Currently, India’s foundry market for automotive components is small (only 10 percent of total foundry market — 10 million of cast iron + aluminium) in comparison to USA’s foundry market, which is at 14 million tonnes per annum, of which 3.3 million is aluminium (24 percent). With an increasing focus on higher performance with better safety and lower emission, this gap is going to shrink in the coming years, anticipates Ajay Kapur, CEO – Aluminium & Power Business, Vedanta Aluminium.

“There is immense scope for Indian aluminium producers to tap into the emerging market in the automotive sector,” said Kapur. Vedanta Aluminium was the first in India to supply PFA (primary foundry alloy) to the domestic auto sector. Before, the launch of PFA by the company, India’s entire PFA demand was being met through imports, even though the country has the world’s second-largest aluminium production capacity. Looking at the potential of the auto market and its import dependency, the company decided to tap into the opportunity and develop indigenous capabilities at its state-of-the-art facilities in Jharsuguda and BALCO to meet that demand. Currently, the company has a PFA casting capacity of 240KT spread across its plants in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

“Primary aluminium producers develop PFAs which are customised to suit the exact needs of automakers in terms of performance, strength, durability, etc. Significant R&D and technical expertise go into developing PFAs, resulting in excellent metal quality and outstanding castability, which makes these alloys the preferred choice for the automotive industry,” explained Kapur. PFAs are ideal for aluminium alloy wheels, cylinder heads and brakes. The company also anticipates that with an increased focus on reduction of vehicle weight with higher safety performance, automotive parts critical to safety will be made from PFA instead of cast iron to offer higher strength and nearly double absorption of crash energy. “Besides, aluminium PFAs will always have the added advantage of cost-saving on fuel and maintenance,” added Kapur.

Vedanta Aluminium has started steadily supplying PFAs to OEMs and ancillaries in wheel manufacturing in India. “Our proactive move to expand business on this front helped us on-board some of the most reputed equipment manufacturers and auto ancillaries as our clients, and we have received a very positive response from them. Encouraged by that, we will soon look to expand our alloy portfolio for supporting manufacturing of cylinder heads, ABS brakes and certain key applications where traditional materials can easily get substituted with aluminium alloy. We are also exploring prospects of long-term investments by auto ancillaries near our aluminium smelters so that they may leverage cost savings in terms of freight, re-melting and electricity,” said Kapur.

The company, according to him, is well-positioned to cater to the current and emerging needs of the Indian auto sector, offering a broad range of products that find usage across the automotive value chain – from casting to extrusion. “When choosing suppliers for alloys, automotive players should look for companies having high-quality casting facilities, sophisticated R&D facilities and technological prowess for developing customised high-performance alloys for their specific needs, and finally, having robust after-sales technical support; USPs that have earned us the trust of our clients,” he added.

Aluminium is the second most used metal in the world after steel, today, and, according to Kapur, it has the potential to become the most important commercial metal in the future. “Most developed countries have already designated aluminium as a core industry. Aluminium holds strategic importance for the economy as the metal of choice for all kinds of transportation, power, aerospace, defence, building and construction needs. So, given the role it plays in supporting the core sectors meet the Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, we expect its application to only expand with time,” said Kapur.

The metal’s usage in the transportation sector has been rapidly increasing as it offers an environment-friendly and cost-effective way to increase performance, boost fuel economy and reduce emissions while maintaining or improving safety and durability. Aluminium is substantially lighter than its counterparts, offering a significant reduction in weight, which has a direct impact on fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

The metal also has a higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional materials that enable it to absorb twice the crash energy of mild steel, ensuring that vehicular performance enhancements do not come at the cost of safety. “Further, nearly 90 percent of all the aluminium used in a vehicle is recycled at the end of its lifecycle. The energy required to recycle aluminium is only five percent of the energy required to produce the metal. With all these advantages, aluminium can play a pivotal role in the changing face of the automotive sector,” said Kapur.

Aluminium alloys are used by the Indian auto industry majorly as alloy wheels. Around 95 percent of two-wheelers include aluminium, averaging at 7kg per bike, taking total consumption of aluminium alloy in this segment to 115KTPA (kilo tons per annum). Whereas, only 20 percent of four-wheelers use aluminium, majorly in high-end models, which max out at 40kg per car. “The crux of the matter is, in India, we are yet to explore more applications of aluminium in the automotive industry akin to our global peers. For example, in developed countries, around 21 PFAs are used in the automotive segment to achieve light-weighting in the form of various auto parts and components. In India, we majorly use PFAs only for manufacturing alloy wheels and to some extent, for cylinder heads. So, there is immense potential for usage of aluminium in other auto parts like engine, suspension, front end carrier, instrument panel support, rear frame, chassis and many more,” said Kapur.

Shortly, the company expands its alloy portfolio for supporting manufacturing of cylinder heads, ABS brakes and certain other applications where currently steel or iron is being used but can be substituted by suitable aluminium alloys to provide additional benefits. As the market for aluminium alloys in automotive segment expands with inclusion of newer applications, Vedanta Aluminium will look for opportunities to leverage its technological expertise and R&D capabilities to develop products customised to the needs of the market. Vedanta Aluminium is also open to collaborating with the downstream industry, to unlock the entire potential of aluminium used in the auto sector and cater to the rapidly evolving aluminium requirements of the Indian automotive industry.

In the Indian automotive market, one of the biggest challenges faced today is the increasing imports of auto components from China and other countries. The size of the auto components imports was USD 17.6 billion in FY19. Asia, the largest source of imports for Indian auto-components, had a share of 61 percent followed by Europe at 29 percent; North America at eight percent; Latin America and Africa at one percent each in FY19. China, with 27 percent, enjoyed the status of the largest exporter in the Indian automotive market.

“The potential of the aluminium industry should be acknowledged and recognised as a core sector with a National Aluminium Policy that will encourage, protect and boost the domestic aluminium industry. The domestic capability needs to be harnessed for critical sectors of national importance like defence, aerospace, aviation, transportation, infrastructure, electrification, housing, etc. We must make the vision of ‘Make in India’ a ground reality in these sectors, leveraging the potential of the entire aluminium value chain, from mining to end usage. Besides enhancing domestic capacity and reducing import dependency and subsequently trade deficit, it will also generate huge employment opportunities in our country which has a deep talent pool that needs to be capitalised for the realisation of our vision of a USD5 trillion economy. We are on the right path, but there is still a long way to go,” said Kapur.

The global economy is swiftly moving towards a cleaner, greener and more sustainable lifestyle. For more than a decade now, concerns about fuel efficiency have encouraged OEMs to replace steel with aluminium in vehicle bodies, doors, trunks, hoods, bumpers, crash boxes, brakes and wheels. With the advent of electric vehicles (EV), OEMs worldwide are focusing on exploring and applying new uses of aluminium. The need for lightweight battery casings and heat exchangers in electric vehicles, combined with autonomous vehicles’ demands for high visibility and structural integrity, is expected to exponentially increase the use of aluminium in cars, trucks and buses from now on. “Using aluminium in EVs has several advantages, foremost amongst which is the distance travelled per charge. Lighter the vehicle, the longer its range. Coming to better battery life, thanks to the metal’s thermal and anticorrosion properties, aluminium is ideal for battery frames. Demand for aluminium will also rise on account of infrastructure for serving EVs since the metal is commonly used as a housing material for EVs charging stations as well. While India is waking up to this future of automobiles, partnerships between different automotive industry bodies/institutions and auto companies for sharing knowledge and expertise will help fast-track development of electric vehicles in the country,” said Kapur. MT

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Mercedes-Benz India has introduced a transformative new Dealer Management System named SKYLine, a custom platform developed in collaboration with Zoho. This system represents a significant technological leap, engineered entirely in India to meet the specific demands of the local luxury automotive market. SKYLine is built to overhaul the entire customer service journey, creating a seamless and digitally integrated experience from the moment a vehicle is booked for service until it is returned to its owner.

The platform marks a strategic departure from older, fragmented systems by implementing a modern, decentralised architecture. A key feature of this new approach is that each Mercedes-Benz dealership across India now operates on its own dedicated instance of Zoho CRM. This grants individual locations a high degree of operational autonomy while still ensuring they adhere to the brand’s centrally governed standards and processes. A critical technical achievement was the system's ability to integrate flawlessly with the manufacturer's existing European headquarters infrastructure without requiring any modifications to those core systems, facilitated by a sophisticated co-developed middleware layer.

By digitising the complete service lifecycle, SKYLine introduces unprecedented operational efficiency and transparency. The system manages a comprehensive suite of processes, including service booking, digital check-in, vehicle inspection and job card creation. It also enables skill-based assignment of technicians, allows for live job tracking and automates customer communications. This connected workflow eliminates previous inefficiencies, creating a cohesive and paperless journey for the customer. The platform's scope extends beyond core services to also streamline other dealership operations, such as managing courtesy car availability through visual dashboards and centralising processes for the growing pre-owned vehicle business.

The deployment of SKYLine was supported by an extensive rollout programme involving thousands of man-days dedicated to user training and testing to ensure widespread and effective adoption. Orchestrated by Zoho’s Enterprise Business Solutions team, the project stands as one of the most technically sophisticated and strategically important Dealer Management System implementations in the region, fundamentally modernising the customer ownership experience for Mercedes-Benz in India.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “SKYLine represents a significant step towards managing our customer service operations, being a key lever that will significantly enhance customer’s experience. This bespoke DMS is built by Zoho for our dealer partners, making it seamless and highly integrated into our global systems, redefining customer journey. With SKYLine, we are setting a new benchmark in customer experience by blending technology with personalised service. We are proud that Zoho developed a world-class, highly secured and local ‘no code-no source’ platform like SKYLine for the Indian customers, underlining the unmatched prowess of Indian technological innovation, having international adaptability. SKYLine brings transparency, efficiency and control into every service interaction, empowering customers while delivering an elevated experience which they desire from Mercedes-Benz.”

Mani Vembu, CEO, Zoho, said, “SKYLine is a technology marvel born of close collaboration and co-creation. When Mercedes-Benz India came to us with a vision that had no off-the-shelf solution, we saw an opportunity to build something truly unique. Together, we have built a decentralised platform that empowers each dealership with autonomy while maintaining central control and real-time HQ integration. To meet these complex needs, we co-developed middleware capabilities alongside our evolving Qntrl platform, enabling seamless communication across legacy protocols. This project reflects what’s possible when product teams and customers come together with a shared sense of purpose and a commitment to solving real-world challenges.”

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Ola Electric has announced that it has secured ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) certification for its indigenously developed and manufactured 4680 Bharat Cell battery packs in a 5.2 kWh configuration. The certification was granted under the latest AIS-156 Amendment 4 standards.

This makes Ola Electric the first EV company in India to receive certification for a completely in-house developed 4680 cell battery pack.

With this milestone, Ola Electric will soon begin delivering vehicles powered by its own 4680 Bharat Cells. The certified pack is set to debut on the S1 Pro+ 5.2 kWh, making it the first Ola vehicle to use the company's homegrown cell technology.

The company states that the shift from third-party cells to its own 4680 Bharat Cells is a decisive step toward vertical integration in EVs. This is expected to significantly enhance range and performance, improve unit economics and reduce dependence on global supply chains as its upcoming Gigafactory scales production.

The certification process involved rigorous testing regimes for safety, electrical reliability and performance across extreme operating conditions, including successful clearance of water immersion, vibration durability and thermal shock resistance.

An Ola Electric spokesperson said: “With the ARAI certification of our 4680 Bharat Cell battery pack, we are ready to deliver our first vehicles powered by our own cells. This is a defining milestone in our mission to build India’s EV technology leadership and reduce reliance on global supply chains. Customers will soon be able to experience the enhanced range, performance and reliability that our homegrown cells bring to our scooters and motorcycles.”

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German automotive major Volkswagen has now produced over two million models equipped with Car2X technology for Europe, marking a step toward reducing road traffic accidents and achieving the company's ‘Vision Zero’ goal.

The Car2X technology enables networked vehicles to communicate with each other and with local traffic infrastructure in real-time, using the principle of local swarm intelligence.

The vehicles can exchange data in milliseconds without needing a mobile network connection, allowing the traffic hazard alert assist system to display warnings in the digital cockpit for occupants. These alerts are crucial in situations requiring fast transmission, such as emergency braking, sudden traffic queue ends or approaching emergency vehicles.

Connectivity is increasing through intelligent roadside units that send warnings to vehicles about events like wrong-way drivers, traffic jams, objects on the road and unusual weather.

Road operators and rescue services across Europe are integrating Car2X. Autobahn in Germany has equipped over 1,000 roadworks trailers with the technology, while Austria has installed roadside units across its motorway network. Other countries, including Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia, have also installed a number of roadside units and equipped emergency vehicles.

The technology enables, for example, compatible road users receive a warning indicating the direction from which an emergency vehicle such as fire truck is approaching.

The technology acts as a virtual sensor that supplements on-board vehicle sensors. For instance, the optional Travel Assist with ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) can reduce the vehicle's speed even if the end of a traffic queue is not yet visible.

Veronica Lehr, Head of Driver Assist Systems in Volkswagen’s Development department, said, “With the increasing use of Car2X, road traffic can become more cooperative and anticipatory in many areas. The technology is therefore a key component for our ‘Vision Zero’ – traffic without serious accidents. In addition, Volkswagen is laying the foundation for the mobility of the future, which is set to be safer, intelligent and connected.”

The Car2X direct communication in Volkswagen models uses the Wi-Fi p standard, allowing vehicles to exchange warnings and location data within a radius of up to 800 metre. The process is open and standardised, enabling communication across manufacturers. To protect privacy, the notifications are anonymised.

The traffic hazard alert assist system with Car2X-technology is currently available in models such as the Golf, T-Roc, Tiguan, Passat, ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and is standard in the ID.7. Volkswagen was recently awarded the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award 2025 by the Centre of Automotive Management (CAM) as the most innovative volume brand, with electric mobility and connectivity highlighted.

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South Korea-based tier 2 supplier Mobase Electronics Co. and California-based UltraSense Systems have announced the production ramp of a solid-state infotainment touch bar now shipping on a high-volume global SUV platform.

The new touch bar aims to modernise the cabin interface by replacing previous mechanical interfaces. It pairs UltraSense’s Force HMI Controller with in-plane piezoelectric force sensing, localised haptics and capacitive touch to deliver a sleek design and a ‘press-to-confirm’ feel.

The force-based approach reduces false triggering compared with capacitive-only designs and offers tuneable force thresholds. The solution also meets automotive Grade-B operating requirements.

The companies highlight that the technology aligns with Euro NCAP’s 2026 direction encouraging tactile controls for functions, as the solid-state bar beneath the display allows drivers to adjust settings by feel rather than visually navigating menus.

Kwangyoon Lee, Vice-Chairman & CEO, Mobase Electronics, said, “Working with UltraSense, we’re delivering a contemporary interface that elevates both feel and manufacturability. The combination of capacitive touch, piezoelectric force and haptics gives drivers confident control with a modern look.”

Mo Maghsoudnia, Founder & CEO, UltraSense Systems, said, “Mobase has been an excellent partner from concept to SOP. Our Force HMI Controller with in-plane sensing brings a robust HMI solution with a premium experience, supporting the modern interior designs automakers want.”

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