Held on 6 July 2023 and 7 July 2023 at the ‘Feathers – A Radha Hotel’ in Chennai, the Future Mobility Conference 2023 turned out be a big success. First of its kind to be organised by Motoring Trends magazine with the support of SLACMA, ATMA, ASDC, TAITRA, ARAI and SAEIndia, the conference attracted auto industry leaders, analysts, and academia veterans in the field of engineering. Over 170 delegates made it to the two-day event from companies like Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Mahindra & Mahindra and others. Announcing the start of the conference, anchor Shilpa Menon spoke about mobility and the challenges as well as technologies associated with it. 

In his inaugural address, Bhushan Mhapralkar, Editor, Motoring Trends, spoke about the factors that led up to the organising of the Future Mobility Conference 2023. He mentioned about the inputs received from various industry stakeholders and how the theme ‘Automotive Outlook 2030’ for the conference as finalised. The Chief Guest of the event, Professor Satya Chakravarthy of IIT Madras, and Founder & CEO of ePlane Co, spoke about the efforts to develop future mobility technologies that would truly address the needs of the users. He referred to intelligent drones, hyperloops and electric planes. Stating that flying taxis or ambulances could form an integral part of future mobility, he said that they will contribute to vertical elevation in view of the road congestion and other challenges.  

Special invited guest, Gopalakrishnan VC, Director – Automotive & EV Sector, Government of Telangana, could not make to the event due to personal reasons. VG Ramakrishnan, Managing Director, Avanteum Advisors, set the tone by stressing on the challenges and opportunities that future mobility would present. Touching on electro-mobility and ‘connected and autonomous’ vehicles as key contributors to future mobility, he drew attention to the rapid pace of developments in the mobility space. “It may have taken 100 years to evolve until now, the same amount of journey will be achieved in the next one decade alone,” he said. The inaugural ceremony ended with the lighting of the lamp.  

The first session of the conference -- Electrification of vehicles – saw Jayapradeep Vasudevan, Chief Business Officer, Raptee, speak about EV landscape and the opportunities in two-wheelers. He drew attention to the greater issue of pollution, which is contributed by the mobility sector or the transportation sector, and said, “In view of the government goals and initiatives, the transition to electric two-wheelers has been slow in India.  

Speaking on electrification in the logistics industry, Uday Narang, Founder and Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility, mentioned about the two are complimenting each other. Observing that the logistics industry will boost EV adoption, Narang drew attention to the penetration of electric commercial vehicles in the last mile segment. 

Girish N Ramaswamy, Head of Engineering, Vitesco, said in his presentation that legislation will continuously focus on eliminating CO2 emissions in terms of how the future vehicle markets shape up. He stated that gram CO2 per kilometer has been reducing and by 2027 and BEV and PHEV models will outnumber ICE models. 

The second session of the conference – Future of Manufacturing Technologies – saw L J Clement Ravi, Head – Project Planning, Ashok Leyland, speak about efficient manufacturing in VUCA using contemporary, smart and sustainable manufacturing technology. He drew attention to mega trends such as EVs and other alternative fuel vehicles; connected vehicles; autonomous vehicles, and shared/MaaS mobility.  

Stating that the global manufacturing market will reach the USD 44.4 trillion mark by 2024 and will contribute 19 percent increase in global production output, Dr Srini Venu, Director, Power Gear Sustainability Pvt Ltd, commented that that manufacturers should protect operating profit as the industry average EBITDA margin declined from 11.2 percent in 2015 to 8.6 percent in 2018.  

The third session of the conference – Autonomous & Connected Vehicles – saw Sadananda Bondade, Head – R&D (Telematics, Architecture and Networking), Continental Automotive India, speak about connected vehicles and telematics technology. He referred to key opportunities and challenges and stressed on the importance of software defined architecture and the way it is growing. 

Ravikumar Reddy, Head – Bangalore Division, DEP India, spoke about revolutionising product design and development of sustainable future vehicles using advanced simulation techniques. He stressed on environmental and fuel challenges, which are driving countries to adopt new innovations and technologies to provide better mobility solutions. 

In his presentation, Ramanathan Srinivasan, Managing Director, Automotive Test Systems, mentioned that testing and validation of ADAS systems for Indian conditions involves unique driving scenarios, captured through in-car data acquisition and scenario generation. Referring to various sources such as sensor measurement data, camera sensor, GPS sensor, accident database and open data sheets, Ramanathan showed a scenario generation sample gathered from a Chennai piece of road. 

Durgadutt Nedungadi, Senior Vice President – India and International Business, Netradyne, spoke about the role of AI technologies to redefine road safety. He commented that road safety is of major concern to India and costs two to three percent of the GDP. Stating that driver behaviour is the centre point, Nedungadi averred that his company is leveraging deep tech to revolutionise road safety. 

The first session on the second day – Reduction of Carbon Footprint – saw Meenakshi Sundaram, Chief Technology Officer (Advanced Engg.), Amalgamations Components Group, speak about sustainable electric powertrain for two-wheelers and three-wheelers in India. Raising the question of how a sustainable electric powertrain could be defined, Sundaram said, “It is aspects like long life of an electric powertrain in comparison to an ICE powertrain that hold the key.” “Also, the quality and reliability of the powertrain, and the speed and cost parity of an EV powertrain in comparison to an ICE powertrain,” he added. 

D Rajesh, Vice President, Volvo Group Trucks Technology, spoke about his company’s global R&D efforts and that India is the second biggest after Sweden. Highlighting long-term ambition of his company in the form of three points: 100 percent safe (zero accidents), fossil free and productive (optimised transport flows) future, Rajesh said the focus continues to be on battery electric, fuel cell and ICE (bio-LNG, other bio fuels and hydrogen) with the intention to break free of fossil fuels by 2040. 

Panindar Mecharla, Area Manager Sales, European Trailer Systems, spoke about lightweighting of trucks and trailers to increase payload. He highlighted his company’s long experience in the field of trailers and expressed that it has been offering sliding roofs for trailers since 1969. 

The second session on the second day – Future of Tyres and Testing – saw Renji Issac, Senior Vice President and Head of R&D and Technology, CEAT Tyres, speak about fuel efficient tyres and they are contributing to a sustainable future. He drew attention to the chemistry behind tyre manufacture and highlighted the progress achieved until now. Stating that low resistance tyres would facilitate the growth of EVs and alternative fuel vehicles, Issac said, “The rise of non-pneumatic tyres and the attention it is getting from all the tyre makers around the world, the future looks exciting.” 

Claude Rouelle, President, Optimum G, spoke about tyre characteristic optimisation driven by vehicle level metrics. He mentioned that his company provides end-to-end tyre services, including testing, supervision, design procedure, tyre modelling and tyre simulation. 

Balamurugan Ravichandran, Technical Manager – India (Sound, Vibration, Test and Measurement), HBK, spoke about the futuristic approach in EVs, NVH and product physics testing. He pointed at scalable, flexible, and distributable solutions his company provides in terms of the requirements in the present-day testing scenarios. 

Brahmanand Patil, President and Managing Director, Vector Informatik India, spoke about software testing and vehicle architecture for the future. He averred that the future is software intensive and replete with computers as control units and CAN-Bus, FlexRay or ethernet as the communication arteries.
The last session of the conference – Future of EVs 2.0 – saw Hemal Thakkar, Director – Consulting, Crisil, speak about vehicle electrification. He highlighted EV landscape against factors like a global economic growth that is expected to taper amid elevated interest rates. 

Kaushik Madhavan, Vice President and Head of Consulting – Automotive, Markets and Markets, spoke about Growth Opportunities in the e-mobility ecosystem. He highlighted the EV value chain and ecosystem shift towards dynamic customer driven approach with complex GTM requirements. 

Atul Patil, Vice President, PIN 365 (the organisation that publishes Motoring Trends and Tyre Trends magazines), gave the vote of thanks to all those who made this conference happen. He also thanked his team and the event sponsors, CEAT Tyres, Continental Automotive India, Detroit Engineered Products, Automotive Test Systems and Optimum G.

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In a landmark development, Uber Freight, in collaboration with Aurora, has announced that fully autonomous lorries (trucks) have been completing return journeys between Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas (approximately 386km) since April.

These driverless Class 8 trucks are transporting live, commercial freight with no human intervention behind the wheel. This event marks a significant moment as Uber Freight becomes the first logistics platform to offer shippers access to this technology on public roads.

The company shared that the haulage sector has long grappled with issues such as high driver turnover and underutilised assets. Autonomous trucking aims to ease these pressures while providing tangible benefits for shippers, carriers and consumers.

Uber Freight’s autonomous vehicle (AV) carriers have achieved notable results to date:

• Over 500,000 supervised autonomous miles covered on public roads while carrying freight over the past four years.
• The company has moved freight for more than 20 shippers across various industries.
• Goods delivered include everyday essentials such as pet food, paper products, beverages, appliances and packaging materials.

Lior Ron, Founder & CEO, Uber Freight, said, “This milestone is a clear example of what can be achieved when innovation meets logistics leadership. Working with Aurora, we are shaping a future where autonomous lorries enhance the efficiency and reliability of supply chains. This is the kind of value that shippers across the industry are seeking – and why we are dedicated to building a more intelligent and resilient freight network.”

Uber Freight started its journey in autonomous trucking in 2021 with strategic alliances to commercialise AV technology. The integration of the Aurora Driver into the Uber Freight platform has resulted in a seamless end-to-end solution where booking, tracking and load adjustments are managed digitally and efficiently.

This deep integration positions Uber Freight as the first and only logistics network to fully synchronise with autonomous lorries, ensuring freight is matched to suitable routes with minimal human involvement.

With nearly USD 20 billion in freight under management (FUM) and a substantial logistics network, Uber Freight claimed it is well-placed to scale the commercialisation of autonomous lorries. Their leadership in this area extends beyond technology to encompass collaboration and trust-building with shippers, carriers, and partners.

Through initiatives such as the Premier Autonomy Programme, which offers early access to over one billion of Aurora’s driverless miles to Uber Freight carriers through 2030, the company is enabling carriers of all sizes to improve their operations through autonomous technology.

Looking ahead, preparations are underway to support Aurora’s expansion of driverless operations to El Paso and Phoenix by end-2025, opening up new routes and opportunities for the sector.

Leading insurance technology firm RenewBuy makes strategic foray into automotive loan segment with RB Wheelz brand.

The RB Wheelz brand will provide a full suite of automotive loan products — including new vehicle financing, balance transfers and top-up loans — all accessible through RenewBuy’s upgraded digital platform. The integration is designed to offer consumers a seamless experience by combining financing and insurance under one digital roof.

The company estimates that the automotive financing market is expanding at a CAGR of 15–16 percent, which makes it an attractive opportunity for digital-first players like RenewBuy.

In the final quarter of FY25, RenewBuy disbursed nearly INR 1 billion in automotive loans. Looking ahead, the company aims to onboard approximately 10,000 customers and scale its loan disbursement to INR 15 billion in FY2026. The initial rollout will focus on four-wheelers and fleet vehicles.

Indraneel Chatterjee, Co-Founder, RenewBuy, said, “Having served consumers in the insurance space for nearly a decade, we are now expanding our footprint in the financial services ecosystem. We’re leveraging our technology and a 150,000 strong advisor network to bring loan services to consumers across metros and smaller towns. Over 75 percent of buyers in Tier II and III cities are opting for vehicle financing — a high-potential segment we aim to empower with accessible, seamless, and digital solutions.”

RenewBuy’s upgraded platform now includes a dedicated loan feature, supported by partnerships with 18 leading banks and NBFCs.

Elektrobit, a wholly owned independent subsidiary of Continental, has announced a strategic partnership with Metoak, a Chinese provider of intelligent driving solutions, to accelerate the development and adoption of software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

The collaboration integrates Elektrobit’s EB corbos Linux for Safety Applications – an open-source operating system compliant with automotive safety standards – with Metoak’s high-performance chips and driving algorithms. The first mass production project, now in its initial phase, focuses on stereoscopic vision and multi-sensor fusion technologies for next-generation ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) controllers. Mass production is expected by early 2026.

The project marks the first integration of open-source systems with domestic chips in China’s intelligent driving sector. Elektrobit brings its global software expertise, while Metoak contributes its stereoscopic vision technology, aiming to deliver secure, cost-effective, and updateable SDV solutions for Chinese automakers.

The partnership centres around two areas:

EB corbos Linux for Safety Applications – The world’s first open-source, high-performance computing OS to meet ISO 26262 ASIL B and IEC 61508 SIL 2 safety standards. Its customisability and compliance with the UNECE R155 cybersecurity regulation make it a competitive choice for automakers. Metoak has successfully adapted the OS to its chips, reducing supply chain risks and offering a flexible solution for local manufacturers.

AUTOSAR Software and Autonomous Driving – The partners will co-develop ASIL D-certified Classic AUTOSAR software to optimise real-time communication and safety. They also plan to work on Level 3 autonomous driving algorithms and build a local ecosystem to support the ‘domestic chips + open-source system’ model.

Yaojie Lu, CEO of Metoak, said: “Partnering with Elektrobit combines the flexibility of EB corbos Linux with our stereo vision and AI technology, enabling cost-efficient and precise perception solutions.”

Maria Anhalt, CEO of Elektrobit, added: “The success of SDVs depends on openness and collaboration. We’re proud to see the industry’s first open-source safety-compliant OS entering mass production alongside Metoak.”

The partnership sets the stage for scalable, safety-certified SDV innovations in China and beyond.

Axiscades Technologies, a leading technology and engineering solutions provider, has appointed Anurag Sharma as CEO of add-solution, a Germany-based subsidiary of Axiscades specialising in wiring harness design & testing for aerospace, automotive and industrial sectors.

The German company focuses on specialised drone development and thermal management offering for Axiscades group in Europe.

Alfonso Martinez, CEO and MD, Axiscades, said, “We are excited to welcome Anurag to our leadership team. He embodies the rare blend of technical expertise and executional foresight that defines Axiscades’ ambition. The future of engineering value is being created: at the intersection of electrification, AI-driven industrial transformation and semiconductor-led innovation and he brings these talents to the table. Anurag’s track record in scaling engineering businesses gives add-solution the exact leverage needed to dominate the software-defined era. His work in EDS and cross-border industrialisation aligns with our strategy to embed deeper into European OEMs’ R&D cycles. In Europe, the sector contributes 4 percent to the GDP and is home to several leading premium car manufacturers, making it a highly attractive market. As part of our restructuring, Axiscades is doubling down on aerospace, defence and engineering services powered by Electronics, Semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence (ESAI).”

“add-solution plays a central role in this vision, bringing software-led scale and agility to these high-priority verticals. We're building a leadership team that doesn’t just respond to industry shifts it shapes them,” he added.

Sharma is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee and comes with over three decades of experience across product development, sales & business development, P&L management and successful execution of large-scale engineering programs.

He began his career with L&T and has held several senior roles across Siemens Technology, Segula Technologies, Altran India, Ansys India and Altair Engineering.

Anurag Sharma, said, “Axiscades is at an inflection point where product innovation in the domain of electronics, semiconductor and digital engineering are converging to create long-term value. The EDS (Electrical Distribution Systems) industry is undergoing a major transformation, with embedded electronic systems and 3D designs taking centre stage. As OEMs increasingly shift towards software-defined vehicles and electrification, the demand for highly specialised, domain-driven engineering services is set to rise. I am thrilled to contribute to this vision and bring together add solution’s deep expertise in EDS and component testing to give Axiscades a unique edge. The goal is to deepen global partnerships and build differentiated capabilities by delivering smarter, faster, and more integrated solutions across the value chain.”