Tata Technologies Launches #EngineeringASoftwareDefinedFuture Campaign

Tata Technologies Launches #EngineeringASoftwareDefinedFuture Campaign

Tata Technologies, a global leader in engineering and digital services, has launched its new brand campaign, #EngineeringASoftwareDefinedFuture, aimed at empowering manufacturing companies accelerate their journey toward software-led intelligent products.

With the introduction of this new campaign, the company is also reaffirming its dedication to advancing the transformation of the automotive, industrial heavy machines (IHM) and aerospace industries via the use of software and digital technologies. With software and digital-led mechatronics solutions that cover the whole product value chain, from turnkey Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) to AI-powered smart manufacturing and intelligent software-defined enterprises, Tata Technologies is enabling industries to transition to software-differentiated products.

This new brand strategy, which was unveiled at ELIV 2024 in Bonn, Germany, highlights Tata Technologies' commitment to providing clients with software-led mobility solutions throughout the entire value chain. The company is assisting in modernising operations, increasing efficiency and delivering competitive, sustainable products that transform customer experiences from concept to service. Its leadership in turnkey product development and more than 30 years of manufacturing domain knowledge are combined with digital technologies. Over the next few years, Tata Technologies plans to dramatically increase its software and embedded work revenue as part of its growth strategy. This will demonstrate the company's dedication to providing cutting-edge, software- and digital engineering-led solutions that satisfy the changing demands of the market.

Warren Harris, CEO, Tata Technologies, said: “The #EngineeringASoftwareDefinedFuture campaign reflects the evolution of Tata Technologies as a leader in the software-driven transformation of industries in the AI era. We are empowering our clients with intelligent, connected solutions that redefine mobility and manufacturing IT systems needed by software-defined enterprises. Our strategic joint venture with BMW that we announced recently is a testament to this commitment, as we collaborate to develop next-generation Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and Business IT solutions that push the boundaries of innovation and sustainability. Together, we are not just engineering better products – we are engineering a smarter, more sustainable future.”

Santosh Singh, EVP & Global Head – Marketing and Business Excellence, Tata Technologies, said, “Our new campaign, #EngineeringASoftwareDefinedFuture, represents our commitment to driving the future of smart, connected and sustainable products. By blending software-led digital engineering with our turnkey product development capabilities, we’re empowering the next generation of engineers to develop intelligent products and systems that redefine industries and make them future-ready. Together, we’re shaping a world where engineering solves humanity’s greatest challenges and transforms the way we move and connect.”

Sterling Tools, China’s Nanjing Haohang To Localise 2W Safety Tech In India

Sterling Tools - Nanjing Haohang

Sterling Tools has entered a technology collaboration with China-based Nanjing Haohang to manufacture Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) for the Indian two-wheeler market.

The agreement establishes a framework for Sterling Tools to lead local engineering, manufacturing and sales of ARAS in India. These systems utilise sensors and software to provide real-time alerts, functioning similarly to ADAS in passenger cars but adapted for the specific dynamics of two-wheelers. The partnership aims to address safety gaps in India, where two-wheeler accidents represent a significant portion of road fatalities.

The collaboration has already resulted in the testing and validation of several features on Indian roads. These include Front and Rear Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Warning, and Wrong-Side Alert.

Sterling Tools plans to offer these production-ready systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to support the adoption of intelligent mobility and safety-driven regulations.

Anish Agarwal, Director, Sterling Tools, said, “We are moving toward an era of intelligent mobility. This partnership with Haohang, tailored for the Indian market, equip two-wheeler OEMs with advanced rider assistance technologies that address a critical safety gap. Two-wheeler accidents account for a significant share of road fatalities in India and our collaboration aims to foster a safer environment for the 2W industry and its manufacturers.”

Nanjing Haohang will provide the global technology platform, while Sterling Tools will manage system adaptation for local road conditions. This expansion follows Sterling Tools’ recent investments in EV power electronics and rare-earth-magnet-free motor solutions.

LI Zhipan, General Manager, Nanjing Haohang, added, “India represents one of the most important markets for advanced rider assistance technology, given the scale and safety challenges of its two-wheeler segment. Our collaboration with Sterling Tools allows us to localise our solutions for Indian road conditions and bring validated, life-saving technology to automakers and riders across the country.”

Pony.ai Announces Mass-Market Robotaxi At $33,000, L4 E-Trucks Too At Auto China 2026

Pony.ai - L4 truck

Pony.ai, a technology company, has announced a significant cost breakthrough in its autonomous vehicle roadmap at Auto China 2026.

The company expects the total cost of its 2027 Gen-7 Robotaxi – including the vehicle and the autonomous driving kit – to fall below RMB 230,000 (USD 33,000 / INR 2.74 million).

This price point is notably lower than the current starting price of a Tesla Model 3 in China, which it said signals a shift from experimental technology to economically viable infrastructure.

The company has transitioned from testing to scaling, citing a 70 percent reduction in bill-of-materials costs for its latest hardware. Key updates include:

  • Fleet Expansion: Pony.ai's fleet has grown from 270 to over 1,400 vehicles, with a target of 3,000 units across 20 global cities by end-2026.
  • Economic Breakeven: The company has achieved unit-economics breakeven in two major Southern Chinese economic hubs.
  • Toyota Collaboration: The Gen-7 bZ4X Robotaxi has received on-road testing permits in Guangzhou, with plans to deploy 1,000 units in tier-one cities this year.

World’s First L4 autonomous light-duty truck

Furthermore, Pony.ai also expanded into urban logistics by unveiling an L4 electric light-duty truck developed in partnership with CATL.

Built on CATL’s Kunshi chassis, the e-truck features 100 percent automotive-grade redundancy across all critical systems (steering, braking and sensors). It is designed to reduce freight costs by 40 percent to 50 percent compared to human-driven transport. It features 18 cubic metres of cargo capacity and a range of 320–450 km, intended for supermarket restocking and cold-chain delivery.

Dr. Tiancheng Lou, CTO, Pony.ai, introduced PonyWorld 2.0, an upgraded proprietary world model. Unlike standard simulation tools, this system uses reinforcement learning to:

It can identify specific scenarios where the ‘Virtual Driver’ underperforms. It’s targeted learning approach guides data collection to improve model training efficiency. The technology enforces ‘fail-operational’ capabilities, ensuring the vehicle can safely pull over even during hardware failures.

Dr. James Peng, Founder and CEO, Pony.ai, said, “Today, the question is no longer whether Robotaxi can work. The focus is how to scale it safely, efficiently and at the right cost.”

With the launch of these new platforms, Pony.ai is leveraging a shared technology stack across both passenger mobility and urban logistics, creating economies of scale that allow for rapid deployment in both Chinese and overseas markets.

JSW Motors And Tata Elxsi Partner To Launch JNEXT Technology Center In Pune

JSW - Tata Elxsi

JSW Motors, the new-energy vehicle arm of the JSW Group, and Tata Elxsi have entered a strategic alliance to establish JNEXT – the JSW NextGen Technology Center in Pune. This engineering hub is designed to support the development of software-defined, AI-powered mobility solutions as JSW Motors prepares its upcoming vehicle programmes for the Indian market.

Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Tata Elxsi will lead the end-to-end implementation of the Connected Vehicle Platform and a unified customer experience app.

This partnership covers the entire vehicle lifecycle, from conceptualisation and cloud integration to production and aftersales support. The collaboration is a key component of JSW Motors’ strategy to build a localised, technology-led ecosystem for electric and connected vehicles.

The JNEXT Center will leverage Tata Elxsi’s proprietary platforms, such as TETHER Auto, to deliver several advanced capabilities:

  • Digital & Data Solutions: User experience (UX) design, cloud platforms, and over-the-air (OTA) update frameworks.
  • Intelligent Systems: AI/ML analytics, 5G-enabled technology, digital twins, and cybersecurity.
  • Immersive Tech: Location-based services and AR/VR/XR integration to enhance the customer ownership experience.
  • Architecture: Software-defined vehicle architectures, predictive maintenance diagnostics and functional safety frameworks aligned with global standards.

Ranjan Nayak, CEO, JSW Motors, said, “Tata Elxsi's proven expertise across software-defined vehicles, ADAS, electrification, and digital engineering will help us accelerate development timelines and raise the bar on quality, safety, and innovation. This partnership is a step forward in our commitment to indigenisation, delivering world-class vehicles for Indian customers.”

Manoj Raghavan, MD & CEO, Tata Elxsi, added, “The future of mobility will be increasingly connected and software-defined, where vehicles continuously evolve through software, data, and intelligent systems. The JNEXT – JSW NextGen Technology Center will be instrumental in translating this into real-world mobility solutions across vehicle programmes.”

The establishment of this hub in Pune positions both companies at the forefront of India's shift toward intelligent, new-energy mobility, combining JSW's industrial manufacturing scale with Tata Elxsi’s software and design engineering expertise.

Schaeffler, VinDynamics Partner To Develop Humanoid Robot Gearboxes

VinDynamics - Schaeffler

Schaeffler and VinDynamics, a subsidiary of the Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, have entered a strategic partnership to develop and supply planetary gearboxes for humanoid robotics.

This agreement marks Schaeffler’s first collaboration with a humanoid robot manufacturer in the Asia/Pacific region, expanding a global network that already includes partners in Europe, China and the US.

The collaboration focuses on planetary gearboxes, which are components of the actuators that serve as the joints and muscles for humanoid robots. These gearboxes provide the torque density and efficiency required for robots to perform movements. Beyond hardware supply, the two organisations will gather data on robot performance and application. This data will be utilised to refine actuator design and develop services such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Maximilian Fiedler, Regional CEO – Asia/Pacific, Schaeffler AG, said, "VinDynamics is an inspiring technology partner with a clear and ambitious vision for humanoid robotics. Our collaboration underscores Schaeffler's commitment to working alongside pioneering innovators to advance the next generation of motion technologies. By integrating Schaeffler's decades of expertise in actuator and drive technologies with VinDynamics' capabilities in developing next-generation robotic systems, we are confident that this partnership will deliver significant technological advancements."

La Manh Hung, President, VinDynamics, added, "This partnership represents not only a convergence of technological capabilities but also a strategic alignment of vision, as both organisations are committed to shaping the future of humanoid robotics. We believe that by combining our respective strengths, this collaboration will unlock transformative opportunities and accelerate the transition of humanoid robots from research environments to impactful real-world applications across both industrial and everyday settings."

Schaeffler is applying technology from its existing product families to the robotics sector. The planetary gearboxes are engineered for a compact footprint while enabling the precise and energy-efficient movement necessary for robot joints to function in real-world environments.