As a key contributor to India’s rail modernisation, Pinnacle Industries has been selected as the official partner by Indian Railways to design and manufacture the sleeper berths and executive seating for the new Amrit Bharat Express. This partnership aligns with the train's role as a transformative, high-speed and affordable option for long-distance travel across the country.

The seating solutions developed by Pinnacle are the result of extensive ergonomic engineering, created to provide superior comfort, safety and longevity. They are specifically optimised to perform reliably in both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned coaches. A primary focus has been placed on passenger well-being for extended journeys, achieved through enhanced cushion thickness in both seats and berths. The design also incorporates refined aesthetics with improved colour schemes and features like aluminium extrusions for the upper berths.

Safety is a critical component of the design, which includes specialised anti-injury fittings integrated into the seats and berths to minimise potential risks. Furthermore, all materials fully comply with the stringent fire safety standard EN45545-2 HL3, meeting Indian Railways' rigorous requirements for fire-retardant properties. Leveraging decades of expertise in mobility interiors, this project reinforces Pinnacle Industries' position at the forefront of developing world-class transportation solutions for India.

Arihant Mehta, President, Pinnacle Industries, said, “We are honoured to be a part of this visionary initiative by Indian Railways. Our seating solutions for the Amrit Bharat Express reflect our commitment to designing products that combine comfort, safety and innovation while being proudly Made in India. With this, we continue to drive India’s vision of modern, accessible and reliable public transport.”

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The Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment (SAFE), an initiative of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), held its 26th annual convention today to address the urgent need for road safety and a transition to green mobility. Held at Bharat Mandapam, the event, themed ‘Together for Safe Roads and Green Mobility: Building a Sustainable India,’ brought together government officials, industry leaders and experts.

Rekha Gupta, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was the Chief Guest and emphasised that accidents are a result of driver behaviour, not vehicles. "We must shed the mindset that breaking rules is a badge of pride," she said.

She also highlighted Delhi's commitment to clean mobility, with a goal of electrifying 100 percent of its public transport by 2026. The Chief Minister also launched SAFE's new Road Safety Context Paper and a new initiative to involve college students in road safety.

In a video message, H D Kumaraswamy, the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, noted that the government has invested over INR 600 billion to boost domestic manufacturing and support clean energy adoption.

Sushant Naik, President of SAFE, stressed that safety must be a core part of design and manufacturing. "Over 173,000 lives are lost each year, a stark reminder that action should be urgent and collective," he said. He emphasised that road safety requires the collaboration of the five ‘Es: Education, Engineering, Emergency Care, Enforcement and Evaluation’.

Speakers, including Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), highlighted the need for a comprehensive accident database and a unified system to link driver licensing, vehicle registration and enforcement.

Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, pointed out that accidents rose in 2023 despite a goal to halve them, calling for stricter electronic enforcement to curb reckless driving.

Ajay Chaudhry, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) of the Delhi Police, noted that while the city has cut accident fatalities by 8 percent, speeding and violations remain a serious problem and he called for ‘zero leniency.’

The convention featured two plenary sessions focusing on ‘Education and Engineering’ and ‘Enforcement, Emergency Care and Evaluation.’ These sessions covered topics like promoting responsible driving, designing safer infrastructure and the importance of a swift emergency response to reduce accidents and save lives.

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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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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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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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