Import restrictions have limited stocks of Michelin’s passenger car tyres. The company passenger car tyres are currently available at its priority partners for the time being.

Refuting the news that Michelin passenger car tyres will be no longer available in India due to import restrictions, the company said, “The stories are not correct and misinterpreted one of our internal notes to the certain category of retailers in the country.”

In its communications with its Kay Dealer (KD) and Michelin Retailers (MR) channel partners, Michelin India had said, “The recent import restrictions on tyres in India has impacted our passenger car business by constraining supplies and restricting our sales. Due to this uncontrollable situation of license limiting our supplies, we regret to inform you that we will not be able to supply passenger car tyres to you until a further update from the government.”

The clarification, which Tyre Trends has received, said the note was for MR and KD retailers and the decision has been taken owing to the ongoing import restrictions for tyres.

Clarifying on that Michelin said, “For Michelin India, Government of India has recently issued a limited import license, which will also be utilised for importing passenger car tyres to address the very high demand for our tyres in a restricted manner for the time being.”

“Consequently, to streamline our supply chain in the current situation, Michelin India has decided to prioritise selling of these limited stocks only through its priority partners currently, who has equally invested in expanding our distribution footprint in the country.”

For the time being, passenger car tyres are available only at Michelin’s priority partners- TYREPLUS, Michelin Tyres and Services, and Michelin Tyres and Car Service.

To protect the domestic manufacturers, the government banned the imports of those tyre sizes which are not manufactured locally.

Michelin assured its channel partners that it would restart supplying passenger car tyres as soon as there is an improvement in the current situation and said, “We are confident that we will bounce back higher. We continue to work with the Government of India to address this issue and are hopeful of an early resolution.”

The company produces truck and bus tyres in its Chennai plant, while TVS Srichakra produces its two-wheeler tyres in its Madurai plant. The company also has an innovation hub in Pune. (MT) 

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AIS Windshield Experts, an ISO 9001:2015 certified automotive glass repair and replacement company, has announced the opening of its 143rd service centre. The expansion brings the company’s operations to more than 70 cities in India, supported by a fleet of mobile service vans for on-site repairs.

The company provides glass solutions for all vehicle makes and models using materials that meet Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) standards. Maintenance and replacement tasks are performed by certified technicians and include a one-year warranty on products and workmanship.

Beyond standard glass replacement, the network handles specialised technical requirements, including:

• Luxury and Commercial Vehicles: Glass replacement for high-end cars and heavy vehicles.
• Modern Vehicle Sensors: Management of sensor recalibration and sunroof glass.
• ADAS Recalibration: Realignment of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems following windshield replacement to ensure camera and sensor accuracy.
• Value-Added Services: Headlight restoration, wiper blade replacement and car battery services.

AIS Windshield Experts has established partnerships with major insurance providers to offer cashless facilities, intended to simplify the claims process for customers. The company’s growth strategy focuses on further penetration into Tier-II and Tier-III cities to standardise auto glass care in smaller markets.

Ratish Ramanujam, Executive Director & COO, AIS Windshield Experts, said, "Reaching 143 outlets is not just a number; it’s a testament to the trust over 1 million satisfied customers have placed in the AIS Windshield Experts brand. This expansive network significantly reduces downtime for vehicle owners and fleets, ensuring quick, reliable, and standardised service nationwide. We are proud to be driving the shift towards organised, quality-assured auto glass care in India. AIS Windshield Experts also specialises in high-end technical repairs and refinements like sunroof glass replacement, glass replacement in luxury cars as well as commercial vehicles, as well as handling the intricacies of delicate sensors in modern vehicles."

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has introduced ‘Quickstop’, a compact, prefabricated service touchpoint designed for rapid deployment in high-vehicle-density areas.

The units are constructed from modified containers and equipped with tools for routine maintenance and minor repairs.

Quickstop facilities are designed for locations such as corporate campuses, airports and fleet hubs. The format allows vehicle owners to access servicing at their place of work or transit points, reducing the need for dedicated service centre visits.

The modular, container-based design requiring minimal space and setup time. It utilises waterless car washing techniques and battery-powered service equipment. The facilities are operated by Maruti Suzuki dealer partners, with space provided by corporate entities or fleet operators.

In the initial pilot phase, the company has established 10 Quickstop facilities across Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Calicut and Surat.

The initiative targets both individual customers and commercial fleet operators. For professional drivers, the on-site format is intended to reduce vehicle downtime and increase operational availability. For office employees, the system allows for vehicle drop-off and pick-up within the workday.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “As workdays are getting increasingly busier and personal time is becoming more valuable, we recognise a growing need to make vehicle servicing even more convenient and accessible to customers. This led to the creation of Quickstop, which brings our service facilities to places customers regularly visit, such as offices, airport zones and fleet hubs. These compact, container-based units are easy to install and require very little time and space for set up, making them ideal for such locations.”

“Office‑goers can simply drop off their vehicles at on‑site Quickstop facilities and pick them up fully serviced after work. Similarly, for fleet operators and commercial users, minimising vehicle downtime is essential, as time directly impacts earnings. Quickstop helps reduce vehicle downtime and increase availability. Our idea is to seamlessly integrate vehicle servicing into a customer’s lifestyle, so that they don’t have to go out of their way. Cars should serve the customers, not the other way around,” he added further.

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GoMechanic has announced the nationwide expansion of its Roadside Repair Services (RSR) to provide assistance for vehicle breakdowns. The initiative aims to standardise roadside support in the Indian automotive service market through a tech-enabled fleet of service vehicles.

The expansion is being executed in two phases to ensure a presence in major urban centres:

• Phase 1: Currently operational with 200 service bikes across cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Amritsar, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad.
• Phase 2: Deployment of an additional 300 service bikes scheduled for the second half of 2026, intended to cover all major Indian cities.

The service is available 24x7 and includes multilingual customer support. Assistance can be requested via the GoMechanic mobile application or a dedicated helpline.

The RSR network focuses on resolving common mechanical issues on-site to reduce vehicle downtime. Key services include repair or replacement for flat tyres, battery jump-starts & diagnostics and emergency fuel delivery.

The company stated that the service protocols are designed with a focus on driver safety and trust, particularly for individuals travelling alone or in unfamiliar locations.

Himanshu Arora, Co-Founder and CEO, GoMechanic, said, “Every journey in India is unique, and every car user deserves the security of knowing professional help is never far. With GoMechanic’s Roadside Repair Services, the focus is on reducing downtime during unexpected breakdowns by ensuring timely assistance, so car users can get back on the road without unnecessary delays.”

Muskaan Kakkar, Co-Founder and COO, GoMechanic, added, “This is more than just a service expansion; it is about building trust and reliability for every Indian car owner. With trained mechanics, nationwide coverage, and round-the-clock availability, GoMechanic remains committed to being there when it matters the most.”

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Cars24 has announced the acquisition of Vehicle Info, an automotive utility application. The move is intended to facilitate the development of a vehicle ownership platform in India.

The acquisition signals a shift in strategy for Cars24, moving from a focus on buying and selling transactions toward managing the vehicle lifecycle. Vehicle Info provides users with tools to track insurance validity, traffic challans, FASTag balances and vehicle documentation within a single interface.

Vehicle Info was founded by Chirag Pipaliya in Surat. Developed without venture capital, the application was designed to address the daily management needs of car owners rather than one-time transactions. The platform currently ranks among the most used automotive applications in India for document compliance and utility tracking.

Vehicle Info will continue to operate as a standalone application. Its existing team will work with Cars24 to integrate these utility features into a broader ecosystem for car management.

The integration aims to consolidate fragmented services that vehicle owners typically manage across multiple platforms. By combining transactional data with ownership utility, the companies intend to create a system that serves users throughout the duration of vehicle possession.

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