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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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has received recognition at the 2026 Red Dot Award: Product Design for both its mobile robot platform and its new employee ID card case. The Red Dot Award is a competition honouring designs across product, brand and concept categories.

The Robotics LAB’s MobED (Mobile Eccentric Droid) platform was named a winner for its integration of engineering and design. MobED follows the ‘Refined Edge’ philosophy, intended to help robots integrate into human environments. The platform features Drive and Lift (DnL) technology and an eccentric wheel mechanism to maintain stability on uneven surfaces and inclines. It is designed for use in logistics, delivery, and inspection.

Minwoo Park, President and Head of AVP Division of Hyundai Motor Group, said: “The question was never whether the technology works, but whether it works for people — in the real world, at scale. With MobED’s Red Dot recognition, we have demonstrated exactly that. This is Physical AI in practice, and we will continue to push the boundaries of what it can achieve.”

On the other hand, Hyundai Motor Company also received a Red Dot Award for its new employee ID card case. This item is designed for versatility and personal expression, featuring MagSafe capability for magnetic attachment and a modular reel holder. The design allows the detachment of the neck strap so the case can be affixed to smartphones or paired with other accessories.

The case is available in white and clear blue and features replaceable modules to help prevent damage and reduce the need for full replacements. This design also received the iF Design Award. The product is sold through the Hyundai Collection, the official merchandise store of the company.

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Roppen Transportation Services (Rapido) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation (MahaIT), the nodal agency for digital governance in Maharashtra. The partnership aims to support citizen awareness, digital inclusion and mobility ecosystems within the state.

The collaboration will utilise Rapido’s technology and network to assist the adoption of digital governance initiatives such as Aaple Sarkar, MahaID and MahaSaarthi.

Subhash Shelake, spokesperson for MahaIT, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Rapido to explore how technology platforms and large on-ground mobility networks can support Maharashtra’s larger digital governance and citizen outreach objectives. An important aspect of the MoU includes digitally verifiable onboarding and background verification process including, integration with MahaID, for Rapido Captains to ensure trust, transparency and passenger safety in the state. We also see strong potential in enabling Rapido Captains to act as grassroots digital information ambassadors helping drive greater awareness and adoption of public digital services among citizens across Maharashtra.”

Pavan Guntupalli, Co-Founder, Rapido, said, “At Rapido, we have always believed that mobility platforms can play a larger role in enabling trust, safety and citizen awareness at scale. Through this collaboration with MahaIT, we aim to leverage our digital ecosystem and extensive captain network to support public digital initiatives while continuing to strengthen safer and more trusted mobility experiences for citizens across Maharashtra.”

Under the framework, Rapido will share government-approved awareness messaging via its in-app communication channels to improve reach for public digital services. Additionally, the organisations plan to explore a MAHA-Rapido Fellowship Programme to focus on digital inclusion and capacity-building in Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets in the state.

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Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Mahindra Group has announced the appointment of Purnima Lamba as its new Chief Brand Officer, effective 1 September 2026.

In this role, Lamba will shape and steward the corporate brand and communications strategy for the Group. She will lead the development and execution of a brand narrative aligned with the values, vision and business ambitions of the organisation.

Her responsibilities include overseeing brand consistency across business verticals, ensuring alignment with the identity of the Group and driving initiatives that enhance brand salience across traditional and digital ecosystems.

Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said, “We are pleased to welcome Purnima Lamba as Chief Brand Officer. Her global experience, strategic thinking, bold creativity and deep consumer insight make her an ideal leader to further strengthen the Mahindra brand. As we continue to build a compelling brand narrative aligned with our values, vision and business ambitions, Purnima’s ability to elevate brands, inspire teams and translate insights into impact will be invaluable. I wish her the very best in this key leadership role.”

Lamba joins the Group after a career spanning 25 years at Unilever, where she held leadership roles across India, the UK and the Netherlands. She has experience in building tech-enabled beauty experiences and digital media models.

She holds a BSc and MSc in Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her background includes work across various beauty brands.

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Maruti Suzuki India has established a state-of-the-art Smart Factory Lab at the Government Polytechnic College in Lucknow. The initiative, launched under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, is designed to train approximately 400 diploma students in its inaugural year, bridging the gap between academic theory and shop-floor engineering.

The Lucknow facility is part of a broader educational upgrade across the country, wherein Maruti Suzuki has deployed Smart Factory Labs across four selected government institutions:

• Government Polytechnic College, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
• Institute of Engineering and Rural Technology (IERT), Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh)
• Government Polytechnic, Ambala (Haryana)
• Government Polytechnic, Nilokheri (Haryana)

During the inauguration ceremony in Lucknow, Maruti Suzuki also awarded merit-based scholarships to five top-performing students to encourage academic excellence.

The Smart Factory Labs are engineered to replicate modern industrial settings, transitioning students from traditional mechanical coursework into digitised production ecosystems. The facilities provide hands-on training with several industry-standard systems – Industry 4.0 & Industrial IoT (IIoT), Automation & Motion Control, Pneumatics & Fluid Power and Energy Measurement Infrastructure.

Under the guidance of Maruti Suzuki technical experts, the curriculum emphasises experiential learning, machinery operations, diagnostics and modern shop-floor safety workflows.

Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Skill development is a core pillar of Maruti Suzuki’s CSR initiative. By upgrading facilities into Smart Factory Labs, we are building future-ready professionals in alignment with the Government of India’s Skill India mission. These labs will provide experiential learning opportunities to meet the evolving needs of the manufacturing sector, minimise the skill gap, and instil confidence in students in using industry-specific equipment’s.”

“Alongside upgrading facilities at Government colleges, Maruti Suzuki has also set up four Japan India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM), a collaboration between the governments of Japan and India. JIMs impart advanced manufacturing techniques, hands-on learning, and efficient shop-floor management practices based on Japanese manufacturing principles and soft skills required to make students industry-ready,” he further added.

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