Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH (BHTC), one of the world's technology leaders in the field of automotive displays/HMI solutions, climate control and thermal management, has announced the launch of its state-of-the-art fully integrated manufacturing facility in Pune. The company said in a statement that the new facility was inaugurated in the presence of Michael Jaeger, CEO, BHTC Group; Sudeesh Karimbingal, Managing Director, BHTC India; Kolja Kress, Group CFO & Board Member of BHTC India; Bernd Kuhlhoff, Executive Vice President Sales, BHTC Group; and Dr. Ralph Trapp, Executive Vice President Research & Development, BHTC Group. 

The Pune facility is spread over an area of 120,000 square feet and employs around 300 people, the release said. 

The company has already invested about EUR 10 million in India and has committed another EUR 8 to 10 million of investment until 2023. The new facility will cater to the increasing demands of local and global customers. 

The facility in Pune already specialises in end-to-end product development and manufacturing of advanced HMI and Climate Control Panels for leading automotive OEMs in India and across the globe. The company has upgraded its manufacturing capability and capacity to produce world-class products out of India. The facility houses advanced testing and validation centre, global R&D centre, global IT and shared services, all under one roof.  

Opening of their new facility underscores the strategic importance of India as one of the key pillars of BHTC’s global R&D network, the release said. BHTC’s engineers in India are already working on latest technologies and innovations for our local and global customers. With the expansions, BHTC aims to accelerate the global development activities in the coming months and ramp up its R&D strength to about 300 very soon.  

Kress said, “BHTC is building on our long-term commitment to the Indian market. State-of-the-art facility will serve local and global customers of BHTC. 120,000 square feet integrated facility would house world class SMD manufacturing, advanced testing and validation centre, global R&D centre, global IT and Shared services, all under one roof. New facility will strengthen our local manufacturing capabilities, design and development of innovative climate control and HMI solutions.” 

Karimbingal said, “We are proud to introduce our new facility in Pune and be part of the ‘Local for Global’ initiative by the Indian government. The investment in the new facility not only meets the increased demand for our products but is also having a positive cascading effect on employment generation and skilling at the same time. We are very well positioned to achieve our 2025 strategic goal – to be the market leader in India for Automotive HMI and climate control products. We aim to outperform the industry by growing over 15% CAGR next 5 years based on the already bagged strong order book. We see a growing demand for BHTC’s Display solutions in India with the augmenting demand for connected vehicles with increasing dependency on navigation systems, infotainment systems, and growing awareness of in-vehicle safety and comfort among Indian consumers.” (MT)

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Cars24 has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to support India's startup ecosystem through initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, mobility, and road safety.

As per the agreement, Cars24 will establish structured programmes for early-stage founders, granting access to its infrastructure, mentor network, funding sources, market connections and technical resources. In turn, the DPIIT will facilitate national outreach and ecosystem integration via the Startup India platform, supporting knowledge exchange, co-branding and policy engagement.

The partnership encompasses five specific areas of operation: mentorship for early-stage founders via the Cars24 Founders' Fellowship, training through Mobility and Autotech Skilling Programmes, technical support and AI integration via Cars24 Labs, investor connections through Fuel by Cars24 and the organisation of an annual Innovation Challenge and Road Safety Hackathon alongside the DPIIT.

Vikram Chopra, Builder, Cars24, said, “Cars24 is proof that Indian founders can start with a difficult, everyday problem and build something on a national scale. We want to pass that possibility on. Through this partnership with DPIIT, we are backing the next generation of builders with more than advice. We want to give them access, capital, talent and a real platform to test ideas that can make India move smarter and safer.”

A senior DPIIT official commented, “Industry participation is central to strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. Collaborations of this kind, where an established market leader opens up its scale, mentorship and resources to early-stage founders, are exactly the bridge between ambition and execution that young startups need. We welcome Cars24’s commitment to mentoring, skilling and supporting product startups across the country.”

The non-binding MoU establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration between both entities to foster technology adoption and entrepreneurship within the Indian mobility sector.

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NXP Semiconductors has announced that the BMW Group will deploy its Trimension NCJ29D6 Ultra-Wideband (UWB) family across its vehicle fleet, beginning with selected 2026 production programmes.

The hardware component integrates fine-ranging capabilities with short-range radar functionality on a single chip. This allows vehicle manufacturers to utilise a single system for multiple applications, including hands-free vehicle entry and occupant presence detection.

The integration supports BMW’s Digital Key Plus feature, which enables vehicle owners to substitute key fobs with smartphones or smartwatches. The system manages locking and unlocking functions as the user approaches or moves away from the vehicle. Additionally, the technology includes in-cabin radar monitoring designed to identify motion patterns consistent with occupants or animals left inside a parked vehicle, sending notification alerts to users to align with European and Chinese NCAP assessment protocols.

Markus Staeblein, Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Secure Car Access at NXP Semiconductors, said, “NXP’s proven Trimension UWB platform maximises value for OEMs, using a single system to deliver multiple new and differentiating features for drivers. Digital key and presence detection are just the beginning. OEMs will be able to deliver additional UWB-based features, such as kick sensing, intrusion alert or automatic charging, as they establish the secure hardware platform in their vehicles.”

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Envalior India, an engineering materials company formed through the merger of DSM Engineering Materials and LANXESS High Performance Materials, will inaugurate the Envalior Centre of Excellence in Electric Vehicle Technology on 5 August 2026 as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.

The CoE located at Marathwada Mitra Mandal's Polytechnic in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, will be implemented by the BroadArks Foundation to provide vocational training in electric vehicle systems.

It plans to train 250 individuals annually through two courses: a Level 4 Certificate in EV Service, Safety & Maintenance and a Level 5 Advanced Certificate in EV Diagnostics & Systems.

The curricula align with the National Skills Qualifications Framework and carry certification support from the Confederation of Indian Industry. The programs target students from Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnics studying mechanical, electrical, electronics, mechatronics and computer science disciplines.

Training instruction covers classroom coursework and laboratory modules focused on vehicle architecture, battery management systems, charging infrastructure, thermal management, power electronics, diagnostics and workshop safety protocols. Practical assessments and industry projects form part of the curriculum structure.

Nileshkumar Kukalyekar, Business Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Envalior, said, "The launch of the Envalior Centre of Excellence reflects our commitment to supporting India's transition towards electric mobility by investing in the people who will power it. Through this Centre, we aim to provide students with industry-aligned, hands-on training that prepares them for the evolving demands of the EV sector while contributing to a stronger and future-ready workforce."

In addition to student instruction, the facility is designed to support laboratory infrastructure and instructor development programs for technical education in the region.

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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has appointed Junghyun Kwon as Executive Vice-President and Head of the Autonomous Driving Development Center.

Kwon will oversee software engineering, deep learning integration, perception systems and commercialisation pathways for the group's autonomous mobility programs, reporting directly to Minwoo Park, President and Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division.

He joins the group following technical management roles in software development and artificial intelligence across international technology firms. Kwon previously managed autonomous driving software development and deployment at NVIDIA before directing intelligent robotics development at Samsung Electronics. His technical background covers machine learning models, computer vision systems and vehicle perception frameworks.

The executive appointment forms part of a broader recruitment sequence targeting software-defined vehicle architectures and autonomous driving systems.

Earlier in July, Hyundai Motor Group appointed Dongwuk Kim as Senior Vice-President and Head of the SDV Platform Development Center, following his work on wireless communication systems for mobile devices, robotics and vehicles at Apple and Tesla. The group also added Jeremy Ma as Senior Vice-President and Head of AVP Silicon Valley, drawing on his experience in robotics and autonomous systems at Apple, Toyota Research Institute and NVIDIA.

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