPL at this crucial juncture in its growth journey. With its strong foundation in robotics, proprietary technologies and international presence, led by Milind and team’s vision, ARAPL is well-positioned to capture emerging opportunities in automation across industries. I look forward to working with the leadership team to unlock new growth avenues and create long-term value."

ARAPL has demonstrated innovation in robotic welding, multi-level car parking, warehouse automation and AI-based robots. With Gupta’s insights, the company aims to expand its footprint in Europe, the Middle East and the US. It also plans to increase its presence in sectors like autonomous logistics and port automation.

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Porsche is set to bring a new level of entertainment to its vehicles through a collaboration with AirConsole, a leading in-car gaming platform. The new Porsche Macan, arriving later this year, will be the first model to feature a curated library of multiplayer games, transforming car rides into a shared entertainment experience.

The integration allows passengers to use their smartphones as controllers to play a variety of games on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. When the car is parked, all passengers, including the driver, can participate. While on the move, gaming is restricted to the front passenger display, ensuring the driver remains focused on the road. The system uses Porsche’s integrated screen privacy features to keep the display safe and distraction-free.

Anthony Cliquot, CEO, AirConsole, said, “Our collaboration with Porsche is a powerful signal of how quickly AirConsole is scaling in the automotive industry. In just two years since launching our in-car platform, we’ve partnered with some of the world’s most respected car brands, now including Porsche. This momentum confirms that gaming has a meaningful place in the future of mobility, and we’re proud to be leading that evolution.”

To access AirConsole, users can simply download the app from the Porsche App Centre. Passengers then connect their smartphones by scanning a QR code on the screen, with no need for additional hardware. The platform supports up to five players, allowing for both collaborative and competitive sessions.

AirConsole specialises in casual, short-session games that are optimised for the in-car environment. The growing catalogue includes popular titles like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Overcooked, and UNO Car Party!, ensuring a wide range of options for passengers.

The AirConsole platform will be available in the new Macan starting at the end of this year, rolling out in all markets where Porsche Connect is offered, with the exception of China.

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Japanese automotive major Honda Motor Co, has announced that it will present a wide range of mobility products and technologies at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, scheduled from 29 October to 9 November at Tokyo Big Sight.

The company said it will display automobiles, motorcycles, power products, aircraft and concept models under its theme of ‘The Power of Dreams.’ Among the highlights will be the Honda 0 Series EV models, due for global market introduction in 2026, as well as the full-size interior mock-up of the HondaJet Elite II, which allows visitors to experience its spacious cabin.

Key exhibits will include the Honda 0 Saloon Prototype and Honda 0 SUV Prototype, both making their Japan debut. Honda will also present production models such as the CUV e:, a Class-2 electric commuter powered by swappable batteries and the Rebel 1100 S Edition cruiser with dual clutch transmission.

Beyond land-based vehicles, Honda will showcase the Honda BF350 outboard motor and the HondaJet Elite II business jet interior. The brand will also participate in programmes organised by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), including the Tokyo Future Tour 2035 and the Mobility Culture Programme.

Honda said: “The Honda booth is designed to enable the visitors to experience dream-inspiring mobility products Honda created with its original technologies and ideas while being driven by its own dreams.”

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Bengaluru-based design and technology services major Tata Elxsi and Japanese auto major Suzuki Motor Corporation have inaugurated the Suzuki–Tata Elxsi Cloud HIL Centre in Trivandrum, India.

The new centre is Suzuki’s first full-vehicle cloud-enabled Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) validation facility and represents the second engineering centre established under the Tata Elxsi–Suzuki partnership, following the Offshore Development Centre (ODC) in Pune.

The new facility is engineered for early-stage, full-vehicle simulation and validation through a cloud-native infrastructure. It will allow the Japanese automaker’s development and test teams to remotely access HIL infrastructure integrated with Electronic Control Units (ECUs) – reducing reliance on physical prototypes and accelerating validation cycles across R&D centres worldwide. This aligns with Suzuki’s roadmap for Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), reinforcing a shift toward software-led, scalable development.

Being purpose-built, the facility integrates Tata Elxsi’s domain expertise in automotive Verification and Validation (V&V), test automation and simulation, which it claims enables transformative advancements in development speed, quality and future readiness.

The Cloud HIL Centre is part of Suzuki’s global ‘SDV Right’ strategy for Electrical and Electronic (E/E) Virtual Development, which is set to play a foundational role in delivering continuous integration, faster release cycles and system reliability.

Katsuhiro Kato, Director and Executive Vice-President, Suzuki Motor Corporation, said, “The Suzuki-Tata Elxsi Cloud HIL Centre is a new base that leverages Tata Elxsi's expertise and deep experience to build an advanced and efficient development system. We hope that Suzuki will promote virtualisation to realise minimisation of energy and contribute to the development of next-generation mobility significantly."

Manoj Raghavan, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Elxsi, said, “We thank Kato-san and Suzuki Motor Corporation for their continued trust. This new Cloud HIL Centre builds on the strong foundation of our Pune ODC and marks a forward leap in our SDV-focused collaboration. It reflects our shared vision for sustainable and smarter mobility.”

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