Toyota has accelerated its ‘Green Wave Project’ commemorating this year’s environment month. It is aimed at enhancing its nature conservation activity in the community with the company distributing saplings to its employees, under its sixth challenge that is termed as ‘Establishing a Future Society in Harmony with Nature’ and looks to contribute to the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050. 

While the eco campaign continues to drive active community involvement to promote greenery, through employee engagement, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has successfully distributed over 7000 saplings to its employees, marking significant progress towards its 8,000-sapling target set under its plantation activity. 

With TKM employees encouraged to plant and nurture the distributed saplings within their neighbourhoods and submit periodic reports on plant growth, the it is noteworthy to mention about Toyota’s tree plantation activities that are strongly driven by adopting a unique concept namely the ‘Miyawaki Method of Afforestation’ since 2009, and TKM was the first corporate in India to implement such plantation methodology. TKM’s steadfast commitment to sustainability and ecological restoration is yielding remarkable results, as evidenced by the numerous advantages of the Miyawaki approach. A comprehensive study conducted in collaboration with experts from Bangalore University revealed that the Miyawaki method excels in carbon sequestration, capturing an impressive 30.86 tonnes of carbon per acre.

By doing so, TKM not only restored native habitats but also created self-sustaining ecosystem that contribute to a healthier planet. Under the guidance of Late Dr Akira Miyawaki himself, TKM initiated its maiden Miyawaki plantation drive, way back in 2009, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards conservation of greenery and eco-consciousness. Since that momentous day, TKM's plantation drives have continued to evolve and expanded to 112 acres of green cover within the factory premises, out of which 32 acres of afforestation has been developed using Miyawaki method. Today, Toyota’s manufacturing facility, located in Bidadi (on the outskirts of Bengaluru) proudly boasts more than 328,000 trees of over 790 native species planted within its premises. The results have been truly awe-inspiring with a remarkable increase in biodiversity observed over the years. 

From a mere 181 plant species, the count has surged to an impressive 790, while the number of faunal species has risen from 76 to 284. The vibrant ecosystem now encompasses 88 bird varieties, 38 butterfly species, 107 insects, 17 reptiles, 8 mammals, and 6 amphibians, reflecting the successful development of a thriving native forest ecosystem.

In addition, TKM has created an experiential environmental learning centre ‘Ecozone’ (spread across 25 acres with 17 theme parks and home to 65,000 trees with 650 native species) for children, teachers, community members and other stakeholders, within its manufacturing facility aimed at creating the environment leaders and change champions for the future, to usher in desired behavioural change in the communities. This green zone depicts the creation of dense forest within the plant facility using the ‘Miyawaki Concept’ of plantation. The forests are dominantly planted with species of 4 major forest types such as Dry Deciduous, Moist Deciduous, Semi-evergreen and Evergreen Forest, covering 21 different sub-concepts such as Pollination meadows, herbal garden, plants for spices etc. So far, more than 42,000+ students & other stakeholders have been covered through ecozone initiative.

B Padmanabha, Executive Vice President and Director of Manufacturing - Toyota Kirloskar Motor, averred, “At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, we recognise that environmental and social sustainability are just as crucial as economic progression. Guided by Toyota’s Global Environmental Challenge 2050 (six challenges announced in 2015), our sustainability efforts are far reaching that go beyond product zero emissions. While the first three challenges seek to achieve zero carbon emissions covering the entire life cycle of our products, across manufacturing operations as well as our value chain, the last three challenges focus to achieve water conservation, establishing recycled based society and living in harmony with nature.”

“We believe that a sustainable future is built through collective action and community involvement, as exemplified by one of our eco initiatives - Green Wave Program that covers afforestation (plantation drives, distribution of saplings), sharing best practices (e.g. Miyawaki plantation methodology), creating awareness on nature conservation and imbibing good eco behaviour (Toyota Ecozone – Experiential Eco Learning). Together with our employees and other stakeholders, we aim to catalyse positive change in the community to safeguard the environment to the future,” he added. 

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AUMOVIO has received a series production order from a European automotive manufacturer for its OLED display unit featuring an integrated under-display camera. The technology, which was recognised as a CES Innovation Award Honoree, will be implemented in a high-volume premium vehicle model.

The system integrates the camera module behind the active area of the OLED display, removing the requirement for visible camera hardware within the vehicle cabin. This architecture utilises a specific pixel design and OLED technology to maintain a seamless visual interface while allowing the camera to function through the display surface.

The technology supports several vehicle functions, including monitoring for driver attention and drowsiness detection. Enabling cabin-based assistance features and facilitating minimalist cockpit layouts by eliminating bulky external modules.

Internal studies conducted by AUMOVIO indicated that drivers prefer discreetly integrated sensors over visible camera modules. The company has positioned this solution to mirror the transition seen in the smartphone industry, where under-display facial recognition has gained high user acceptance.

By localising the camera under the display, the system maintains an optimal angle for driver monitoring without disrupting the aesthetic of the digital cockpit. The OLED technology used provides high contrast and colour accuracy, meeting the standards required for the premium automotive segment.

Pavel Prouza, Head of the User Experience (UX) business area at AUMOVIO, said, "We are very pleased about the customer order, which was placed shortly after the initial innovation presentation. The order is a strong market signal and confirms that we and our strategy are on the right track. We focus on developing state‑of‑the‑art technologies and transitioning them to series production - to increase safety and comfort in mobility with exciting new cockpit designs."

“With the camera invisibly integrated under the active area of the driver display, we have opened the door to the next generation of exciting and minimalistic cockpit designs – while making a major contribution to advancing safety‑relevant assistance features through wider user acceptance," he further added.

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French tier 1 supplier Valeo has commenced production of high-definition (HD) surround-view cameras at its facility in Sanand, Gujarat. The new production line was inaugurated on 3 April 2026 by Marc Vrecko, CEO of Valeo’s Brain Division, marking an expansion of the company’s vision system manufacturing in India.

The Sanand facility will focus on the high-volume manufacturing of vision camera systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India. These components are engineered to support autonomous and semi-autonomous driving functions through Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS).

While hardware manufacturing is centred in Sanand, the software and intelligence for these sensors are developed at Valeo’s research and development hub in Chennai. The facility is also scheduled to expand into the production of automotive displays and telematics control units to provide solutions for digital cockpits and connected vehicles.

The expansion is part of Valeo’s ‘Elevate 2028’ strategic plan, which identifies India as a priority market. By localising the production of vision systems, the company aims to streamline its supply chain and increase the delivery speed of safety technologies to regional partners. The investment is intended to transition the Sanand site into a multi-technology hub for automotive electronics.

Marc Vrecko, CEO, Valeo’s Brain Division, said, “The inauguration of this new camera line at our Sanand facility is a proud moment for our team and a proof to our dedication to the Indian market. By localising the production of these highly complex, advanced vision systems, we are not only streamlining our supply chain but also accelerating the delivery of world-class safety technologies to our partners."

Jayakumar G, Group President & Managing Director, Valeo India, added, “We are scaling our product portfolio in Sanand, India. This investment in a state-of-the-art surround-view camera line underscores our commitment to localizing high-tech solutions. It strengthens our ADAS manufacturing capabilities and R&D and ensures we continue to meet our customers’ evolving needs.”

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Belgian technology firm Magnax, which is working on yokeless axial flux electric motors, has secured around EUR 35.5 million investment from Pan-International Industrial Corp, in collaboration with Foxconn Group and members of an incoming management team.

The capital increase, conducted in two stages, has received foreign direct investment (FDI) approval and will result in Pan-International becoming the largest shareholder in Magnax.

Founded in 2015, Magnax develops yokeless axial flux electric motors for sectors including robotics, aerospace and electric vehicles. It also operates Traxial, a subsidiary focused on e-mobility.

The new CAPEX will be used towards industrialising the axial flux motor portfolio for high-volume deployment. Leveraging Foxconn Group’s manufacturing infrastructure and global supply chain. Research and development will remain in Belgium, while mass production will be located in China.

Axial flux motors differ from conventional radial flux machines by offering higher torque density and efficiency. These characteristics allow for reductions in vehicle weight and material usage. The architecture is intended for use in direct-drive industrial drives, machine automation and AI infrastructure, such as data centre thermal management.

As part of the transaction, Magnax has appointed a new CEO with experience in global industrial technology. The incoming management team is also co-investing in the company.

Kester Goh, Co-Founder, Magnax, said, “The capital will primarily be used to industrialise Magnax’s axial flux motor portfolio and support high-volume production. This partnership bridges European motor innovation with Asia’s largest advanced manufacturing ecosystem.”

Peter Leijnen, Co-Founder, Magnax, added, “Axial flux motors have a fundamentally better value proposition in several high-performance use cases. Their high torque density and efficiency enable customers to reduce weight and size of their end products. Lower material usage and higher efficiency translate directly into lower system cost and reduced carbon emissions.”

Daan Moreels, Co-Founder, Magnax, stated, “This is a new and important phase for Magnax. With Foxconn’s manufacturing scale and industrial ecosystem, Magnax gains the operational foundation required to deploy axial flux motor technology across global markets. The partnership accelerates the company’s transition from engineering innovation to large-scale industrial deployment.”

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drivebuddyAI has been granted a patent for its Integrated Dynamic Road Quality Assessment System and Method. The technology autonomously detects and maps road surface deterioration, including potholes and hazardous conditions, by combining sensor data with deep learning-based computer vision.

The system utilises two data streams to evaluate road conditions. A GNSS sensor logs vehicle speed and geo-location, while an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) accelerometer captures changes across the X, Y and Z axes.

In real-time it detects anomalies, which are flagged when the Z-axis acceleration indicates a road defect. To prevent false detections, the system processes video data through a deep learning model to visually confirm the defect. Verified data is geo-tagged to create a dynamic road quality map that updates as fresh data is collected from active fleets.

The patented technology aims to provide a road quality intelligence layer for navigation, moving beyond standard metrics of distance and traffic. For fleet operators, poor road surfaces affect Turnaround Time (TAT) by increasing braking frequency, vehicle wear and the risk of cargo damage.

By integrating road quality data into route planning, dispatchers can select paths based on vehicle and cargo safety rather than just the shortest distance. The system is designed to operate without human intervention, building a dataset as vehicles traverse their routes.

This grant expands drivebuddyAI’s portfolio to over 15 patents covering ADAS, DMS, and AI perception systems. These include technologies for driver recognition, drowsiness detection, and risk assessment. The systems are validated under AIS184, EU2144/2019 & 2023, and EURO NCAP 2026 standards.

Nisarg Pandya, Founder & CEO, drivebuddyAI, said, “We are building AI that solves multiple problems at once. Road quality is not a standalone problem; it sits at the intersection of driver safety, cargo protection, and fleet efficiency. This patent is our answer to a gap that the industry has long ignored: knowing not just where you are going, but what the road ahead will do to your vehicle and your cargo and its impact on TAT.”

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