Zebra Technologies Corporation released the findings of its Automotive Ecosystem Vision Study. The study aimed to gauge industry views, priorities and expectations the industry faces, and the challenges and opportunities resulting from rapid digital transformation. All data was collected and tabulated by third-party research firm, Azure Knowledge Corporation.

The study confirmed automotive manufacturers are under pressure to accommodate growing consumers’ preference for electric vehicles (EVs) in the near future. Automotive manufacturers must plan for a smooth transition to EVs, which have a very different requirements from raw materials to final assembly. Technology-led priorities will therefore be focused on increasing automation, building in-house technologies and expanding visibility across their respective production and supply chains. 

The survey was conducted from August to September 2022, with participation from 1,336 respondents globally, including industry decision-makers, fleet managers and consumers. In APAC, the 350 respondents were surveyed across India, Greater China, Japan and South Korea.

APAC consumers, including India respondents, will prefer purchasing EVs in the future
The survey reflects that in the near future there will be a shift in preference, with more than half of consumers (53 percent globally, 60 percent in APAC, including India) indicating going for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). However, navigating this increasing demand for EVs comes with challenges as 68 percent of global automotive industry decision-makers (60 percent in APAC, including India) say they are under high pressure to produce next generation (electric) vehicles, while 75 percent of them (71 percent in APAC, including India) are under high pressure to deliver products that are more eco-friendly, sustainable and safer for the environment.

The study also highlights consumers across generations pushing automotive manufacturers’ acceleration to technology innovation as eight in ten say that sustainability and eco-friendliness are key priorities in their vehicle purchase and lease decisions. 87 percent of millennials prioritise sustainability in their vehicles followed closely by 78 percent of Gen Xers and 76 percent of baby boomers. Within APAC, 85 percent of consumers were aligned with these key priorities, consisting of 92 percent of millennials, 83 percent of Gen Xers and 72 percent of baby boomers prioritising sustainability the highest.

Consumers are driving the growing emphasis on personalisation – the ability to customise a vehicle to their liking. Nearly four in five consumers say personalisation options factor into their decision to purchase a vehicle, and eight in ten fleet managers share these same requirements for sustainability and personalisation. APAC consumers resonate with this most strongly when compared with their global counterparts, with 86 percent prioritising personalisation options in their purchasing decisions, and 92 percent of fleet managers sharing the same requirements.

While nearly 80 percent of automotive industry decision-makers globally (77 percent in APAC, including India) recognise consumers expect more sustainable and personalised vehicle options today, around seven in ten concede it’s difficult to keep up with increasing customisation demands. As a result, three in four automotive manufacturers globally say a top priority is to build strategic partnerships with tech companies for their next generation of production. This number is lower across APAC, at 72 percent and 64 percent respectively.

Tan Aik Jin, Vertical Solutions Marketing Lead APAC, Zebra Technologies, said, “The challenges that automotive manufacturers face today include finding and retaining qualified workforce, navigating supply chain disruptions, delivering on heightened expectations around speed and accuracy. While it’s heartening that consumers are leaning towards a greener automotive future with greater preference towards electric vehicles, this is a signal to automotive decision-makers to actively invest more in safer technologies and robust infrastructure, to better serve their customers.”

Trust and transparency in automotive manufacturing
Data and information transparency is highly important to consumers and fleet managers alike, and they are seeking more visibility into the automotive ecosystem. When considering a vehicle for purchase or lease, 81 percent of consumers globally (85 percent in APAC, including India) and 86 percent of fleet managers (92 percent in APAC, including India) indicate they want to understand the origin of materials and parts on their vehicle. Millennials lead the way in demanding more transparency in automotive manufacturing, as more than eight in ten (both globally and in APAC, including India) say it is important to have access to manufacturer information along with knowing if source materials and parts are sustainable and understanding how the vehicle is manufactured from end-to-end.

Beyond gaining greater visibility into the automotive manufacturing process, once they have their vehicles, 88 percent of consumers (82 percent in APAC, including India) and 86 percent of fleet managers (88 percent in APAC, including India) want to understand how the data from their vehicles will be used by the automotive ecosystem.

After a vehicle purchase, 83 percent of consumers and 84 percent of fleet managers expect ownership and control of the data their vehicle generates. This sentiment is similarly shared within APAC, by 86 percent of consumers and 88 percent of fleet managers.

Automotive supply chain visibility
A majority of consumers (79 percent globally, 83 percent in APAC, including India) and fleet managers (81 percent globally, 84 percent in APAC, including India) want end-to-end visibility during the manufacturing process. However, only around three in ten automotive industry decision-makers say they will prioritise connecting real-time data systems (30 percent in APAC, including India) to enable a holistic view of operations and increase visibility across production and throughout the supply chain over the next five years (32 percent in APAC, including India). 

Jin added, “To provide real-time visibility throughout the supply chain, digitising operations via RFID and rugged handheld mobile computers can ensure that both regulations and sustainability expectations are met effectively and efficiently.”

Slightly more than one-third of OEMs globally and in APAC said autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), RFID, rugged handheld mobile computers and scanners as well as industrial machine vision will improve supply chain management. Similarly for suppliers, one-third of those surveyed cite mobile barcode label/thermal printers, wearable computers and location technology as the technologies to do so. 

Rajnish Gupta, Vice President and Head – India and Sub-Continent Business, Zebra Technologies, said, “Manufacturers are innovating to meet changing customer demands, and they are increasing their investment in technologies to deliver more personalised and sustainable vehicles. Along with this, they also need to ramp up their end-to-end supply chain visibility to build the next level of trust with their customers. We are ready to help automotive manufacturers enhance their operational capabilities through digitalisation through varying solutions like the L10ax rugged tablet, RFD90 ultra-rugged UHF RFID sleds, MC9300 DPM mobile computer and Workforce Connect, just to name a few.”

Overall, around seven in ten automotive industry decision-makers (76 percent globally, 67 percent in APAC, including India) agree that digital transformation is a strategic priority for their organisation. In the next five years, they anticipate expanding their use of technology, with 47 percent (both globally and in APAC, including India) focused on additive manufacturing/3D printing and 45 percent globally (46 percent in APAC, including India) on supply chain planning solutions.

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Delhi NCR-headquartered electric vehicle company Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has partnered Electra AI to integrate battery health monitoring across its fleet operations.

The collaboration incorporates Electra AI’s analytics platform into OSM’s electric commercial vehicles. The technology enables real-time tracking, predictive maintenance and state-of-health diagnostics for battery packs. The data metrics aim to support warranty management, optimise vehicle uptime, assist financing assessments and provide residual value tracking for secondary market sales.

Uday Narang, Founder and Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, "The next phase of EV growth in India will not be driven solely by new vehicle sales, but by the creation of a credible and thriving secondary market. Battery health is the single biggest determinant of an EV's residual value, and until that can be measured transparently, the used EV market will remain constrained. Through our partnership with Electra AI, we are bringing unprecedented visibility into battery performance, enabling buyers, financiers, and fleet operators to make informed decisions with confidence. This will help improve resale values, unlock greater access to financing, and accelerate the adoption of electric mobility by ensuring that EVs remain valuable assets throughout their lifecycle."

Vivek Dhawan, Chief Strategy Officer, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “As electric mobility scales, the industry must move beyond selling vehicles and focus on delivering intelligence that improves asset performance throughout its life. By integrating Electra AI's advanced analytics into our ecosystem, we will gain deeper operational insights that help enhance fleet productivity, reduce unplanned downtime, strengthen warranty management, and support data-driven product development. This collaboration represents an important step towards building a smarter, more efficient, and technology-led mobility ecosystem that creates tangible value for customers, partners, and stakeholders alike."

Fabrizio Martini, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Electra AI, stated: “Vehicle makers like OSM are being asked to put more capable, more affordable EVs on the road every year — and to stand behind them with confidence. Our AI Brain for Batteries platform gives them the real-world intelligence to do exactly that: design better vehicles, offer stronger assurance to their customers, and keep fleets running. That’s what battery intelligence is for — turning data into trust across the whole ecosystem, from the OEM to the financier to the operator.”

The deployment aims to support commercial fleet operators across India by reducing maintenance delays and improving total cost of ownership visibility.

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Hyundai Motor India, in partnership with Radio Mirchi, has launched the Hyundai Traffic Quality Index, a standardised traffic rating framework designed to convey real-time road conditions across seven major Indian cities. The initiative operates across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata.

The system translates live traffic inputs, on-ground reports and official traffic police advisories into a numerical scale from 1 to 10. The ratings are categorised into three colour-coded tiers: 1 to 3 represented in green for light traffic, 4 to 7 in yellow for moderate traffic and 8 to 10 in red for heavy congestion. Updates are broadcast over Radio Mirchi’s audio network to inform drivers during commutes without requiring direct interaction with mobile devices.

The system processes real-time location data alongside updates regarding road closures, diversions, and civic works. Hyundai Motor India and Radio Mirchi plan to expand the index to additional urban centres in subsequent phases of the project.

Virat Khullar, Head of Marketing, Hyundai Motor India, said, “At Hyundai, our commitment to road safety has always extended beyond the vehicle itself. For over three decades in India, we have continuously invested in technologies and initiatives that make mobility safer and smarter. With the Hyundai Traffic Quality Index, we are taking that commitment a step further by empowering commuters with actionable information. We believe informed and technology enabled decisions lead to safer roads, calmer driving behaviour and better commuting experience. Our vision is for Hyundai Traffic Quality Index to evolve into a daily utility that millions of Indians rely on, much like they check the weather or the Air Quality Index before stepping out.”

Yatish Mehrishi, Chief Executive Officer, ENIL, said, “Radio has always been a trusted companion for people on the move. With the Traffic Quality Index, we are taking that relationship a step further by making traffic information simpler, more consistent and more useful for everyday commuters. Our presence across cities, supported by our RJs, on-ground teams and real-time local insights, gives us a unique understanding of how people experience their daily commute. TQI brings these insights together in an easy-to-understand format that can help people make better decisions on the road. We are delighted to partner with Hyundai to build a public utility that can make urban commuting smarter and safer. It is a strong example of how media, technology and local intelligence can come together to solve an everyday consumer need.”

ACP Ravindra Pandit of Delhi Traffic Police, added, “The Hyundai Traffic Quality Index is a commendable initiative that empowers us to keep commuters informed about congestion, diversions, and other traffic-related issues on specific routes. By receiving timely and accurate updates, motorists can make informed decisions and opt for alternate routes, reducing inconvenience and easing congestion. Timely dissemination of reliable traffic information benefits both the public and traffic authorities, making overall traffic management more efficient and commuter-friendly.”

Anil Patil, Regional Transport Officer for Mumbai West, commented, “Understanding and managing traffic more effectively has become increasingly important today. TQI will help us better understand traffic conditions, improve awareness among citizens, and provide valuable support in making traffic management more efficient.”

IPS Manoj Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police for Pune City, said, “Traffic Quality Index can give the traffic police a different kind of study and analysis. Especially because it will include inputs and suggestions coming directly from citizens. So, we will get an independent understanding of the actual traffic situation. I feel this can be extremely useful for us while planning future traffic management as well as infrastructure projects. So, I really welcome this initiative If we are able to measure the traffic quality index in this manner, it will definitely have an overall impact on our deployment and the way we manage traffic.”

Dr B. Shamoondeswari, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) for Greater Chennai Police, said: “Just like AQI helps us understand air quality, TQI will help us understand traffic quality. It’s a great initiative that can make people more aware, help manage congestion, and contribute towards smoother traffic movement in our cities.”

ACP A. Krishnaiah of LB Nagar Traffic Police in Hyderabad noted: “The Hyundai Traffic Quality Index is a valuable initiative that helps commuters stay updated on traffic congestion, diversions, and other route-related issues. Access to timely and reliable traffic information enables motorists to plan their journeys better and choose alternative routes when required. This not only reduces travel inconvenience but also helps ease traffic congestion. Overall, the initiative supports both commuters and traffic authorities by making traffic management more effective, responsive, and commuter-friendly.”

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Open-source autonomous driving software company TIER IV has joined the Next-Generation Edge AI Semiconductor Research and Development Programme, led by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The initiative focuses on the development of a software-defined system-on-chip (SoC) designed for Level 4 autonomous driving applications.

As part of the programme, a team led by Professor Yoshihiro Kawahara at the University of Tokyo is researching physical AI chip design based on specific use cases. Concurrently, TIER IV is developing the logic design for an AI chip aimed at processing inference for end-to-end autonomous driving systems. TIER IV plans to open-source the resulting logic design, compiler, and software toolchain to allow semiconductor manufacturers and developers to modify and build upon the hardware architecture.

The project focuses on developing hardware architectures tailored for Transformer AI models, which process sensor data from cameras and point clouds for perception and motion planning.

The chip design incorporates dedicated circuits for matrix multiplication and attention mechanisms, aiming to reduce power consumption from external memory transfers. To maintain software adaptability, TIER IV is integrating the Tensor Operator Set Architecture (TOSA) as an intermediate representation layer between AI frameworks such as PyTorch and the chip hardware.

The initiative also applies formal verification techniques to mathematically trace numerical consistency during AI model compilation.

Shinpei Kato, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TIER IV, said, “Advances in AI have been accelerated by powerful computing platforms, including GPUs, which have enabled rapid progress across the industry. As Level 4 autonomous driving moves toward broader deployment, we believe the next step is to complement these platforms with computing architectures designed for real-world and real-time requirements. Through this initiative, we are introducing a software-defined and open approach to AI chip design that combines power efficiency, adaptability, transparency and verifiability. In particular, the ability to understand how an AI model is transformed for execution and to verify the correctness of that processing will be increasingly important as autonomous driving systems are deployed in safety-critical environments. By extending the open-source philosophy behind Autoware from software to AI chip design and related toolchains, we aim to create an open ecosystem in which automakers, semiconductor manufacturers and developers can build upon the technology and continue advancing their own systems. This represents an important step toward a scalable, adaptable and reliable computing foundation for Level 4 autonomous driving.”

Professor Yoshihiro Kawahara stated, “In physical AI applications such as robotics and autonomous driving, GPU power consumption has long been a major bottleneck for deployment on battery-powered devices. This project aims to fundamentally overcome this constraint through a functionally differentiated chip design backward-mapped from specific use cases. I look forward to TIER IV developing chips responsible for high-level decision-making – specifically, the high-level behavioural layer that handles the thinking process essential for end-to-end physical AI and autonomous driving. As the leading force behind Autoware, the global standard open-source software for autonomous driving, TIER IV is democratising design, with an approach spanning application requirements to hardware. This enables applied researchers to shape their ideal semiconductors. This initiative, supported by an open ecosystem, has the potential to lay the foundations for a steady stream of Japanese startups creating high-value semiconductors.”

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American automotive supplier Stoneridge, Inc. has announced details of its EVO ECU Platform, which will debut at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, Germany.

The electronic control unit (ECU) is engineered for commercial vehicles, buses, coaches and off-highway applications to consolidate system architecture and support software-defined capabilities.

The platform replaces multiple individual control units with a centralised processing architecture designed to manage vehicle data, enable remote software updates and facilitate diagnostics.

The ECU is developed in collaboration with technology partner Renesas Electronics using its R-Car system-on-chip technology and the hardware is built to withstand operating conditions involving temperature variations, vibration and dust exposure.

Christian Leblanc, Global Vice-President of Product and Project Management, Stoneridge, said, “Commercial vehicles are becoming increasingly connected and intelligent, but traditional vehicle architectures were not designed to support the pace of innovation happening today. EVO provides a scalable platform that helps simplify integration, improve vehicle performance and give our customers the flexibility they need to adapt as technology continues to evolve.”

“Fleet customers were at the centre of our development process. EVO helps enable faster troubleshooting, fewer service interruptions and the ability to continuously improve vehicle capabilities throughout the vehicle lifecycle,” added Leblanc.

The software structure was developed alongside Green Hills Software to segregate safety-critical operations while allowing system updates. Additionally, Stoneridge partnered with indie Semiconductor to produce the platform's image processor, supporting camera integration and driver assistance systems.

Natalia Noblet, President and CEO, Stoneridge, said, “Our industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by increasing connectivity, automation and evolving regulatory requirements. EVO represents our commitment to helping customers navigate that transformation with a flexible platform designed to support innovation today and tomorrow.”

Aish Dubey, Vice-President and Head of the HPC SoC Division, Renesas Electronics, commented, “Stoneridge’s EVO ECU Platform demonstrates how commercial-vehicle manufacturers can modernise vehicle electronics for demanding operating environments. Our collaboration brings together Stoneridge’s commercial-vehicle expertise and Renesas’ R-Car system-on-chip, power-management and programmable mixed-signal technologies to create a scalable, automotive-grade foundation for connected and software-defined commercial vehicles.”

The system has undergone field testing within the Stoneridge Innovation Truck demonstrator vehicle, which will be exhibited alongside the platform at the Hanover trade show.

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