Irish American automotive supplier Aptiv has opened its new technical centre in Chennai to accelerate the development of advanced vehicle technology in India. The new facility is set to host up to 500 engineers by 2026, focusing on software-defined vehicles, advanced safety and user experience technologies.

Spanning over 34,000 square feet, the new Software, Advanced Safety & User Experience (AS&UX) Technical Centre will be Aptiv's fourth technical facility in India. It will feature advanced labs and test infrastructure, with a specific focus on AI/ML-powered systems for next-generation Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and in-cabin perception. The move highlights Aptiv's commitment to supporting local automakers and tapping into India's growing automotive market.

The inauguration was attended by senior leaders from both Aptiv and Mahindra & Mahindra, including Javed Khan, Aptiv's Executive Vice-President and President of AS&UX, and R Velusamy, President of Automotive Business (Designate) at Mahindra.

Javed Khan, said, “We are proud to expand our presence in India with the launch of our new technical centre in Chennai. This centre will strengthen our ability to localise AI/ML-powered ADAS and advanced interior sensing technologies for the Indian market, reflecting our confidence in India’s engineering talent and bringing us closer to our customers – so together, we can build a safer, smarter future here in India.”

The new centre will spearhead the development of key technologies, including advanced ADAS perception tools, in-cabin sensing, and software-defined infotainment platforms. It will also contribute to Aptiv’s cloud-native architecture, leveraging integrated hardware, software and edge technologies from Wind River.

This expansion reinforces Aptiv’s existing presence in India, where the company already employs over 13,000 people across eight manufacturing plants, four technical centres, and a tooling centre. The new Chennai facility is expected to play a crucial role in advancing the company’s mission to enable intelligent, software-defined systems for the global automotive industry.

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Affordable Robotic and Automation (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics company, has announced a significant global expansion milestone: its subsidiary, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), has secured its first international order for the newly developed Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklift – a mobile truck loading and unloading robot.

The order, the company shared, was placed by a large US-based logistics player following comprehensive and successful prototype trials over the last three months at the client’s facilities. The initial order comprises two Atlas AC2000 robots, valued at INR 36 million, and leased for a period of three years.

This initial win is strategically crucial, as it offers Humro a unique opportunity to scale deployment substantially. The client owns 15 warehouses across the US, with a potential to deploy around 15–16 mobile robots in each warehouse over the next two years.

Milind Padole, Founder & Managing Director, ARAPL, said, “Considering the scale and competition in the US market, we are thrilled to announce the success of our product with an established logistics player. This order, following stringent approvals and successful prototype performance, not only opens new doors for us but also is a step towards positioning Make In India mobile robots prominently in the global warehouse robotics sector – otherwise dominated by large US and Chinese players.”

The Atlas AC2000 forklift is a sophisticated machine equipped with LiDAR-based navigation, real-time obstacle detection and precision control algorithms, allowing for safe, 24x7 autonomous truck loading and unloading operations. Humro, which specialises in Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), leverages ARAPL’s proprietary i-ware controller and employs AI, navigation and swarm robotics to deliver its solutions.

To fuel its global vision and growth, ARAPL has proposed a USD 8–10 million investment into Humro, including USD 3 million personally committed by Padole, alongside preferential allotments and debt financing. Despite announcing a 10 percent price adjustment from December 2025 to reflect new US tariffs, Humro emphasised that its products will remain 15–20 percent more cost-effective than competitors.

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L&T Technology Services (LTTS), a leading player in AI, Digital & ER&D Consulting Services, has bagged a multi-year agreement valued at USD 100 million from a US-based industrial equipment manufacturer catering to the semiconductor value chain.

As per the understanding, LTTS will support the clients’ initiatives across new product development, sustenance engineering, value engineering and platform automation by leveraging its expertise in AI, computer vision and next-gen automation technologies. Furthermore, LTTS will also set-up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) to support the client in accelerating innovation, simplifying platforms, application engineering and transitioning towards a more digital and AI-enabled future.

Amit Chadha, CEO & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services, said, “We deeply value the trust and confidence our client has placed in us and are committed to further strengthening this relationship as we move ahead with this transformational program. This engagement underscores LTTS’ expertise in leveraging AI-driven innovation to address complex engineering challenges in high-growth industries. By harnessing our capabilities in AI, automation and product engineering, we are empowering our client to further expand their market share and stay ahead of the curve.”

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The road to decarbonisation for the commercial vehicle sector is proving to be a complex and challenging journey, with experts highlighting that a straightforward ‘combustion engine ban’ for lorries and other commercial vehicles is far more difficult to implement than for passenger cars.

Following the European Union’s strict CO2 fleet regulations for passenger vehicles, which effectively introduce a ban on combustion engines, stringent greenhouse gas limits are also being rolled out for commercial vehicles.

Experts at the International Vienna Motor Symposium stressed that the industry is racing to develop a wide array of solutions to match the huge diversity of vehicles on the road – from long-distance trucks and small delivery vans to construction and agricultural machinery.

Prof. Bernhard Geringer, Chairman of the International Vienna Motor Symposium, noted that the entire commercial vehicle industry is working on a wide range of solutions needed to match the diversity of vehicle types on the road in view of the developments expected in 2026.

The legislative pressure is intense. Tobias Stoll, a project manager at the Research Institute for Automotive Engineering and Vehicle Engines Stuttgart (FKFS), pointed out that EU legislation stipulates ‘a 45 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2019,’ with manufacturers facing heavy financial penalties for non-compliance.

This has set the industry's course, with Frederik Zohm (pictured above), Chief Technology Officer at MAN Trucks & Bus, expecting ‘major transformations in the commercial vehicle sector by 2030.’

Egon Christ, Chief Strategist at transport and logistics service provider Mosolf, commented: ‘The course has been set.’

However, the existing transport model, especially for long-haul journeys, is heavily reliant on fossil fuels. A typical diesel lorry has a service life of 1.5 million kilometres, often covering up to 200,000 kilometres annually.

Ten years ago, EU forecasts anticipated a dominant role for hydrogen and a minor one for battery-electric trucks. The reality has turned out to be ‘exactly the opposite,’ according to Nils-Erik Meyer, a division manager at Akkodis Germany.

Today, there are only around 10 fuel-cell truck models in the EU, compared to over 40 battery-electric models.

While battery-electric vehicles are currently the most technologically advanced, their widespread use hinges on a massive overhaul of charging infrastructure.

Oliver Hrazdera, site manager at Akkodis Austria, calculated: “For trucks with an electric range of 500 kilometres, the EU needs 2,000 charging points with 650 or 1,000 kilowatts of charging power.”

Batteries, payload and hydrogen’s setbacks

Freight companies prioritise fast turnarounds, which necessitates rapid charging. Dorothea Liebig, a manager at Shell Global Solutions Germany, explained that the maximum charging capacity for trucks ‘is up to eight times higher than for cars.’ She also highlighted the alternative of battery swapping, particularly prevalent in China, where it is ‘fully automated and takes just seven minutes’ at the over 1,200 existing battery replacement stations for trucks.

For many journeys, electric trucks are already viable. Meyer from Akkodis calculated that with a mandatory driver break and recharging, a truck could cover ‘around 630 kilometres are possible in one shift. This covers 90 percent of all journeys.’

However, a key disadvantage of battery-electric lorries is the impact on payload, which is reduced by ‘three to six tonnes for the drive system, mainly due to the batteries,’ according to Meyer. By contrast, hydrogen fuel cells only reduce the payload by one tonne.

Despite this advantage, enthusiasm for fuel cells has cooled in Europe. Markus Heyn, Managing Director of Robert Bosch and Chairman of Bosch Mobility, reported that in Europe and the US, a major hurdle has been the substantial cooling requirements for fuel cells, which need ‘two to two and a half times more cooling surface area than diesel trucks,’.

According to Rolf Dobereiner, product line manager at AVL List. This increased requirement consumes up to 40 kilowatts, reducing driving performance and creating challenges for achieving the high-power outputs needed for heavy-duty haulage.

An unexpected dark horse has emerged: the hydrogen combustion engine. This technology offers compelling benefits, as it doesn't require the costly, high-purity hydrogen needed for fuel cells.

Christian Barba, Senior Manager at Daimler Truck, noted that it saves costs ‘as 80 percent of the parts of a diesel engine can be reused.’

Moreover, Anton Arnberger, Senior Product Manager at AVL List, reported that it ‘is the only zero-emission technology that does not require the use of rare earths.’

The hydrogen engine ‘could achieve the torque and power of a gas or diesel engine,’ said Lei Liu, a manager at Cummins in Beijing. Cummins is testing these vehicles in India, where they are seen as a main pillar for transport decarbonisation, given the lack of a comprehensive power grid required for electric trucks.

Developers are also looking at alternatives to gaseous hydrogen. The trend in Europe is moving towards liquid hydrogen, which allows for longer ranges and is cheaper to store.

Furthermore, Yuan Shen, Chief Developer at Zhejiang Geely Holding in China, proposed methanol as ‘the best carrier of hydrogen,’ as it is a liquid fuel that is easy and safer to store and transport.

Shipping, special vehicles and hybridisation

Decarbonisation is equally challenging on the high seas. Andreas Wimmer, a professor at Graz University of Technology, reported that engines for the 100,000 ocean-going vessels in service today have a life span of over 25 years and cost hundreds of millions of euros.

By 2050, these giants must also be CO2-free. While the combustion engine will remain, fossil heavy fuel oil must be replaced by ammonia (considered an ‘up-and-comer’), methanol or limited-quantity biofuel.

The special vehicle sector – such as construction and agricultural machinery – presents one of the toughest challenges. Stefan Loser, department head at MAN Truck & Bus, noted that a forage harvester would need ‘36 tonnes of batteries to run purely on electricity,’ which is impractical. For such machines, which are used intensively for short periods, hydrogen fuel cells or combustion engines running on synthetic fuels will be essential.

Finally, in the USA, where the decarbonisation of transport is ‘less aggressive than in Europe,’ according to Chris Bitsis, head of development at the Southwest Research Institute, hybridisation (the combination of combustion engines and electric drives) is seen as a key strategy to maintain everyday usability while significantly reducing consumption and emissions.

Summing up the current situation, Prof. Bernhard Geringer concluded that battery-electric drives in commercial vehicles are currently only realistic for distances of up to 500 km and with sufficient fast-charging options. He stressed that the special vehicle sector is particularly difficult, which is where ‘hydrogen fuel cell drives or combustion engines with synthetic fuels come into play.’

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Delhi-NCR-headquartered electric vehicle company Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has launched Swayamgati, which it claims to be the world’s first production-ready autonomous electric three-wheeler. Now available for commercial deployment, the passenger version is priced at INR 400,000, positioning it as a breakthrough in delivering affordable autonomy for urban India.

The Swayamgati integrates OSM's electric vehicle platform with an AI-driven retrofit autonomy system. This technology, the company shared, offers seamless and intelligent transport, ideal for short-distance use cases within airports, smart campuses, industrial parks, gated communities and dense urban environments. The vehicle operates based on prior mapping, which is customised to a client's specific route or distance requirements.

The launch capitalises on the rapidly growing global Autonomous Electric Vehicle (AEV) market, which a 2025 McKinsey report suggests will surpass USD 620 billion by 2030. In India, where urban congestion is a pressing issue, AEVs offer a unique opportunity to deliver safe, efficient and cost-effective mobility in structured settings.

Uday Narang, Founder & Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “The launch of Swayamgati is not just a product introduction – it’s a bold step into the future of Indian transportation. Autonomous vehicles are no longer a futuristic concept; they are a present-day necessity for nations seeking sustainable and scalable mobility. With Swayamgati, we are showing that India doesn’t need to follow global trends – we can lead them. This vehicle proves that cutting-edge tech like AI, LiDAR and autonomous navigation can be made in India, for India, and at a price point that makes it truly accessible. We are building technology that serves people – not just headlines.”

The vehicle has successfully completed Phase 1 testing, which involved navigating a 3km autonomous route with real-time obstacle detection and safe passenger movement, all without human intervention. The commercial rollout in controlled environments now begins with Phase 2.

The Swayamgati is purpose-built to handle the unique challenges of Indian roads and high-density, low-speed traffic. Being 100 percent electric, it contributes to zero tailpipe emissions while significantly reducing operational costs. Crucially, its affordability ensures this cutting-edge technology is accessible beyond just luxury fleets.

Vivek Dhawan, Chief Strategy Officer, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “Swayamgati is a result of deep R&D and a clear vision: to democratise autonomy. Our autonomous electric three-wheeler enables us to leapfrog traditional EV barriers and bring intelligent systems into everyday mobility. Autonomous EVs will redefine how India moves in cities, campuses, and industrial zones – and we are proud to be at the forefront of that transformation.”

At present, OSM has set-up strong manufacturing facilities in Faridabad and Chakan (Pune). This is complemented by a growing network of over 200 dealerships and service centres across India.

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