Cameras for CVs

TVS Eurogrip Showcases Range at Automechanika Dubai 2023

Stating that they are witnessing good demand as well as interest for Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) cameras, Vanesh Naidoo, Founder & CEO, Safe Cams Digital Eye Solutions Pvt Ltd (SCDES), mentioned, “The ability of these cameras to detect sleepy and distracted drivers and then alert them within three seconds is game-changing.” “They, as a safety solution, are highly conducive to reducing road accidents in India, where around 38 percent of all road accidents are attributed to drowsy driving,” he added.  Claiming to be the first company in India to introduce DSM cameras, Naidoo stressed on fuel sensors that can connect to cameras and stream fuel information via 4G connectivity. “The driver reports that come out of this are helping companies save up to 20 percent of fuel costs,” he informed. “This,” he quipped, “is proving to be of much benefit to the fleets at a time when fuel costs have risen sharply.” Present in the aftermarket largely, SCDES is a young company. It was established in 2019 even though the groundwork began almost a year before. “The thought of entering this field was born from the high road fatalities in India,” averred Naidoo.
 

Cameras as road safety solutions
Pointing at the World Bank Report in 2020, which states that India accounts for 11 percent of global road accident victims while having only one percent of the world’s vehicular population, he said, “A majority of these deaths on roads are needless and can be avoided.” Of the opinion that speeding and drowsy driving account for close to 80 percent of road accidents, he explained, “The technologically advanced road safety solutions such as DSM and Advanced Driving Assistance system (ADAS) are instrumental in preventing accidents before they occur.” “The video footage available from the cameras onboard a vehicle helps analyse and hence understand its causes and find way to avoid them,” he remarked. Informing that his company specialises in two broad categories, consumer dash cams for individuals who own one or two vehicles and fleet solutions that cater to transport fleets and commercial operators, Naidoo explained, “Our Mobile Digital Video Recording (MDVR) systems can record on up to eight cameras per vehicle.” 
 

 

Fleet safety solutions 
The MDVR systems cannot just record on up to eight cameras per vehicle, they can store up to 4 TB of data for a longer period of reference and study. Naidoo explained, “Capable of incorporating features like GPS, Wi-Fi, 4G and various sensors (including temperature sensors in case of the carriage of perishable goods in a refrigerated container), tyre pressure sensors and fuel sensors), the MDVR systems allow live tracking and video streaming via 4G connectivity of any vehicle in the fleet.” Offering advanced technology DSM and ADAS compatible cameras that use Artificial Intelligence (AI), SCDES, said Naidoo, is in talks with bus transport companies for the DSM – with fuel transport vehicle fleets to install explosion-proof cameras and with commercial driving training institutes to help drivers understand the key dangers they face on the road and how to mitigate them. Assembling its consumer dash cameras at its facility at Pune, the company is working on localisation. Some electronic parts are not manufactured locally, according to Naidoo. The current R&D setup of SCDES tests various components of the camera and camera-based safety solutions like lenses, chipsets, low-light sensors etc. The setup also carries out tests in the area of successful configuration and suitability of usage under Indian conditions. “Our R&D setup has helped us to arrive at some unique solutions for local market requirements,” remarked Naidoo. 
 

Traction in market segments
Finding good traction in various market segments including cold chain transportation where cameras and sensing solutions aid the maintenance of the right temperatures, SCDES has achieved good traction in various other market segments as well. “Hyundai India is using our 4G cameras in their test vehicles to ensure testing and reporting as per the guidelines. Our solutions are also being used by the armed forces and municipalities,” stated Naidoo. Revealing that India is expected to follow European Union where reports suggest DSM and ADAS cameras to be mandatory from 2026, Naidoo concluded, “So far, there are no legal requirements for cameras to be used in any vehicular segments as per the law in India. This may however change sooner than later.” 
 

Interview: Vanesh Naidoo, Founder & CEO, Safe Cams Digital Eye Solutions Pvt Ltd.

 

1. Which automotive segments do the company’s products cater to?
Our camera systems can cater to nearly all major automotive segments from bus transportation, goods transportation, employee transportation, taxis, school transportation and so on. With the ability to connect temperature sensors to our devices, Safe Cams’ devices can also be used for cold chain transport companies to ensure their temperature ranges are maintained. 
2. Are the company’s products found in the aftermarket or supplied to OEMs as well? 
At the moment, our products are found in the aftermarket.  

3. Any institutions that the products have found favour with?
Hyundai India is using our 4G cameras in their test vehicles to ensure testing and reporting is performed easily and per guidelines. The Indian Army has also purchased our dash cameras, and they are happy with the video quality of our devices. We also have supplied to international clients in Fiji and Kuwait. Safe cams also won the Dombivali-Kalyan Smart City contract to fit 4G dash cameras into the police vehicles; this is the first-time dash cameras have been fitted in police vehicles in Maharashtra.

4. How are these products important in terms of safety, security and performance of a commercial vehicle or a fleet? What kind of cost savings could a fleet or trucker look at from the use of your product?
Our Advanced AI cameras can prevent accidents before they occur – thereby reducing accidents that would happen (and the less to high costs involved therein) mostly due to drowsy driving and speeding. Around 80 percent of accidents are caused because of these two factors in India. 
Cameras act as a natural deterrent to prevent theft/stealing as people know they are being watched. In the 2019 BSI & TT Club report, India accounted for 64 percent of Asia’s cargo theft. Our fuel sensors and driving behaviour reports and rankings can help save up to 20 percent of a company’s fuel costs and lead to savings of several thousand for a truck or a fleet owner. Our products have an average ROI of 120 percent in year one after buying (with the average payback period being 10 months on the cost of our solution). These savings come from a reduction in accidents (both in insurance costs and with the vehicle being able to be utilised for longer), reduction in theft and fuel savings.

5. How is the market for your products picking up post the pandemic-led disruption? 
We are experiencing an increase in enquiries about our cameras and how these can make road journeys safer. I think the pandemic has made more people risk adverse or at least risk aware, and hence safety products are seen as a priority now. Given that the number of road deaths in 2019 being even higher than the total number of Covid-19 deaths in 2020, this shows and is making people realise how poor road safety scenario is in India, and the urgent need to improve the same.

6. The pain the Covid-19 pandemic caused to the company? 
The Covid-19 pandemic hit us hard. We had a few deals put on hold as companies were not willing to spend on capex due to the uncertain market situation. Our consumer range could not be sold much as people were working from home and vehicles were parked off due to lockdown restrictions. Once the first wave of lockdown ended, we saw a bit of an upswing, only to be replaced with another lockdown months later. We have had to look at working capital issues and have tried to keep smaller inventory to combat the uncertainty Covid brought.

7. What kind of growth do you anticipate? Will it be in any particular product offering or spread across?
I think once people become highly aware of the advanced nature of the product and the benefits it offers, we will see a sharp growth in the dash cam market. India is the fifth-largest automobile industry in the world, but less than one percent of people use a dash camera compared to other countries like Singapore, UK and Dubai where between 10-25 percent of drivers own a dash camera. Currently, there is a huge gap in the market, which we at Safe Cams want to fill.

8. What change in the automotive landscape do you anticipate, which will provide your company stronger growth traction?
In the future, road safety will become an extremely important factor for the government and stricter enforcement of traffic rules will lead to a high adoption of dash cameras being used. New technologies like DSM that can prevent accidents will become mandatory on commercial vehicles, following the EU and America. Further, video analytics will become more and more important and 5G networks will mean devices can communicate with each other faster – and this will mean we can reduce the human involvement or reduce the reaction times to avoid an accident.

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Two-wheeler Sales Shine In May, Passenger Vehicle And CV See Mixed Result

Auto sales

Automotive wholesales for May 2025 showcased a dynamic landscape for the Indian automotive industry, with OEMs experiencing distinct sales trajectories. From significant growth in the two-wheeler segment to some PV makers facing headwinds, the month provided an indicative picture of shifting consumer preferences and market conditions.

Hero MotoCorp, the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, dispatched 507,701 motorcycles and scooters in May 2025, showing both sequential and annual growth. The company maintained strong market momentum with 500,000 VAHAN registrations.

Hero MotoCorp's global retail performance also showed robust momentum, particularly in Bangladesh and Colombia, with exports maintaining a steady trajectory. The electric vehicle brand, VIDA, powered by Hero MotoCorp, delivered growth with dispatches of 8,361 units and 7,161 VAHAN registrations for the VIDA V2 electric scooter range, achieving a 7.2 percent VAHAN market share.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) recorded total sales of 465,115 units in May 2025. Domestic sales for HMSI stood at 417,256 units. The company's exports contributed 47,859 units to the total sales figure.

TVS Motor Company demonstrated impressive overall sales growth in May 2025, increasing by 17 percent to 431,275 units from 369,914 units in May 2024. Domestic two-wheeler sales registered growth of 14 percent, increasing from 271,140 units in May 2024 to 309,287 units in May 2025. Motorcycle sales saw a 22 percent increase to 211,505 units, scooter sales grew by 15 percent to 166,749 units and electric vehicle sales surged by 50 percent to 27,976 units. The company's international business (exports) also saw growth of 22 percent.

Royal Enfield experienced a significant surge in May 2025, posting monthly sales of 89,429 motorcycles, marking a robust 26 percent increase compared to the same month last year. The company's domestic sales contributed significantly to this performance. A key driver for this growth was the outstanding performance in exports, which soared by 82 percent to 13,609 motorcycles, up from 7,479 units in May 2024.

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle maker, reported total sales of 180,077 units in May 2025, demonstrating a 3.17 percent growth compared to 174,551 units sold in May 2024. Domestic sales, including Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), stood at 138,690 units, experiencing a 5.46 percent decline from 146,694 units in May 2024. Sales to other OEMs also saw a marginal dip of 3.07 percent, reaching 10,168 units in May 2025. Conversely, exports surged by 79.76 percent YoY, totalling 31,219 units in May 2025 compared to 17,367 units in May 2024. Within passenger vehicles, while the Mini and Compact segment saw a decrease in sales, the Utility Vehicles segment demonstrated slight growth.

Tata Motors presented a contrasting picture, with total sales in the domestic and international markets for May 2025 standing at 70,187 units, a decline from 76,766 units in May 2024. Domestic sales for Tata Motors were 67,429 units, with Commercial Vehicle (CV) domestic sales at 25,872 units (a 9 percent year-on-year decrease) and Passenger Vehicle (PV) sales at 42,040 units (an 11 percent decline). In terms of international business for commercial vehicles (CV IB), Tata Motors saw a significant increase of 87 percent to 2,275 units.

Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) reported total monthly sales of 58,701 units in May 2025. Domestic sales for HMIL were 43,861 units. The company noted that the availability of some critical models was impacted due to a scheduled biannual plant maintenance shutdown during the month. Export sales for HMIL reached 14,840 units.

Mahindra & Mahindra, the SUV specialist, reported robust sales performance in May 2025, with overall auto sales reaching 84,110 vehicles, marking a significant 17 percent YoY growth. This was largely driven by the Utility Vehicles (UV) segment, which saw domestic sales rise by 21 percent to 52,431 units, contributing to a total of 54,819 UVs sold including exports. The commercial vehicles segment also performed well domestically, recording 21,392 units. Exports saw exceptional growth, surging by 37 percent to 3,652 units in May 2025.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) continued its positive sales momentum in May 2025, reporting a total of 30,864 units sold, a 22 percent growth over May 2024. Domestic sales played a crucial role, reaching 29,280 units. The company also contributed to exports with 1,584 units.

Kia India maintained its strong growth trajectory for the fifth consecutive month in May 2025, dispatching 22,315 vehicles in the domestic market. This performance reflects a healthy 14.43 percent year-on-year growth when compared to the 19,500 units sold in May 2024.

Ashok Leyland saw a 5 percent increase in its total domestic vehicle sales in May 2025, reaching 14,534 units, up from 13,852 units in May 2024. This growth was primarily driven by its Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) segment, with M&HCV Trucks increasing by 12 percent to 7,466 units and M&HCV Buses growing by 1 percent to 1,920 units. Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) domestic sales experienced a slight decrease of 3 percent to 5,148 units.

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Bajaj Auto’s Domestic Biz Registers Highest Ever Revenue

Bajaj Auto’s Domestic Biz Registers Highest Ever Revenue

Reporting a revenue of over INR 500 billion for the first time, up 12 percent year-on-year, on the basis of automobiles are spares in FY25, Bajaj Auto Ltd has revealed that volumes rose seven percent YoY during the respective period with a strong performance in the first half and a relatively soft performance in the second half.

Observing a solid rebound (double digit volume and revenue growth) in exports, the Pune-based company earned an all-time high EBITDA of INR 101 billion, up 14 percent YoY. PAT also hit a new record at over INR 80 billion. With a revenue of around INR 55 billion from electric vehicles (20 percent of its domestic), the company, with a full PLI certified portfolio, underlined its organisation agility and adaptability with significantly improved unit economics in a journey spanning over the last three years.

With the refreshed Duke 200/250 and the new Adventure 390, the KTM portfolio of Bajaj Auto experienced strong momentum in FY25. Also the Triumph motorcycle portfolio with sales up 60 percent YoY. The KTM and Triumph motorcycles sold one lakh units domestically

The commercial vehicles portfolio of the company comprising mainly of three-wheelers saw a revenue increase of over INR 100 billion. It combined the tradition ICE vehicle business and the newly developed electric vehicle business. The launch of GoGo electric three-wheeler and a wide network of over 850 dealerships helped to increase the momentum.

Image for representative purpose only. 

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CFOs To Act As Change Catalyst in Automotive Supply Chain

ACMA - CFO Summit

Disruptive events such as the Red Sea crisis and the Russia-Ukraine war have caused a need to have a closer look at the role of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). A renewed approach demands that CFOs act as a change catalyst within the automotive supply chain to tackle future hurdles. To ensure stability in the Indian automotive industry filled with technological advancements, especially in alternative energy vehicles, CFOs are acting as co-pilots of transformation in the Indian automotive supply chain, opined Former Additional Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Government of India, Anand Swarup, during the ACMA CFO and Supply Chain Conference on 28 May 2025, in New Delhi.

The event brought to the forefront discussions on how the role of CFO’s has been changing over the year and saw participation from speakers from different organisations, including Maruti Suzuki India CFO Arnab Roy, among others. 

The speakers highlighted the evolution of customer demands, market dynamics and innovation due to the volatile business environment. Speaking at the event, Partner and National Auto Tax Leader at EY India, Saurabh Agarwal, said, “The CFO no longer works as an accountant, but dons multiple hats such as a risk manager and a strategic partner for resilience.”

“The leader must focus on execution and being agile in a dynamic environment to build strong relationships with other departments and ensure faster time to market. Staying agile will help an OEM to better handle changing customer demands and be able to introduce new features and variants faster,” he added.

Enumerating how flexibility helps the CFO devise strategies for optimising auto production, managing risks and adapting to supply chain disruptions, Roy said, “Real-time decisions must be made in today’s volatile world. As a result, the CFO’s role is now expanding to cover a gamut of subjects such as sustainability, location strategy and choice of appliances. Since we are within a multi-dimensional environment at present, the CFO’s role is moving from a cost controller to a continuity architect.”

Further describing the changing role of a CFO in a volatile uncertain complex and ambiguous world, it was discussed that CFOs must act as change catalyst in the automotive supply chain. While enumerating the above, Anant Swarup said, “The CFOs are not naysayers and their image of being cost-cutting agents is gradually changing. They are supply chain whisperers and co-pilots of transformation. Data-driven risk modelling helps them make accurate future decisions and turns them into participative entities.”

The current world scenario mandates a CFO’s financial expertise to assess vendor performance, identify cost-saving opportunities and process improvements, analyse costs and mitigate supply chain risks. Alluding to the same, Roy explained, “The CFO can build a resilient supply chain through cash visibility and crisis foresight. Relocation with risk-adjusted precision is necessary as it helps prepare risk-adjusted return-on-investments models for various situations. The CFO must also build redundancies and incorporate inventory industrial planning into the company’s business plan. As the world de-globalises due to geo-political scenarios, auto manufacturers are being forced to reassess their supply chains.”    

“Seventy-five percent of automotive revenue is attributable to raw materials. Supply chain management provides a competitive edge. Yet another role for the CFO would be to optimise capital for crisis situations that may include geopolitical shifts,” Roy added.  Speaker Sunil Bohra, CFO, Uno Minda Group, while describing how CFO’s act as change catalyst in automotive supply chain, said, “Every automotive plant in India produces roughly 14,000 parts.” He explained that supply chain management must account for cost control and operational efficiency, leading to effective allocation of resources, high profitability and less waste. It is the supply chain-CFO partnership that decides the future of automotive companies and manufacturers.

Though geo-political scenarios are predominantly uncertain, CFO’s have the arsenal to make calculated decisions for mitigating risks. EY India Partner, Tax, Pankaj Jain, explained, “When changes happen at the geo-political level, we must take some calls. For example, one such concept could be focusing on developing tier II and tier III vendors in India.”

The speakers also discussed on how discipline and immense hard work during the entire shift has helped China reach where it is in the auto manufacturing sector. Highlighting the Indian scenario vis-a-vis China, President- Finance and Strategy at Minda Corporation, Ajay Agrawal, said, “India must stop trying to beat China in the manufacturing industry right now since we have only been in the supply chain business for 2-3 years. The best way forward is for us to partner with China.”  

A smart supply chain-CFO partnership is possible through digitalisation. The CFO's role today has undergone a paradigm shift, making him a partner of strategic convergence across the supply chain, finance and digitalisation as the partnership is no longer just an operational topic.

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BMW India Financial Services Names Andreas Modlmayer As New MD & CEO

Andreas Modlymayer

Gurgaon-headquartered BMW India Financial Services, the subsidiary of the BMW Group, which focusses on retail finance, commercial finance and insurance solutions, has appointed Andreas Modlmayer as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

He succeeds Jaejoon Lee, who successfully led the company as a leading end-to-end automotive financial solution for the BMW brand in the country.

Modlmayer has been associated with the BMW Group since 2000 and was the CEO of BMW Austria Bank in Greece. He has extensive leadership experience for BMW Group Financial Services and has worked across geographies such as New Zealand, China and Hong Kong. He started his career with BMW Bank Munich in Sales and Marketing function.

Lisa Ng, Regional Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group Financial Services for Asia Pacific, said, “Andreas Modlmayer brings with him valuable expertise and leadership acumen, with successful development of BMW Financial Services in diverse markets for over two decades. India is an important market for us, and we are confident that he will further add to the company’s growth as he takes charge of BMW India Financial Services.”

“We thank Jaejoon Lee for his immense contribution to BMW India Financial Services in the recent years. He successfully steered the company with new initiatives in product offerings and customer centricity and strengthened the foundation for future growth. We wish him all the best as he returns to BMW Korea once again,” added Ng.

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