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-owned British brand Defender has become the first luxury automotive brand in India to launch an anamorphic display. The installation is located at the Phoenix Palladium in Mumbai from 20–22 February 2026. Following the Mumbai launch, the display will move to Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai.

The 35 x 16 feet screen uses anamorphic effects to create a 3D visual experience where the vehicle appears to emerge from the display. The content was produced in collaboration with Inventech, a Laqshya Media Group company.

The activation marks a shift toward digital storytelling within the Indian luxury automotive sector. By utilising forced perspective, the display aims to visualise the vehicle’s design and presence without physical hardware.

Rajan Amba, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India, said, “Defender has a tremendous following and aspirational value in India stemming from its iconic heritage and off-road legacy that continues to inspire admiration across generations. Bringing India’s first luxury automotive anamorphic display to life is a natural extension of this legacy.”

Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said, “This activation is not merely a showcase of an iconic 4x4; it’s a statement of how innovation, creativity and experiential storytelling can converge to redefine engagement in luxury automotive. Through initiatives like this, we aim to inspire, captivate and connect with our audience in ways that reflect the unmatched capability, vision and spirit of Defender.”

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The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) concluded its four-day Sustainability Week 2026 by hosting the inaugural International Conference on Automotive Material Compliance & Sustainability (AMCS) at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The event convened global regulators, industry leaders, technology experts and policymakers under the theme ‘Driving Circularity, Compliance and Innovation in the Global Automotive Supply Chain'.

The opening session, ‘India's Transition towards Sustainable Mobility & Material Compliance’, was addressed by SIAM Executive Director Prashant K Banerjee, who emphasised India's role as the world's third-largest auto industry in advancing sustainable mobility through global safety standards and circular economy principles. He noted that compliance with the End-of-Life Vehicles Rules 2025 strengthens structured vehicle scrappage and resource recovery. During this session, a context paper titled ‘Strengthening Automotive Material Compliance Across the Vehicle Value Chain’ was released.

Jaywant Hardikar, Senior Advisor at ICAT, addressed attendees by framing sustainable mobility as a legacy for future generations. He called for circularity in product life cycles, strong linkages between vehicle end-of-life and material reuse and quantifiable targets such as sustainability indexes or digital product passports for every vehicle. Hardikar emphasised that government-registered scrapping facilities would play key roles in ensuring proper material segregation from the design stage onward.

Sanjeev Jain, Director of Purchase at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, shared insights on India's journey towards global green mobility leadership through circular economy principles and resilient supply chains. He pointed to policy measures including Extended Producer Responsibility mandates, vehicle scrappage norms and CAFE standards as key drivers for achieving 45 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 through clean technologies including flex fuels, electric vehicles, charging networks, green logistics and green hydrogen.

Frank Nottebom, Account Delivery Executive for IMDS & CDX at DXC Technology, highlighted India's strategic importance for the International Material Data System, noting that active Indian users had grown from 3,600 to 21,000 in 2025. Hanno Focken, Managing Director of Catena-X, discussed global automotive value chain complexity and advocated for open, neutral and industry-governed solutions as India positions itself as a central link in global digital automotive supply chains. Dr Prabhakar Bhangare, CEO of Global PCCS, delivered the vote of thanks, emphasising shared commitment between manufacturers and service providers towards zero pollution goals.

The first technical session focused on ‘Policy and Regulatory Framework for End-of-Life Vehicles Worldwide’, moderated by SIAM Senior Advisor Dr Rashid Hasan. Dr A Ramesh Kumar, Principal Scientist at CSIR-NEERI, explained that Persistent Organic Pollutants are regulated under the Stockholm Convention requiring controls on 37 listed substances. International presentations followed from Europe delivered by Naina Agrawal of Marelli representing CLEPA and SaiKishore Uddandi of Joison Safety System representing CLEPA. From United States, Shridhar Rajappanavar of Key Sustainability represented AIAG. From Japan, Yoshihito Tanaka and Yosuke Miyake represented JAPIA.

The second technical session addressed ‘Digital Transformation in Supply Chain Transparency’, chaired by Frank Nottebom. Key presentations included Asmita Sathaye of Tata Motors on IMDS data best practices, Muthukumar N of Ashok Leyland on IMDS data accuracy and Hanno Focken on building digital ecosystems. Anja Lang of BMW Group and Shanawaz Sheik addressed product carbon footprint integration in IMDS. Deepti Kapil, Additional Director at CPCB, provided insights on end-of-life vehicle management guidelines.

The third technical session featured a panel discussion on ‘Overcoming Product Compliance Challenges in OEMs & Component Manufacturers’. Dr Prabhakar Bhangare served as moderator, delivering a context presentation on IMDS adoption levels and supplier maturity in India. Martin Eichhorn of DXC Technology addressed the session. The panel included Auto OEM representatives Arun Kumar of TVS Motor Company and Paurnima Barwe of Volvo. Auto Component Manufacturers were represented by Dr Naveen Verma of DENSO, Deepak Patil of Uno Minda and Sharad Raut of Southco. Sri Vinnakota of APA Engineering represented allied industries, concluding the four-day Sustainability Week 2026.

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Pluto Mobility, a Delhi-based electric mobility startup focused on last-mile logistics, has just closed a seed funding round at USD 2 million. The investment was steered by Version One Ventures, with Grad Capital also contributing. Notably, the round drew interest from founders and senior figures at companies like Delhivery, OfBusiness, Pixxel and Boom Supersonic, signalling strong vote of confidence from within the logistics and tech ecosystems.

The startup was launched by Akshat Bhatia and Himanshu Panda with a specific mission: to design electric vehicles from the ground up for the rigors of Indian urban logistics. Rather than adapting existing two-wheelers, they are building something purpose-built. The funds will go towards sharpening their engineering focus, growing their team and setting up pilot runs in key city markets.

What sets Pluto apart is its vehicle design. It is roughly the size of a scooter but fully enclosed, offering protection against rain and heat. More importantly, it can accommodate twice the number of parcels per trip compared to a standard two-wheeler. That efficiency gain is not accidental. The founders have rethought everything – from chassis layout to cargo space – based on how delivery agents actually work. The result is a vehicle that boosts throughput without asking operators to compromise on safety or manoeuvrability.

This matters because most delivery fleets today still run on vehicles built for personal commute. They are not equipped for the stop-start, high-volume nature of e-commerce or quick-commerce deliveries. Operators often end up overloading bikes or switching to bulkier vehicles that cannot navigate narrow lanes. Pluto aims to fill that gap with a solution that is compact, durable and weather-resistant.

Pilot deployments are scheduled to begin later this year, with a focus on quick-commerce and e-commerce players looking for smarter ways to move goods through crowded cities.

Akshat Bhatia, CEO, Pluto Mobility, said, “India’s last-mile challenge isn’t speed, incentives or apps. It’s that delivery operations are built on vehicles never designed for delivery workloads. That mismatch caps how much can be moved per trip, increases failures at scale and quietly affects delivery economics.”

Boris Wertz, Founding Partner, Version One Ventures, said, “Pluto Mobility is taking a fundamentally different approach to last-mile delivery by designing vehicles specifically for throughput and operational reliability.”

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Andreas Mindt, Head of Design for the Volkswagen brand, has been appointed to lead Group Design for the Volkswagen Group, effective 1 March 2026. He succeeds Michael Mauer, who is departing as part of a transition.

He will hold this role alongside his current position at the Volkswagen brand. His appointment follows Mauer’s previous handover of responsibilities at Porsche to a successor.

Andreas Mindt joined the Volkswagen Group in 1996. His career includes work on the first-generation Tiguan and the Golf 7. Between 2014 and 2021, he led exterior design at Audi, overseeing models from the A1 to the e-tron GT. He later served as Director of Bentley Design, where he developed the design language for the Bentley Batur, before becoming Head of Design for Volkswagen Passenger Cars in 2023.

Michael Mauer joined the Group in 2004 as Head of Design at Porsche. During his tenure, he oversaw the Cayenne revision, the Panamera, and the 918 Spyder. He has served as Head of Group Design since January 2023, focused on establishing brand identities across the portfolio.

The role of Group Design is to differentiate the various brands within the Volkswagen Group by defining their specific identities. The strategy focuses on making each brand recognisable while ensuring products meet regional market requirements and customer expectations.

Oliver Blume, CEO, Volkswagen Group, said, “I would like to warmly thank Michael Mauer for his outstanding work and for the close and collaborative working relationship over the years. He shaped an era at Porsche. As Head of Group Design he also established a design philosophy across all brands that provides orientation and ensures recognition – with clearly defined brand and product identities. His work has shaped the style of our brands and will remain visible in the future.”

“I am looking forward to working more closely with Andy Mindt. With his track record at the Volkswagen brand and his expertise, he has made a significant impact in a short time and played a key role in ensuring that our cars are clearly recognisable as genuine Volkswagen models again,” added Blume.

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