The SAEINDIA International Mobility Conference (SIIMC 2022), the tenth edition of the Society of Automotive Engineers INDIA’s (SAEINDIA) flagship event, kicked-off on Wednesday, which is being hosted at Bengaluru, India. The three-day event will bring together the mobility ecosystem, with a phygital event to be held between 12 October to 14 October, 2022.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Sustainable Multi-Modal Mobility Ecosystem”, which takes forward SAEINDIA’s commitment on advancing and promoting mobility engineering. Dr Murugesh Nirani, Minister of Large and Medium Industries, Government of Karnataka, was the chief guest of the inaugural session. Along with the inaugural session, there was also an exclusive press meet.

Sharing his thoughts on sustainable multi-modal solutions, Mahesh Babu, SIIMC 2022 Conference Patron, and CEO at Switch Mobility India, said, “A robust mobility framework is the need of the hour to mitigate the impact of growing emissions and rapid urbanisation. Sustainable multi-modal solutions will help de-carbonise 100 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030. SIIMC 2022 is a platform where all three stakeholders – the government, the industry and the communities have come together to make sustainable multi-modal mobility a reality.”

How is SIIMC 2022 different?
At the press meet, K Venkataraj, Deputy Director General, SAEINDIA, put across that with the tenth edition of the conference, each edition enhances itself. “This is because the transportation sector has gone through so much of transformation,” he remarked and continued, “We are actually living through the mobility sector transformation era. In order to address the present-day challenges, SAEINDIA’S duty is to bring in experts to the knowledge-takers and knowledge-givers. It’s a K2K business we are in. So, we bring in worldwide experts, who present it in terms of number of papers.”

All for the need for sustainability
Munirathinam Dhananjayan, Chair-Organising Committee, Founder and MD of Focus Group, said that the SIIMC 2022 three-day event will see over 700 mobility experts, including industry leaders and professionals from research and development, manufacturing, and services come together and network under one roof. “The key highlight of the tenth edition of the SIIMC 2022 is going to be the presentation of more than 180 papers and 543 abstracts on engineering innovations, with a focus on promoting sustainable and multi-modal mobility in the country. SIIMC 2022 will see a host of panel discussions and individual presentations, putting the spotlight on trends and innovations shaping the future of mobility,” he mentioned.

Some of the key sessions of the conference will see speakers coming together and discussing themes, states SAEINDIA. Some of these themes include the role of the automotive industry in meeting the challenges of global warming, the design and development of low cost electric microcars for urban commuting, edge-computing for multi-modal and intermodal mobility, building globally connected car platforms – unearthing complexity, balancing energy efficiency, driving excitement and comfort in battery electric vehicles, and if battery swapping is a viable alternative to accelerate the electric vehicle adoption in India.

Talking about the focus areas and theme of the SIIMC 2022 conference, Venkataraj said, “This year’s conference theme, “Sustainable Multi-Modal Mobility Ecosystem”, resonates well with the present-day reality, where mobility is considered to be playing a big role in achieving sustainable development by promoting goals, like a clean and green environment and equitable livelihood.”

Venkataraj went on to assert, “We are in a very critical and early stage of production of sustainable solutions in mobility. Which is why, this year’s conference is going to help technocrats, stakeholders, etc, where they can learn from one another about what is happening in other countries. This way, India and other nations can gain knowledge from this conference.”

Additionally, while at the event, Suhas Gopinath, CEO, Globals Inc., inaugurated TechHive, claimed SAEINDIA. TechHive is a one-stop shop for start-ups to showcase their products and services to the global and Indian automotive market. It works towards facilitating networking and supporting new business opportunities, by bringing together start-ups, the automotive industry and investors.

The government’s role
When asked about the Government of India’s initiatives to set up multi-modal logistics parks across the country, Rashmi Urdhwareshe, President, SAEINDIA, cited that the government is addressing this in multiple ways. “One is improving the infrastructure by way of private connectivity,” she informed and went on, “The second is working on efficient goods transformation – we have even seen in one of the presentations how important it is to address goods transportation across the country. The third initiative is to look at greener solutions – not at just electrification but others, too, like LNG for example, which has great opportunity.”

What else to expect at the conference
SIIMC 2022 will see panel discussions that will be led by industry experts and researchers. As per SAEINDIA, the speakers will be from India’s leading automotive and technology organisations, as well as science and engineering institutes. The key organisations participating in the conference include Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Volvo, Ashok Leyland, Bosch, Indian Oil Corporation and Indian Institute of Science.

According to SAEINDIA, C V Raman, CTO at Maruti Suzuki, Vijay Nirani, Managing Director at MRN Group, Vinay Harne, CTO at TVS Motors, Brian McMurray, President at General Mortors, Korea, Dr Sri Srinath, President at SAE International and Prashant Doreswamy, President at Continental Automotive India are some of the prominent industrialists who will be delivering various sessions at the conference.

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Mahindra Group has announced plans to build its largest integrated manufacturing facility for automobiles and tractors in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The announcement was made during the Advantage Vidarbha industrial event.

The company has committed a total investment of INR 15,000 crore over a 10-year period to strengthen its footprint in the state. The project includes a 1,500-acre site in Vidarbha and a 150-acre supplier park in Sambhajinagar.

Upon completion, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 500,000 vehicles and 100,000 tractors. Production is scheduled to commence in 2028.

The location provides access to the Samruddhi Expressway and rail links for domestic and export distribution. The Sambhajinagar supplier park will provide components to this new plant as well as existing facilities in Chakan and Nashik to improve logistics and localisation.

The automotive unit will support the NU_IQ architecture and produce vehicles across internal combustion engine (ICE), electric vehicle (EV) and other powertrain technologies. The facility will utilise automation and digital systems. Additionally, Mahindra will acquire land in the Igatpuri-Nashik region to expand engine and product capacities for its technology business.

Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said, “Mahindra’s decision to establish its largest integrated auto and tractor manufacturing facility in Maharashtra is a strong endorsement of the state’s robust industrial ecosystem and progressive policy framework. This landmark investment will generate significant employment, accelerate regional development in Vidarbha and surrounding areas, and further reinforce Maharashtra’s position as a leading manufacturing hub in India.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO, Auto and Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “This facility represents a bold step forward in Mahindra’s manufacturing journey. Designed to support our next generation of vehicles and tractors, it brings together scale, flexibility and advanced technology within one integrated footprint. It strengthens our ability to deliver world-class products while staying true to our commitment to ‘Make in India for the World.’ We are proud to deepen our partnership with the state of Maharashtra through this transformative investment.”

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SANY India has expanded its national network with the opening of two new 3S dealerships, reinforcing its market presence and customer-first philosophy. In a strategic partnership with M/s. Avni Automobiles, the company inaugurated a facility in Indore designed to serve Madhya Pradesh. This location will provide comprehensive sales, service and spare parts support to customers in Indore and surrounding key areas, including Dewas, Pithampur, Sanwer, Hatod and Betma. Simultaneously, the company launched a second new 3S outlet in Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, which operates under a Company Owned and Company Operated model to directly enhance regional engagement and support.

Both state-of-the-art facilities feature a modern showroom, a dedicated service bay and an organised spare parts section, all structured to ensure a seamless customer experience and efficient access to SANY’s extensive range of construction, mining, road, logistics and energy equipment. The Indore inauguration was marked by the presence of Rahul Tiwari, Regional Manager of SANY India, alongside senior officials from both SANY and Avni Automobiles. Similarly, the Thiruvarur opening included T Ravishankar, Regional Manager, and Karthik M, COCO Head of SANY Trichy, with other senior SANY India leaders.

These inaugurations represent significant milestones in SANY’s growth trajectory, aimed at supporting regional infrastructure development. The expansions underscore the company’s commitment to delivering world-class products and unmatched after-sales support through localised excellence, thereby strengthening its nationwide network to meet growing customer needs across India.

Rangasami S, Head – Mini & Small Excavator, SANY India, said, “Madhya Pradesh has always been the frontier of infrastructure growth in central India, driven by rapid growth and increasing investments in Bharatmala, mining and urban development projects. Our partnership with M/s. Avni Automobiles for this 3S dealership marks a significant step towards strengthening our service network and enhancing customer accessibility. With this addition, we aim to deliver not only superior products but also prompt support and holistic solutions to our customers in the region.”

Abhishek Jain, Founder, M/s. Avni Automobiles, said, “We are excited to partner with SANY India, a brand known for its engineering excellence, customer satisfaction and commitment to innovation. Through this 3S dealership, we are committed to offering end-to-end solutions from sales to service and spare parts. This partnership reinforces our commitment to provide reliable & timely support to customers in and around Indore. We are dedicated to supporting the infrastructure growth of the region in collaboration with SANY India.”

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The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a rating system for commercial driving. The partnership aims to establish a framework for driving standards, insurance assessments and background checks.

The project focuses on creating a technology stack to support a digital public infrastructure for a nationwide rollout. This initiative addresses the current difficulties in monitoring commercial driver performance, safety and well-being, which are often affected by inconsistent standards and limited accountability.

The system will use data-driven approaches, leveraging smartphone inputs and vehicle sensor data to evaluate driving behaviour. The goal is to provide fleet operators, insurers and government bodies with a tool to track performance and compliance in real time.

Prof Gitakrishnan Ramadurai, Project Coordinator at IIT Madras, said, “Trucks and truck drivers are the backbone of our country. This project provides them an aadhaar for their good work. The driver rating system rewards good driving and helps correct risky driving thereby saving lives, money and time for all stakeholders.”

The collaboration combines academic research with industrial application to translate data into scalable products. By incentivising responsible driving, the system is intended to improve employability for drivers and provide data for policymaking.

Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, said, “IIT Madras has been at the forefront of research in road safety and mobility, with the goal of building systems, processes, and infrastructure that ensure safer outcomes for our roads, drivers and commuters. Our partnership with Daimler is a testament to our shared commitment to this vision and also emphasises how industry-academia collaborations play a crucial role in translating research into impactful, scalable and ready-to-implement products and processes that deliver meaningful societal impact.”

For Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, the partnership aligns with corporate sustainability goals focused on driver professionalism and safety within the transport ecosystem.

Alexander Schoen, Chief Financial Officer, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, stated, “At DICV, road safety and responsible mobility are central to how we approach sustainability. This collaboration with IIT Madras reflects our commitment to using technology and data-driven innovation to create meaningful, scalable solutions that improve driver safety, professionalism, and well-being across the commercial transport ecosystem. By contributing to the development of a universal driver rating framework, we aim to support safer roads, stronger livelihoods, and a more accountable mobility system for India.”

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German technology company ZF Group has appointed Jake Morris as the Site Leader for ZF Hub UK, located in Solihull, effective from 1 January 2026.

Morris assumes responsibility for the leadership of the technical centre, which opened in 2021 to support the company’s research, development and manufacturing footprint in the UK.

He has spent over 25 years with ZF, holding positions in portfolio management, finance, purchasing and engineering. In addition to his new role, he will continue to oversee the global steer-by-wire strategy, a technology that replaces mechanical steering connections with electronic signals. His previous experience as Portfolio Director involved managing steering product strategies for mobility technologies.

At present, the Solihull facility serves as a centre for advanced engineering and testing across the automotive, industrial and aerospace sectors. The site has contributed to the development of autonomous driving systems and steer-by-wire technologies. It houses a testing facility used by both ZF and external customers to validate new technologies within the UK’s automotive sector.

Morris succeeds Bal Panaser, who is retiring following a career of more than 40 years in the automotive industry. Panaser was involved in the establishment and management of ZF’s operations in the UK. Morris will now focus on the site’s integration into ZF’s global technology roadmap and the delivery of engineering solutions.

“I am proud to take on this role and to lead the talented teams at the ZF Hub UK. The site has a strong legacy within both ZF and the automotive industry, with significant history of automotive technology development and testing. For instance, technologies including ZF’s autonomous driving and Steer-by-Wire technologies began life at the site. I look forward to working closely with colleagues and partners to continue delivering innovative technology solutions for our customers and supporting ZF’s long-term success,” said Morris.

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