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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Bengaluru-based technology company Tsuyo Manufacturing has been granted two patents for electric vehicle motor designs, increasing its portfolio to 29 innovations.

The company claims it has supplied 300,000 powertrains to 25 manufacturers across the commercial vehicle, agriculture and industrial sectors.

The first patent covers a bridge design for synchronous reluctance motors. This architecture increases torque density and efficiency whilst reducing energy losses and the requirement for rare-earth materials. The second patent focuses on a five-phase permanent magnet motor using a dual inverter system. This technology allows the motor to switch between modes for startup and torque demands and maintains operation if a phase failure occurs.

These technologies were developed through research and collaboration with the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur. The company recently received approval from the Government of Karnataka for a manufacturing expansion to increase powertrain production.

Vijay Kumar, Founder and CEO, Tsuyo Manufacturing, said, "These patents mark a significant milestone and recognition in our mission to develop and promote Design-In-India technology for both domestic and global EV markets. At Tsuyo, we are not merely creating components; we are engineering a comprehensive design approach, crafting fundamental technology to drive sustainable and impactful innovation. Our goal is to offer a resilient powertrain system that addresses real-world performance challenges in electric mobility. Our commitment to deep-tech innovation, supported by a strong in-house R&D team and robust academic collaborations, enables us to challenge conventional construction and topology in hardware. This approach allows us to create niche, modular designs that are manufacturable and scalable, delivering solutions that enhance efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness for OEMs. We take pride in being India's fastest research and engineering startup, consistently advancing our research from TRL1 to TRL9 levels. As India moves towards electrification, we are proud to contribute to the 'Design in India, for the world' vision while expanding our IP portfolio with numerous innovations in the pipeline."

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Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) has opened a new 33,000 sqft wing at its Technology Centre Pune (TCP) in Baner. The facility is designed to house 250 engineers, bringing the total engineering workforce to more than 450 across its Pune sites.

The expansion aims to increase capacity for vehicle development, platform engineering and software solutions. Staff at the Baner site will also focus on sustainable mobility and connected technologies. This centre acts as a hub for both domestic and international projects within the Volkswagen Group.

The Technology Centre Pune has previously managed the development of models for the Indian market, including the Volkswagen Taigun, the Skoda Kushaq and the Skoda Kylaq sub-4-meter SUV. The new wing is intended to improve localisation and speed up the adaptation of global platforms for local requirements.

Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “The expansion of our R&D footprint in Pune marks another important milestone in our India journey. With the new Baner wing, we are creating additional capacity in a dynamic urban location while building on the strong foundation of our Technology Centre Pune in Chakan. As part of its long-term roadmap, TCP is set to expand its competencies in digitalization, automation, and advanced safety technologies. This combined engineering ecosystem allows us to deliver global-quality solutions with higher speed, greater localisation, and a sharper understanding of customer requirements in India and the world. It further underlines India’s position as a strategic development and competency hub for the Volkswagen Group.”

The company started the Technology Centre Pune in 2019 at its Chakan plant. This latest expansion in Baner is part of a roadmap to increase competencies in automation and safety technologies while maintaining the Group's standards for the subcontinent and export markets.

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Tata Motors, one of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has reached a new innovation peak, filing 144 patent applications in FY2025-26, which it claims is the highest annual count ever recorded by its commercial vehicles (CV) division.

The surge in intellectual property activity reflects the company’s shift toward ‘future-ready’ technologies. Beyond traditional mechanical engineering, the new filings focus heavily on sustainable mobility, including electric vehicle (EV) architectures and hydrogen-based internal combustion engines (H2-ICE).

In addition to the record-breaking patent applications, the company expanded its broader IP footprint, which includes 21 design applications and 35 copyright applications; secured 15 new patent grants during the year and now holds a total of over 650 granted patents.

The engineering teams have focused their innovation efforts on four core pillars: Vehicle Safety – advanced driver assistance and structural integrity, Reliability – enhancing the lifecycle of heavy-duty components, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – optimising fuel/energy efficiency to improve profitability for fleet operators. And Occupant Comfort – ergonomic and cabin climate innovations for long-haul drivers.

A significant portion of the recent innovation is tied to Tata Motors' leadership in the hydrogen ecosystem. In February 2026, the company signed an MoU with the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority to deploy 40 hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks (Tata Prima 55-tonne).  

The patent filings support a multi-fuel strategy, encompassing Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Hydrogen ICE, and Hydrogen Fuel Cell technologies, as confirmed by Chairman N Chandrasekaran earlier this month.

Aniruddha Kulkarni, Vice-President and Head of Engineering, Tata Motors, said, “Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles. The record number of patent applications filed in FY26 is a testament to the passion, creativity, and technical excellence of our engineering teams. It reinforces our vision of establishing Tata Motors as a global benchmark for innovation in commercial mobility. As we look ahead, we remain committed to harnessing our innovation capabilities to serve the long-term interests of our customers, communities, and the nation.”

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MathWorks has announced Release 2026a (R2026a) of MATLAB and Simulink, headlined by the introduction of AI-powered ‘copilots’ designed to streamline embedded systems development and software verification.

The release focuses on ‘grounded AI’ – integrating generative AI directly into existing engineering environments to improve productivity without compromising the rigour and traceability required for complex systems.

MathWorks is expanding its AI ecosystem by embedding assistants into specific development stages. The Simulink Copilot is for model-based design, it provides context-aware guidance by generating model explanations, answering behaviour-related questions and helping users navigate complex subsystems.

Polyspace Copilot assists in interpreting static analysis results. It helps engineers understand coding vulnerabilities and suggests remedies based on Polyspace analysis findings.

MATLAB Copilot now integrated into MATLAB Test to help engineers generate starter tests and equivalence tests from command history.

Beyond AI assistants, R2026a introduces new products and workflows for software quality:

Polyspace as You Code: A new tool for C and C++ developers that identifies defects and security vulnerabilities in real-time as code is written.

Polyspace Enhancements: Includes a new unified desktop application and ‘software-sanitising’ capabilities in Polyspace Test for dynamic analysis of runtime errors.

Simulink FMU Builder: A new standalone product that creates Functional Mockup Units (FMUs) to facilitate model exchange and integration across different simulation environments.

Avinash Nehemiah, Head of Product Management, MathWorks, said, “In engineering design and software verification, productivity improvements cannot come at the expense of rigor, traceability, or trust. MathWorks is committed to delivering grounded AI tools that help teams move faster while preserving the discipline required to develop complex engineered systems.”

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