The second annual edition of Toyota Kirloskar Motor's (TKM) flagship Toyota Safety Education Programme (TSEP) has finished successfully in Bangalore. Titled ‘Road Safety – My Right, My Responsibility’, the campaign keeps educating and enforcing the obligation of future road users in order to create safer roads throughout India.

Chief Guest Dr Anil Kumar, Bangalore Traffic Police Department, along with Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Vice President & Head State Affairs, TKM, highlighted the importance of fostering road safety awareness at the grassroots level. TSEP, which was created to include schoolchildren as important road safety ambassadors, has shown itself to be a transformative programme that fosters responsible driving behaviour and has a cascading effect on families and communities. Measurable results show that TSEP is successful; assessments show that participants' understanding of road safety has significantly increased, underscoring the programme's ability to instil a culture of road safety in young students.

With more than 150,000 fatalities annually, India has the greatest number of road collision deaths worldwide. For those aged 5 to 29, road accidents continue to be the primary cause of mortality. TKM introduced TSEP in 2007 to address this challenge by including road safety into the curriculum of schools. Over 800,000 pupils countrywide have benefited from TSEP's ‘Child to Community’ programme, which has turned schoolchildren into road safety champions. Building on its achievements, TKM commemorated the completion of programme batches in Delhi and Bangalore this year. Mumbai will host the next phase of the programme as it grows, with an annual event scheduled for 11 February 2025. The initiative seeks to strengthen its commitment to attaining zero road fatalities by involving nearly 70,000 children and 600 instructors in 140 schools.

Students demonstrated their knowledge of road safety through activities including poster-making, skits, songs, Mad Ads and fact-based video presentations at the Bangalore event. These interactive formats inspired creative ideas for safer roadways while making learning interesting and effective. An awards ceremony celebrating the outstanding work of students, instructors and schools that were instrumental in enhancing the programme's effect marked the event's conclusion.

Dr Kumar said, “Programmes like the Toyota Safety Education Programme demonstrate the powerful impact of early education and community engagement in fostering responsible road behaviour. By focusing on schoolchildren, TKM is successfully empowering a generation to lead the change within their families and communities. The creativity and enthusiasm shown by students highlight the effectiveness of this initiative in inspiring a long-term commitment to road safety. Toyota’s dedication to reducing road accidents and ensuring citizen safety sets a commendable benchmark for corporate contributions towards national safety goals.”

Dalvi said, “At Toyota, our commitment to road safety extends beyond the manufacturing of safe cars; we strive to grow in tandem with society and enrich the lives of the communities we serve. By promoting road safety and instilling behavioural change, we aim to create a safer future for all. Since 2007, through initiatives like the Toyota Safety Education Programme, we have reached over 800,000 students, empowering them to become 'road safety ambassadors' who inspire positive change within their families and communities. This holistic approach is a reflection of our core philosophy of giving back to society and addressing critical challenges like road safety. Together with our partners, we remain dedicated to achieving our vision of zero road fatalities and fostering a culture of responsible road behaviour across the nation.”

Maruti Suzuki India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has upgraded its popular offering the Super Carry with Electronic Stability Program (ESP) function.

The Super Carry now has seven advanced safety features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) to prevent wheel lock-up, Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to optimise braking across varying loads, Engine Drag Control (EDC) prevents wheel slip during sudden deceleration, Traction Control System (TCS) to provide grip on slippery surfaces, Rollover Prevention steps, Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) and ESP that provides stability around sharp turns.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “At Maruti Suzuki, we are committed to deliver vehicles that empower businesses with power, efficiency, safety, and reliability. The introduction of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in the Super Carry underscores our commitment to innovation and customer safety. Trusted for its power, comfort, low maintenance, and profitability, the Super Carry continues to be the ideal partner for our commercial customers. We thank them for their trust and look forward to driving their success together.”

The Super Carry SCV comes with Maruti Suzuki’s 1.2L K-Series Dual Jet, Dual VVT engine and five-speed manual transmission.

The commercial vehicle industry witnessed a decline of 1 percent in overall sales for February 2025.

A total of 79,883 units were sold last month across segments as compared to 80,954 units for the same period last year.

The country’s largest CV maker Tata Motors reported a 8 percent decline in overall sales, with SCV Cargo and Pickup segment witnessing the sharpest drop (-20 percent YoY). The ILMCV Trucks segment, however, showed growth at 11 percent.

Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 4 percent increase in total sales, driven by a 9 percent rise in LCV (2T-3.5T) and a 23 percent jump in LCV >3.5T & M&HCV. However, the LCV < 2T segment dropped 21 percent.

Ashok Leyland experienced modest growth (2 percent overall), with M&HCV Trucks (+1 percent) and LCV (+5 percent) offsetting the M&HCV Bus decline (-5 percent).

Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles grew 6 percent YoY, indicating steady demand.

The slight market decline was led by weaker small commercial vehicle (SCV) and passenger carrier demand, affecting Tata Motors significantly. However, medium & heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) trucks and LCVs in the 2T-3.5T range showed resilience, benefiting Mahindra & Mahindra and Ashok Leyland.

While challenges remain in certain segments, sustained growth in the LCV and HCV categories suggests stable demand in core logistics and transportation sectors.

Representational image: IEA

JCBL, a leading bus bodybuilder, has delivered 106 custom-designed staff buses to Mahindra & Mahindra in a record time of three months.

The buses feature 17-inch-wide seats, driver’s cabin partition, digital LED route displays, USB charging points and fans on each seat row. A TV and a six-speaker music system are also incorporated to provide entertainment on the go.

In terms of safety, the buses are equipped with pneumatic passenger door with safety sensor, seatbelts, CCTV cameras with a 30-day recording capacity, panic switches, anti-rust treatment and a Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS).

Dinesh Dua, Business Head, JCBL, said, “This project is a testament to our commitment to delivering high-quality, safe, and innovative mobility solutions. Completing one of India’s largest single-customer staff bus orders within just three months reflects our dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction.”

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, has announced that the company has reached a significant milestone in its sustainability journey by utilising 100 percent renewable power at its Oragadam production facility.

A major component of this strategy is the installation of a renewable power-generation plant with a peak capacity of 4,300 kW, powered by 15,000 solar panels, which offsets approximately 4,000 tonnes of CO₂e emissions annually, contributing to 17 percent of the renewable power generated in-house. This achievement highlights DICV’s commitment to environmental protection and represents a significant step, as the company has successfully reduced its Scope 2 emissions ahead of the original end-2025 target. A total of 22,970 tonnes of CO₂e are offset through the sourcing of renewable power, demonstrating DICV’s decarbonisation efforts.

Satyakam Arya, Managing Director & CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said, “We have made significant strides in positioning DICV as a leader in sustainable manufacturing and we are proud to achieve 100 percent renewable power utilisation at our Oragadam facility. This milestone, achieved ahead of target, demonstrates our commitment to decarbonising operations. Since 2018, we have focused on building the infrastructure to increase our reliance on renewable power and now we have reached 100 percent renewable power utilisation under Scope 2 emissions. Supportive state and central policies, such as green power purchases through various energy sources available under regulatory framework, played a vital role in this accomplishment.”