Witnessing manufacturing modernisation since Maruti Udyog began producing cars in collaboration with Suzuki of Japan at Gurgaon in 1984, the Indian auto industry landscape has drastically changed. Opening up to automation with the installation of some of the best robots available at Kuka, ABB and others, the auto industry has left no stone unturned. Such has been the fervor that Tal, a Tata Motors company, launched a robot called Brabo in 2018 to make manufacturing processes involving the application of sealants, picking and placing of parts, welding and vision inspection reliable and easy to perform. Made with an eye on manufacturing process the world over, the Brabo was tested in over 50 work streams and has so far found use in sectors like lighting, aerospace, software, electronics, plastics, education and logistics sectors apart from the auto industry. Coming from an auto maker that installed 300 Kuka robots to automate the assembly of Sumo and Safari at its Pune plant in 2009, the Brabo has seen many rounds of development and application-preparedness since its launch.                

Smart manufacturing trend

Highlighting the smart manufacturing trend, the TAL Brabo robot with payloads of two and 10 kilos has also found favour with companies in Europe and other places. Highlighting the prowess of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), the robot is an example of the fast-changing manufacturing canvas. Producing about 1,286 engines per day, the Igatpuri plant of Mahindra & Mahindra became India's first carbon-neutral manufacturing facility by adopting smart manufacturing practices under Industry 4.0 in 2019. It invested in energy efficient technologies among others. It invested in recycling of water and other waste. It invested in solar panels to power some of its processes in the plant. An industry source expressed that the rapidly changing business environment the world over is providing impetus to smart manufacturing. It is driving efficiency enhancements and collaborations, he added. Emphasising on efficiency enhancements and collaborative efforts as key smart manufacturing drivers, an industry expert stated that technologies like AI, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), automation, big data and 5G are the biggest triggers. They are touching every aspect of manufacturing, from sourcing of raw materials to final inspection, he quipped.  

Industry 4.0

As companies like Lincode (it has collaborated with Switzerland-based Global Automotive Alliance), specialising in AI-powered visual inspection with multiple patent-pending defect detection capabilities, find more and more takers in India, the smart manufacturing shift is continuing to take place despite disruptions. It has, in fact, gained speed in India with the race to successfully accomplish BS VI transition in the last few years. A source in the auto industry mentioned that BS VI transition led to manufacturers upping their global ambitions. Vinay Raghunath, Partner and Leader, Automotive Sector, EY India, averred in a report that automotive shop floors are evolving and adopting digital technologies. This, he added, is happening amid challenges like slowdown in demand, non-availability of labour, concerns on health and safety management on the shop floor. Witnessing disruptions relating to ROI among other factors, as Raghunath has informed, the Indian auto industry has been an early adopter of digital manufacturing techniques.  

Working to dial higher efficiency, expertise and superior productivity, the Indian auto industry has been overhauling existing assembly lines, erecting new ones and extensively re-evaluating its manufacturing processes and practices in view of smart manufacturing, especially from an automotive value chain point of view. Taking to Industry 4.0, it is leveraging AI and IoT-based manufacturing technologies to automate further – to engage in machine-to-machine communication (M2M) such that there is self-monitoring as well as self-diagnosing. Taking to Industry 4.0 to tackle unanticipated disruptions like the Covid-19 pandemic, which has put well-oiled supply chains and production lines to the test and made it painfully clear that they in their current form are not as agile or resilient as expected, the auto industry is shifting to smart manufacturing in a big way. It is exploring and experimenting; it is finding new ways. It is doing so as it absorbs a significant change in technologies and products like electrification and EVs.

Operator 4.0 and hyper-intelligence

Investing heavily in data analytics infrastructure and capabilities, the auto industry is leveraging opportunities to digitally transform itself. It is defining the boundaries of physics for data-driven model. It is focusing on digital skills development. It is supporting the rise of Operator 4.0. Taking to collaborative robots that coexist with humans in a workplace, it is transforming its ways of manufacturing significantly. Drawing attention to the semi-conductor shortage and how the auto industry was affected despite using only 10 percent of the production, Vipin Sondhi, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, explained that the rapidly changing consumer psyche is dictating a move to a completely different technological aspect. Emphasising on material technology, he said smart manufacturing is about digitising and achieving cost competitiveness. It was some two to three years ago that the Chennai-based CV maker began implementing smart manufacturing technologies to mitigate challenges. It took to modernising and digitising existing workplaces to address quality issues that are difficult for human beings to detect and acquire made-to-order or mass customisation capabilities. It took to equipping itself with an ability to expand and contract in tandem with the market conditions even as it took to modularisation of product lines.  

Automating its cab panel pressing plant at Hosur in 2019, which increased the output by up to 66 percent, Ashok Leyland has been one of the many automotive OEMs globally that are investing in hyper-intelligent automation. A confluence of AI and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), hyper-intelligent automation is redefining not just Industry 4.0 but also Operator 4.0. It is facing challenges like the high initial acquisition cost in terms of tools, but that isn’t worrying players involved like Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Catalytic Inc and Infosys Limited among others. Estimated to grow at a CAGR of 18.9 percent as manufacturers strive to reduce energy consumption, up quality and reliability, and control costs through predictability and data-driven unique insights, hyper-intelligent automation is turning out to be yet another finer aspect of smart manufacturing. It is proving to be a big enabler for automating repetitive tasks – to enhance efficiencies, to take to cloud computing to ensure significantly more flexibility and to achieve scalability and the ability to collaborate and reduce costs.

Increasing visibility, predictability and enhancing control on operations and inventory, hyper-intelligent automation is aiding effective decision-making. Supported by development of new technologies such as 5G, which according to a domain expert, promises the need for speed and flexibility along with the capability to eliminate network instability or downtime, hyper-intelligent automation is helping automotive suppliers like Rane Madras Limited to make efficiency, reliability and cost control gains. In 2018, the company adopted automated solutions of Mistubishi Electric Corporation for its new plant in Gujarat. It led to a significant decrease in energy consumption. Aiding smart manufacturing, technologies like hyper-intelligent automation and 5G are helping the auto industry to achieve resilience and immunity against future uncertainties. They are helping to integrate Information Technology (IT) systems used for data-centric computing with Operational Technology (OT) systems – for data readiness and cyber security, and for the development of digital talent. Technologies like hyper-intelligent automation and 5G are helping to develop cross-functional profiles like engineering-manufacturing, manufacturing-maintenance and safety-security.

Tackling disruptions and smart working environment

Looking at productivity gains, emerging competition and risk aversity in the globalised world as per the EY report, the auto industry is taking to smart manufacturing to achieve significant technology transformations like electromobility as well. Apart from the creation of a smart working environment, it is also looking at the use of new materials, new process guidelines and practices. With health also becoming a disruptive factor in recent times, the auto industry is looking at automation in processes like inbound logistics, production planning, sourcing, press shop, body shop, paint shop, quality control and outbound logistics through data visualisation. With sensors and analytics shaping up, the smart working environment in a factory is coming to include AI-based alerts and fully automated work floors. This is increasingly getting compounded by data collection, historical data and high-quality extensive data mining. Helping to guarantee ROI, smart manufacturing is helping to lower the ‘takt’ time. It is also ironically undermining the involvement of humans on the shop floor.   

Reducing the cost of computation, storage and connectivity, smart manufacturing is coming of age with plummeting prices of sensors, 3D printers and robots. Empowering cloud-based manufacturing techniques and a gradual increase in the understanding of emerging technologies, smart manufacturing is providing an advantage in terms of the ability to respond to market changes quickly. Taking to develop a new light-duty truck platform with export ambitions and flexibility in terms of left-hand drive and right-hand drive orientation, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd took to automating its welding line with robots at its Pithampur plant. It also took to robotising its windshield pasting station among others. Experiencing quality, consistency, efficiency and cost gains, the CV maker is also known to have reduced the takt time and energy consumption. As global ambitions and modularity strike in view of the ability to explore new export markets with a cost competitive BS VI product, the auto industry in India is using embedded sensors, RFID and GPS etc. for smart tracking. It is using smart manufacturing technologies to monitor parameters like temperature, pressure, vibration, machine rpm and flow rate.

Smart flexibility

As part of a shift to smart manufacturing, automakers and suppliers are resorting to flexible manufacturing and AR-based solutions to upskill. They are, in view of the technologies like connected vehicles and EVs, stressing on re-aligning their traditional manufacturing setups with that of the future. Emphasising on quality, resource optimisation, streamlining of business processes and adoption of new emerging technologies, they are closely evaluating the advantages of solutions like digital twins and rapid prototyping using additive manufacturing offer. With ROI on their mind, they are embracing smart manufacturing to move up the value chain.

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Tata Motors has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Castrol India to launch a pilot programme focused on establishing a circular economy for used engine oil. The initiative directly supports India’s Extended Producer Responsibility regulations while addressing the environmental challenges posed by lubricant waste.

The collaboration will create a structured and traceable system for the collection, storage and channelling of used oil originating from Tata Motors’ authorised service network. Operations for this pilot are specifically centred in Karnataka, targeting a longstanding gap in the responsible handling of this hazardous material.

Under the programme, Tata Motors’ service touchpoints in the state will function as designated collection hubs. Castrol India will leverage its technical expertise to oversee the delivery of the recovered oil to registered recyclers, ensuring rigorous quality control and traceability throughout the recycling chain.

This partnership extends the companies’ established relationship and reinforces their mutual dedication to sustainability. The pilot complements Tata Motors’ wider strategy of promoting alternative-energy vehicles while supporting Castrol India’s objective of integrating recycled content into its premium lubricant offerings.

Vikram Agrawal, Head – Spares and Non-Vehicle Business, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles, said, “Responsible used-oil management is central to building a truly circular automotive ecosystem in India. The volume of used engine oil generated across India’s roads each year makes responsible collection and recycling a matter of significant environmental consequence. By partnering with Castrol India, we are creating a credible, scalable model that links responsible collection at our service touchpoints to high-quality re-refined output. This is a meaningful step in Tata Motors’ broader sustainability journey.”

Anoop Jindal, Vice President – B2B (OEM) Sales, Castrol India Limited, said, “Creating a circular economy for lubricants requires collaboration across the entire value chain. This association with Tata Motors marks our first OEM collaboration focused on building a structured ecosystem for responsible used-oil management in India. We are working to strengthen every link in the circularity chain, from collection and channelisation to recycling and reuse. Insights from our used-oil collection pilots in southern India have deepened our understanding of both the opportunities and challenges involved in scaling circularity. Together with Tata Motors’ extensive service network, this initiative can help create a more organised, traceable and scalable model for used-oil circularity in India.”

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French automotive major Renault Group has appointed Quitterie de Pelleport as General Secretary, effective from 1 July 2026. The new division will oversee Legal, Audit, Risk, Ethics & Compliance, Prevention and Protection, Sustainability, Strategic Partnerships, Defence activities and the Circular Economy unit ‘The Future Is Neutral’.

The company also announced the appointment of Sandra Gomez as Chief Product & Program Officer and Francois Lavernos as Chief Information & Digital Officer. Both will report to CEO Francois Provost, who will oversee strategy and the futuREady product plan.

Francois Provost, said, “Four months after the launch of our futuREady plan, we are continuing the transformation of Renault Group with a clear focus on simplification and speed of execution. The creation of the General Secretariat is a key lever to strengthen our governance and our capacity to deliver on our ambitions. This role will also contribute to the development of certain high-potential activities. I have every confidence in Quitterie to lead this strategic function. At the same time, we are simplifying the scope of product, programs and strategy to accelerate the strengthening of our vehicle range and technologies.”

Pelleport joined Renault Group in 2021 as Chief Legal Officer. Her career includes roles at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, DLA Piper, Rhodia and Solvay.

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The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) has granted approval to the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026–2030, a comprehensive four-year framework designed to significantly boost electric vehicle adoption, combat air pollution, and establish a robust ecosystem for sustainable mobility in the capital.

Interestingly, the Delhi government has approved a humongous budget outlay of INR 150 billion towards supporting the transition towards green vehicles and enabling the necessary electric vehicle ecosystem.

The policy responds to the Supreme Court’s directives and recent findings by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), wherein vehicular emissions remain a leading contributor to Delhi’s poor air quality, with two-wheelers accounting for approximately 67 percent of the vehicle stock and high-utilisation segments such as three-wheelers and light commercial goods vehicles adding disproportionately to pollution.

Key highlights of the approved policy include generous purchase incentives that taper over the years. For electric two-wheelers (ex-factory price up to INR 225,000), buyers will receive INR 10,000 per kWh (capped at INR 30,000) in the first year, reducing to INR 6,600 per kWh (max INR 20,000) in year two and INR 3,300 per kWh (max INR 10,000) in year three.

Electric three-wheeler auto-rickshaws (L5M) will attract incentives of INR 50,000, INR 40,000 and INR 30,000 respectively across the three years, with additional support for replacing old CNG vehicles. Electric N1 goods vehicles receive INR 100,000 in year one, INR 75,000 in year two and INR 50,000 in year three.

Substantial scrapping incentives have also been introduced to accelerate the phase-out of older BS-IV and below vehicles. These range from INR 10,000 for two-wheelers and INR 25,000 for three-wheelers to INR 100,000 for eligible electric cars (ex-factory price up to INR 3 million, limited to the first 100,000 applicants) and INR 50,000 for N1 trucks, provided replacement occurs within six months of scrapping.

All electric vehicles registered in Delhi during the policy period will enjoy 100 percent exemption from road tax and registration fees. Incentives will be disbursed via direct benefit transfer, with eligibility aligned to the central PM E-DRIVE scheme.

Furthermore, to support the electric vehicle ecosystem, the government aims to support the establishment of 30,000 public charging points across the city.

On the infrastructure front, Delhi Transco (DTL) has been designated as the nodal agency for expanding public and community charging stations as well as battery swapping facilities. The policy mandates OEMs to install at least one public charging station per dealership and emphasises grid readiness, single-window clearances, and integration with central government schemes. A dedicated EV Fund will support implementation, backed by an Apex Committee chaired by the Delhi Transport Minister.

Electrification mandates form a core pillar of the policy. From 1 January 2027, only electric three-wheelers will be permitted for new registration, followed by two-wheelers from 1 April 2028. School bus fleets must achieve progressive electric shares (10 percent by end of year two, 20 percent by year three, and 30 percent by March 2030). Government fleets, hired vehicles and new intra-state buses will transition to electric, while fleet aggregators face restrictions on adding new ICE vehicles.

Additional measures focus on battery recycling under the Battery Waste Management Rules, digital integration for all processes, and institutional coordination across departments. The policy remains in force until 31 March 2030, unless extended or modified.

This approval marks a decisive step by the Delhi government towards cleaner air and a sustainable transport future, balancing incentives, mandates, and infrastructure development to drive meaningful emission reductions in the National Capital.

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The Royal Academy of Engineering, the United Kingdom's national academy of engineering, is set to honour three engineers for their breakthrough innovations in different fields with The Princess Royal Silver Medal in London on 8 July 2026.

The medal celebrates contributions to UK engineering by individuals at the early to mid-career stage that result in market exploitation. The recipients for 2026 are Dr Ian Campbell, Co-Founder of Breathe Battery Technologies, Dr Liucheng Guo, Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer of TG0 and Professor Robert Thomson, Professor of Photonics at Heriot-Watt University.

Luke Logan, Chair of the Academy’s Awards Committee, said, “This year’s winners of The Princess Royal Silver Medal have each pushed the boundaries of engineering. Through their research and innovative ideas, they have supported the UK in being a leader in engineering and sustainability, making significant contributions to our national economy through inspiring entrepreneurship and collaboration.”

Dr Campbell Co-Founded Breathe Battery Technologies to improve battery charging processes. The company developed software that simulates battery function to provide insight into electrochemistry, enabling manufacturers to optimise charging and design without hardware modifications.

“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the Princess Royal Silver Medal. Climate change and air pollution continue to threaten health and livelihoods worldwide. By combining battery physics simulation with materials libraries built in industrial-scale labs, we can screen millions of potential designs and rapidly optimise the most promising candidates using advanced software. This capability is helping to bring cleaner, quieter, healthier and more affordable cars, trucks and energy storage systems to market faster,” said Dr Campbell.

Founded in 2019 as a spin-out from Imperial College London, Breathe Battery Technologies has now grown to operate the largest battery testing facility in London and has raised more than USD 33 million in funding. It counts the likes of Volvo Cars, OPPO and Polestar amongst its early backers.

Professor Ricardo Fernando Martinez-Botas, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, said, “Ian’s success in commercialising world-class research from Imperial College London exemplifies how UK academic excellence can translate into real-world impact. His contributions are not only advancing the UK’s position at the forefront of the international battery technology race but helping to shape the future of cleaner transport.”

Dr Guo developed ‘AI for Sensing’ technology for electronic products, which replaces mechanical buttons and sensors with touch-sensitive surfaces powered by embedded AI. The system detects pressure, location, direction and movement of touch.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the Princess Royal Silver Medal. This recognition reflects not only my own journey, but also the dedication of my co-founder Ming, the TG0 team, investors, collaborators and mentors. I believe engineering has a vital role to play in shaping a resilient and sustainable future, creating technologies that are not only intelligent, but also accessible, energy-efficient and beneficial to society,” said Dr Guo.

Professor Robert Thomson is recognised for his work in photonics, specifically the use of lasers and optical fibres to capture information from space.

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