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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Union Minister Piyush Goyal Unveils EV Zone At IEC GM, Highlighting India's Push For Sustainable Mobility

SIAM Inauguration

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, inaugurated the Electric Vehicle (EV) Zone at the International Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC) 89th General Meeting in New Delhi on 15 September 2025. The exhibition, hosted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), runs until 19 September at Bharat Mandapam.

The EV Zone, organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), showcases the country's progress in electric mobility. Goyal toured the pavilion, which features 31 production-ready electric vehicles from 14 major manufacturers, including Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and JSW MG Motor.

During the event, Minister Goyal emphasised that sustainability is a core pillar of India's growth strategy. He highlighted the importance of high-quality standards in protecting consumers and boosting the competitiveness of Indian-made products on the global stage. He also stated that ‘Design in India, Made in India’ products would soon be recognized globally for their reliability and excellence.

Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director of SIAM, expressed appreciation for the government's vision, noting that the automotive industry is committed to this journey. The IEC GM 2025 has brought together over 2,000 global experts from more than 100 countries to discuss international standards, with the exhibition also featuring advancements in smart lighting, electronics, and IT manufacturing.

SIAM’s participation is part of its commitment to sustainable mobility and achieving India's Net Zero targets by 2070. Visitors to the EV Zone can also take a ‘Digital Sustainability Pledge,’ with BIS planting a sapling for each pledge made.

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JSW MG Motor, Royal Enfield, Ashok Leyland, Atul Auto & Volvo Cars Top Performers In FADA Dealer Satisfaction Study 2025

FADA Award

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has released the results of its Dealer Satisfaction Study (DSS) 2025. The study, conducted in partnership with the Singapore-based consulting firm PremonAsia, was announced at the 7th Auto Retail Conclave on 10th September.

C.S. Vigneshwar, President, FADA, noted that the study provides a ‘true mirror’ to the relationship between dealers and OEMs. The study surveyed over 1,800 dealer principals, representing nearly 5,000 outlets across the country. For the first time, it was conducted in nine regional languages to ensure broader participation.

  • JSW MG Motor captured the top position in the 4-Wheeler Mass Market segment with a score of 868 points.
  • Royal Enfield led the 2-Wheeler segment with 852 points, followed by Hero MotoCorp. Both companies showed improvement from the previous year.
  • Ashok Leyland retained its leadership in the Commercial Vehicle segment with 786 points.
  • The 3-Wheeler segment was included again after three years, with Atul Auto topping the category with a score of 924 points.
  • Volvo Cars topped the 4-Wheeler Luxury segment with 884 points.

The industry average dealer satisfaction score was 781, a 13-point increase from the previous year. Product continues to have the highest score across all categories, indicating dealers are largely satisfied with the quality, reliability and range offered by OEMs.

Rahul Sharma, Director and COO, PremonAsia, said, "close to two-thirds of dealer sentiment is shaped by after-sales service and viability factors. While after-sales service is the most important factor, Business and viability remains a key concern for dealers. Dealers cited issues such as buyback/write-off of unsold inventory, training cost-sharing arrangements and margins on vehicles and spare parts.”

Dealer satisfaction improved in the 2-wheeler segment compared to the previous year, but it declined in the 4-wheeler Mass Market and Commercial Vehicle segments. Vigneshwar stated that while the industry is performing well on product quality, structural issues like buyback policies, training costs and dealership viability cannot be ignored.

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Automotive Wholesales Grows 5% In August, OEMs Recalibrate Stock On Back Of GST Bonanza

SIAM Sales

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex body representing automakers in the country, has announced the wholesales for August 2025.

The automotive industry saw a total of 2.23 million vehicles sold last month, which was 5 percent higher than, 2.13 million units sold for the same period last year.

In fact, barring the passenger vehicle segment, almost all segments were in the green. The passenger vehicle with sales of 321,840 units, was down 9 percent, on the back of inventory correction and automakers recalibrating dispatches as the recent reduction in Goods & Services Tax (GST) comes into effect starting 22 September.

The three-wheeler segment reported its best-ever sales performance for August with a total of 75,759 units being sold, which was 8 percent higher YoY.

The two-wheeler segment reported a healthy 7 percent growth with a robust 1.83 million units sold, which includes 1.10 million motorcycles (+4 %) and 683,397 scooters (+13 percent).

Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM said, “Sales of passenger vehicles in August 2025 de-grew by (-) 8.8 percent, posting sales of 3.22 lakh units as compared to August of previous year, primarily due to recalibration of dispatches by passenger vehicle manufacturers. Three wheelers posted their highest ever sales of August in 2025 of 0.76 lakh units, with a growth of 8.3 percent as compared to August 2024. Two-wheeler segment grew by 7.1 percent in August 2025, as compared to August 2024, with sales of 18.34 lakh units. The landmark decision of government of India to reduce the GST rates on vehicles will go a long way in enabling broader access to mobility and inject fresh momentum into the Indian automotive sector in the upcoming festive season.”

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India’s Auto Industry Sets Measured Course On Clean Mobility, Software And Exports At SIAM Convention

SIAM

India’s automotive leadership used Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers' 65th Annual Convention to signal continuity on emissions and safety policy, a pragmatic push on biofuels and electrification and a growing dependence on software-defined vehicles, while framing exports and supply-chain resilience as medium-term priorities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a special message, said India must achieve “true self-reliance across the entire automotive manufacturing value chain,” adding that “as the nation advances towards global leadership in green and smart transportation, opportunities for investment and collaboration are immense.”

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, “We will maintain global alignment on BS7 and CAFE norms to address air pollution issues,” linking the shift to alternative fuels with macro-objectives: “Moving to biofuels helps in reducing India’s crude imports and enhances farmer incomes.”

He added, “For those aiding road accident victims, INR 25,000 will be awarded to Rakshaveers,” alongside ‘insurance up to 150,000 to accident victims,’ while stating that public campaigns and NGO engagement are ‘essential to improve human behaviour to prevent accidents.’

Gadkari also said logistics costs would ‘come down to single digit by year end,’ and cited scrappage progress with ‘more than 300,000 vehicles’ dismantled to date.

Industry capacity and localisation

Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy said the production-linked incentive scheme has drawn ‘more than INR 295 billion of capital investments,’ and that the steel ecosystem is working on ‘developing specialised steel for the auto sector to reduce its import dependence.’

Tarun Kapoor, Adviser to the Prime Minister, urged industry to partner with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and to scale ‘biofuels, gaseous fuel and electric mobility’ and compressed biogas, while ‘working towards enhancing presence in global markets.’

Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, noted government support to the EV ecosystem since 2015, the installation of ‘8,900+ public chargers’ and ‘around 10,900 e-buses,’ and called for investments in electric heavy vehicles.

Software-defined vehicles and AI

Rajan Wadhera, Member, SCALE Committee and former SIAM President, chaired the session on software-defined vehicles, where Dr Christopher Borroni-Bird, Founder, Afreecar (USA), said, “The path to SDVs is a major disruption for automakers.”

Dr Bird clarified distinctions between connected vehicles and fully software-defined platforms and noting rising software share in value.

A technology leader argued, “Generative AI is not simply another tool; it is a strategic enabler that is fundamentally shaping the Indian automotive sector, while acknowledging enterprise deployments are still early.”

Andreas Tschiesner, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, projected that “in 2035, we expect 30 percent of all produced vehicles will be built on zonal EE architectures, with cloud-managed development, AI-powered coding and virtual twins accelerating programmes.”

Exports, FTAs and supply chains

Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said, “India is now increasingly looking at integrating more with the world.”

He added, “We believe the next phase of growth, beyond a 4 trillion economy, will come through exporting to international markets and noting that India has signed FTAs with 27 countries.”

Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, said, “the domestic market is robust but it is equally important for the auto industry to strengthen exports and diversify its supply chain, integrating into the global markets and value chains.”

SIAM President Shailesh Chandra, who is also MD of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and TPEM, pointed to ‘a record 5 million vehicles exported’ and called a recent UK FTA ‘a landmark,’ describing 20 percent export growth as ‘a powerful vote of confidence.’

OEM perspectives and next steps

Shenu Agarwal, Vice President, SIAM, and MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said commercial vehicles remain ‘pivotal for sustainable mobility,’ backing CNG and LNG in long-haul and ‘deep localisation of electric mobility.’

K. N. Radhakrishnan, Director & CEO, TVS Motor Company, highlighted ‘strong R&D momentum,’ progress on the circular economy and the need to ‘focus on developing local talent,’ adding, ‘The customer should remain at the centre of all decision making.’

Unsoo Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India, said GST reforms have supported domestic manufacturing and rural demand and that AI will redefine mobility within enabling frameworks under Make in India.

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