Abu Dhabi’s inaugural DRIFTx, the global showcase of advanced and sustainable mobility technologies that showcased demonstrations on the latest smart, autonomous transportation across land, sea and air, highlighting the acceleration of the sector in the emirate concluded on a high note. 

The event was inaugurated by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs. As part of the evening’s programme, His Highness toured the DRIFTx exhibition to witness the industry’s latest innovations and solutions.

He visited a number of local and international company pavilions, and discussed the latest technology and solutions in the field. He was accompanied by Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport; and Excellency Ahmed Jasem Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Department of Economic Development. Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation, toured DRIFTx, and viewed the autonomous vehicle showcases and innovations presented at the event.

DRIFTx saw more than 8,000 visitors from more than 25 countries, engaging discussions, fostering meaningful collaborations, and providing a perfect platform to showcase and unlock innovative technologies across air, land, and sea applications.

Hasan Ahmed Al Hosani, MD, Bayanat said: "We are proud to have been part of what can only be described as a leading platform for global mobility experts and innovators. Over the two days, DRIFTx presented enlightening discussions and fostered key collaborations, helping to propel the future of mobility at the global stage and to drive Abu Dhabi’s efforts in redefining possibilities for smart and autonomous vehicles and sustainable mobility applications."

Fostering Partnerships

DRIFTx concluded with 12 MoUs and agreements signed between key local and global players in urban mobility. The agreements aim to advance future mobility solutions, bringing them closer to operational launch in civil use-cases. Amongst the key collaborations was an agreement between FEST Auto Global Holding (FEST) with Abu Dhabi University (ADU), aimed at fostering innovation in sustainable urban mobility. They will work together to enhance FEST's proprietary Fleet Management System (FMS) and Vehicle Management System (VMS).

Bayanat announced a series of initiatives, including the launch of the Daleel App, in beta testing. The navigation application is developed in-house by Bayanat for the GCC region, and optimised for the UAE, for smartphone users. It is also partnering with South Korean autonomous technology firm, Autonomous a2z to combine their expertise in autonomous fleet operations. It also signed an agreement with Autocrypt, a V2X security provider and system integrator, to combine its expertise in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure deployment with Bayanat’s AI Smart Roads, enabling and advancing Level 4+ autonomous driving.

Manta Aircraft announced strategic support by Altair for Manta Aircraft's innovative programme, which offers unlimited simulation and data analytics software. Altair will provide software tools and computational intelligence solutions in the areas of digital engineering, AI, and data analytics technologies.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), represented by Abu Dhabi Mobility (AD Mobility), signed an agreement with Regent Craft to provide low-hovering maritime transport for both passenger and freight transport, accelerating the establishment of an integrated transport system and supporting goals aiming to reduce carbon emissions.

Namir Hourani, MD, GMOLx, organisers of DRIFTx said: "This week, some of the world’s most forward-thinking leaders and brightest minds convened at DRIFTx in Abu Dhabi, unlocking extremely important and high-level discussions that are sure to shape the way people and goods are transported, with advanced solutions that will be operational much sooner than anyone expected. Across the two days, we had an impressive speaker lineup, unique exhibitions, and very exciting live demonstrations, truly displaying what the future for urban air, land, and sea mobility is going to be like. We’re already looking forward to building on the energy and amazing vibe we witnessed this week to inspire another round of real-world breakthroughs at DRIFTx 2025."

The event also featured product unveilings, new showcases and attracted international mobility entities to the UAE for the first time. This included the UAE’s first operational vertiport for vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) which was unveiled by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), in collaboration with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and DMT, represented by AD Mobility.

GMC and Bin Hamooda Auto displayed the brand's first all-electric super-truck, the GMC HUMMER EV Pickup and SUV. Sienna by May Mobility made their debut in the region by presenting autonomous solutions for various car models. Bayanat collaborated with FlyNow Aviation providing visitors with the chance to virtually take to the skies of Abu Dhabi with the eVTOL eCopter, in addition to showing its full-scale HAPS in Abu Dhabi for the first time.

The event also showcased the A2z’s MS MiniBus, Carnival Robo taxi, and remote control driving from Abu Dhabi to Korea. Multi-Level Group displayed Wings Logistics Hub’s intra-city passenger taxi, and a short-range light cargo drone which performed flying demonstrations within the event space. Big Drone by DCL, which provided an aerobatic drone for human flight, was also on display, as well as the Ocean Drone 30 by Ocean Drone, and Fugro demonstrated the Blue Shadow.

The event’s second day featured engaging talks on AI Leading us to Net Zero, A Look at Air Mobility 20 Years from Now, Traffic Safety Research Priorities towards Vision Zero, Exploring Innovation Across Start-ups, Robotics and Web 3, and Charting the Tech-Led Future of Mobility in MENA.

Building on its success, the second edition of DRIFTx is set to take place once again in Abu Dhabi during the first quarter of 2025.

The European Union voted in favour of imposing extra tariffs on China-made EVs by up to 45 percent on 4 October 2024. Threatening a broader trade conflict with a country that has already vowed to protect its companies and is considered as the factory of the world, the move has been criticised by the auto industry and various EU member states.

With growing demand for EU and China resolving their differences through dialogue, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade is known to express that it is opposed to be the move.

With the technical teams from China and the EU set to resume talks on 7 October 2024, the situation in EU as far as the auto OEMs like Volkswagen Group, Stellantis and BMW Group are concerned, there have been instances of profit warnings.  

Weak demand, rising costs, global competition, trade wars, geopolitical situations, subsidies and company-specific factors are among the reasons being underlined for the profit warnings by European automakers.

Receiving necessary support with 10 members backing the tariffs, 12 abstaining and five members – including Germany – voting against, the European Union, claim sources aware of the development, has been urged by the auto industry to negotiate with China for better terms and conditions rather than to reach the level were a trader war looks eminent.

Present in the China market for a decade or more, many European automakers seem to fear if the tariffs imposed on Chinese EVs will lead to negative consequences in that market for them.

Volkswagen is known to have said that the tariffs are ‘the wrong approach’. There is a need for the two sides to negotiate and find the middle way, mentioned an industry source in Germany in response to the tariffs by EU.

Image courtesy: EmDee (Wikipedia)

The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI), the apex body representing the forging industry in the country has announced its new officer bearers for 2024-26. 

The committee has elected Yash Munot as the new President of AIFI, while S.  Ravishankar was elected as the Vice-President.

Munot, who succeeds Vikas Bajaj, had previously served as Vice-President of AIFI from 2020 to 2024, is now also the youngest to be appointed as the President in the organisation's history. 

He currently serves as the CEO at Varsha Forgings and the Managing Director at KCTR Varsha Automotive. Munot begun his journey in the forging industry in 2005 joining his family business - Varsha Forgings. He was also instrumental in organising major industry events like IFC 2011, Forgetech  India 2016, Asia Forge 2019 and ForgeTech India 2023. He has served as the Western Region Chairman from 2018 to 2020. 

“The forging sector in India is at a pivotal juncture, with tremendous opportunities for innovation and growth. Our focus will be on fostering collaboration within the industry, driving technological advancements and promoting sustainable practices. I am committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure that our industry not only thrives domestically but also strengthens and enhances its global footprint. Together, we will build on the strong foundation laid by my predecessors and strive for excellence in every aspect of our work," said Munot.

S Ravishankar added, “I will strive for advancing our industry’s progress and tackling the challenges presented by a rapidly changing global landscape. Our priorities will include boosting competitiveness, driving innovation and equipping our members for future opportunities. I look forward to embracing the exciting prospects ahead and contributing to AIFI’s continued success during this transformative era”

He (Ravishankar) currently serves as the MD at Super Auto Forge and has over 25 years of experience in the auto component manufacturing industry. He is a Manufacturing Engineer with Bachelors degree from Annamalai University and Masters degree from The Ohio State University.

It was in 1997, after working in Detroit for two years, Ravishankar returned to India and joined his family business at Super Auto Forge. He has been instrumental in developing the international business of SAF and led the initiative to establish marketing offices in Detroit in 2001, followed by Belgium in 2011. He has been the Chairman of Indo American Chamber of Commerce for the period 2008 – 2009 – Tamil Nadu Branch and currently serves on the Southern Regional Committee of ACMA since 2021.

Automechanika Frankfurt has cemented its position as the leading international trade fair for the automotive industry with the successful conclusion of Automechanika Frankfurt 2024. 

The slogan of this year’s Automechanika was ‘Driving Transformation’, with topics such as electrification, vehicle connectivity, driver assistance systems and digitalisation taking the centre stage. The fair was held from 10 to 14 September 2024 and saw 4,200 companies from 80 countries displaying their products and solutions for retail, workshops and industry. Spread over an area of 320,000 square metres and 26 hall levels, the event witnessed a total of 108,000 visitors from 172 countries.

Visitors had the chance to see cars with alternative drive systems up close, such as electric, hydrogen, and hybrid models, and even take a ride in the Future Mobility Park and the related expert forum Innovation4Mobility. For even more highlights, there were brand-new event types available, such as an exhilarating rally. Ninety-four percent of attendees, 70 percent of whom were foreign visitors, expressed satisfaction with the event, not just with the trade fair's offerings but also with their aims being met.

An emphasis on sustainable technologies, products and solutions was highlighted at Automechanika this year. Several talks on remanufacturing and circular economy tactics were held on the stage in the new Sustainability Court in Hall 5.0. This year also saw the opening of ‘Ambition’, a dedicated Gen Z section in Hall 3.1 with live acts, panel discussions and succinct, fascinating presentations to pique the interest of young people in the automotive professions. This action was taken as a result of the well-known lack of qualified workers in the automobile sector.

Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, commented, “Even in the midst of the digital transformation, the industry once again demonstrated its wealth of innovation, providing countless highlights over the course of the five-day event. Together with our exhibitors, we were able to find the right players to present the most important topics – including alternative drive systems, sustainability and the use of AI and robotics in the automotive aftermarket – on the stages and in the exhibition halls. We are also delighted by growing demand from both German and international visitors.”

Michael Johannes, Vice President Mobility & Logistics, Messe Frankfurt, said “Never before has Automechanika in Frankfurt had a supporting programme and range of events like this. Our roster of presentations and practical workshops covered a wide range of topics, including bodywork and paintwork, electric vehicles, commercial vehicles, caravan repair, 3D printing, detailing and much else besides. These were very well received by the professionals, and students and pupils took advantage of the opportunities on offer to find out for themselves what some of the automotive trades and professions are like. One of this year’s new additions was a programme and area devoted especially to Generation Z. We wanted to draw their attention to the professional opportunities that are available in the fascinating world of the automotive industry – and we were very successful.”

Castrol India, a leading lubricant manufacturer, has announced that it has achieved a significant sustainability milestone by increasing recycled content in its high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bottles to 50 percent. 

With this, the company aims to achieve 2,600 metric tonnes of annual recycled plastic usage in its packaging portfolio by 2024.

The step builds upon its previous actions to help make its packaging more sustainable, including the commercialisation of 100 percent recycled bottles for POWER1 range in 2022 and the incorporation of 30 percent recycled content across its entire bottle packaging in 2023.

This latest change aligns seamlessly with Castrol’s global PATH360 strategy, which aims to reduce its plastic footprint by half by 2030.

Sandeep Sangwan, MD, Castrol India said, “We are proud to announce this milestone in our journey towards more sustainable packaging. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who have overcome challenges to develop packaging solutions that meet our high standards for quality and aesthetics.”

In addition to packaging, Castrol India aims to have more sustainable manufacturing practices. The company’s production facilities utilise energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources to seek to reduce its operational greenhouse gas emissions.