India, which houses four percent of the world’s water resources and 18 percent of the world’s population, ranks 13th among the 17 worst affected countries in Aqueduct 3.0 Country Rankings 2019 lists. It is the world’s biggest extractor of groundwater — more than China and the US combined — accounting for almost a quarter of the total extracted globally. Between 2000 and 2017 its groundwater depletion increased by as much as 23 percent. Generally, the annual per capita water availability of less than 1,700 cubic meters is considered a water-stressed condition. If this number is below 1,000 cubic meters, it is regarded as a water scarcity condition. Its highly alarming that for India, the utilisable per capita water availability which stood at 938 cubic meters in 2010 is expected to drop to 814 cubic meters by 2025, says National Institute of Hydrology.

About 200,000 Indians die every year due to inadequate access to safe water and 600 million face high to extreme water stress, as reported by NITI Aayog. The groundwater resources that account for 40 percent of India’s water supply are being depleted at unsustainable rates directing the need to adopt efficient water management measures in both residential and industrial areas. Nearly 163 million of India’s population of 1.3 billion lack access to clean water close to home, according to a report by WaterAid. Given this scenario, it is incumbent upon both the Government and the citizens, to find ways to address and avert the crisis.

Excessive Industrial water consumption

The world’s population is expected to expand by another 40-50% over the next 50 years (Source: World Water Council). Currently, India’s industrial sector is already the second-highest consumer of water, and their current usage in India is about 13 percent of the total freshwater withdrawal in the country. This water demand for industrial uses and energy production is expected to grow at a rate of 4.2 percent per year, rising from 67 billion cubic metres in 1999 to 228 billion cubic metres by 2025. Here, it’s critical to note that industrial water demand is not negligible in India and that it is bound to grow in the coming years. Experts opine that poor water pricing is one of the main reasons for its inefficient use by the industrial sector. It’s essential that for a water-stressed country like India, the efficiency of utilisation in all the industrial uses of water should be optimised and an awareness of water as a scarce resource should be fostered. The key to the problem lies in the effective management of the water through the deployment of tech advanced smart meters that allow real-time insights to be drawn and acted upon immediately.

Automotive Industry

Efficient water management is becoming an increasingly important issue in sustainable vehicle manufacturing. The automotive industry is one of the major consumers of water, and according to some estimates, over 40,000 gallons of water is used in the process of manufacturing a car. In the automobile assembly lines, water is used throughout a variety of process and production stages where vehicles are treated, washed, rinsed and painted.

The Indian automobile industry is expected to reach $300 Bn by 2026 at a CAGR of 15 percent. It is vital to deploy advanced smart water management technologies to track and reduce process water usage. The technology roadmap for energy reduction in automotive manufacturing should have smart water meter deployment as a key point. These would help manufacturers understand the water usage pattern and make informed decisions to use it more judiciously, thereby reducing the overall energy usage and cost factor.

Since water is used in nearly every stage of the auto manufacturing process in the automotive industry, concerns must be raised around how these plants can reduce global water use significantly. The most conducive solution would be deploying smart water metering solutions due to a number of benefits that they have to offer:

Power bank of Information/data log- Valuable statistical data and information about the water volume and flow, temperature, pressure information is stored and available in the integrated data loggers. These non-invasive temperature readings and optional integrated pressure measurement help network operators to maintain water quality and balance pressure levels in their pipe network.

Lifetime Maintenance-free with long-term battery life- With more than ten years of battery life and in-built static technologies, some static water meters solutions are maintenance-free over its entire operational lifetime.

Improved and better performance- Consumption patterns of commercial and industrial customers often involve fluctuations between low flow rates and continuously high flow rates. These smart meters are designed to be extra sensitive both at high and low flow rates so the alarm can be raised quickly and efficiently in case of pipe burst/ leakage/reverse flow/tampering attempts.

Interestingly, many of the large automobile players have understood the risk of undue water usage. Water management has started to become a top priority in manufacturing plants for them. The OEMs and associated automotive suppliers globally are constantly introducing and expanding methods to conserve water.

Government Initiatives

Governments and regulatory bodies are looking to encourage smarter systems, greener environmental standards and demanding cost targets to restrict the impact on their citizens. Smart water networks, energy reduction targets, a growing population and the effects of climate change are driving new business models and regulatory demands for the Government nowadays. Remote data collection and exchange is growing exponentially and long-established methods and practices are being relooked at – which is offering immense opportunities to utilities to drive operational efficiency. Smart water management, as outlined above, helps the Government, cities & water utilities to improve their infrastructure and enhance the quality of customer service/engagement.

Smart water meter application in industries will help water companies improve customer experience by providing instant, accurate information on everything from billing to queries about service, as and when it’s needed. Providing more data would mean enabling more contact with the customer, fostering a closer relationship.

Road Ahead

Right now, water conservation needs to be a strategic priority for vehicle manufacturers. Considering a majority of areas that operate in are water-stressed, eliminating potable water use to the maximum extent, should be the main motto. Both automobile assembly plants and parts manufacturers need to come forward and adopt water management infrastructure within their processing plants to increase water usage efficiency and minimise discharge volumes. Changing the water footprint of car manufacturers is important.

Water is shaping up to be a serious economic risk in Asia’s third-largest economy. Desertification, land degradation and drought cost India about 2.54 percent of the gross domestic product in 2014-15, according to an India’s environment ministry study. Another global survey of miners in 2018 (CDP), stated that water-related problems such as droughts, increased water stress, and flooding would necessitate a financial impact worth USD 11.8 billion over the next five years. Smart water meters can help India win the water crisis battle faster. The smart water meter market in India is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 14.7 percent during 2019-2025 as per Frost & Sullivan Report.

While the Government have been making significant efforts to make India the best water management nation in the world, the need to work towards a digital, smart and resilient water economy to enhance the water management system– is vital! (MT)

NB: Amit Vaidya is Director, India – Metrology Business, Sensus; views expressed are personal

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German tier 1 supplier ZF Friedrichshafen and the BMW Group have entered into a long-term supply agreement for passenger car drive systems. The contract, valued at several billion euros, extends until the late 2030s.

The agreement focuses on the supply and continued development of the 8-speed automatic transmission (8HP). The partners aim to support low-emission mobility and maintain technological flexibility during the industry transition.

A central component of the partnership is the technical evolution of the 8HP transmission kit to meet the requirements of electrified drives. The development will focus on increasing efficiency and performance for future vehicle concepts.

Mathias Miedreich, CEO of ZF, said, “Together with BMW, we are sending a strong signal for innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in an industry undergoing dynamic change. This agreement highlights the strategic importance of our 8-speed automatic transmission as a key technology for the transformation of drive systems.”

The duration of the contract provides both ZF and BMW with planning stability in a changing market. ZF aims to strengthen its position as a system supplier while reducing risks through close collaboration with the carmaker.

Sebastian Schmitt, Head of ZF's Electrified Drive Technologies division, explained, “The new agreement with BMW shows how important long-term planning horizons are for technological advancements. It creates clarity and stability for both companies and enables us to align the next generation of the 8HP specifically toward efficiency, performance, and long-term viability.”

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Aumovio has entered a supply agreement with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leapmotor to provide safety components for the carmaker’s B and C platforms.

Several models within Leapmotor’s B platform now utilise Aumovio's long-range radar, electric parking brake and airbag control unit (ACU). Models on the C platform, including the C10, C11 and C16 SUVs, feature the latest generation of the MK C2 one-box brake system, alongside the long-range radar and ACU.

The project was completed with a development cycle approximately one-third shorter than traditional automotive timelines. Aumovio attributed its speed to ‘local-for-local’ strategy in China, where the company operates 20 sites and employs around 10,000 staff. In 2024, Aumovio held a 14 percent share of market revenue in the region.

The supplied technologies include:

• MK C2 Brake System: A unit combining the master cylinder, electronic brake system, and brake booster. It is produced locally in Shanghai.
• Long-Range Radar: A sensor with a detection range of up to 280 metres, used for driver assistance across both platforms.
• Airbag Control Unit (ACU): Integrated with crash satellite sensors, these components are manufactured in Changchun.

Boris Mergell, Head of the Safety and Motion business area at Aumovio, said, “Pairing ‘China speed’ with ‘German quality’ technologies helped us to support a rapid roll-out with our latest safety technologies. This underscores Aumovio’s course towards an adaptive powerhouse that works flexibly and closely with customers to innovate. It also shows that we continue to strengthen our customer relationships in the important market China.”

The partnership supports Leapmotor’s international presence. The B10 and B05 models, which feature Aumovio's ACU and radar technology, were showcased at the IAA 2025 in Munich as part of the manufacturer's European entry.

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Bengaluru-headquartered ER&D company L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has announced a multi-year engagement within its mobility segment from an automotive manufacturer. The agreement involves software, connectivity and digital engineering services across vehicle technology domains. This win follows the company’s investments in R&D labs and mobility infrastructure designed for programs with global manufacturers.

The engagement covers mobility engineering capabilities, including embedded systems, digital platforms, verification and validation, cloud integration and cybersecurity. LTTS intends to use its engineering expertise and delivery frameworks to support the customer's technology roadmap. 

At present, LTTS operates 22 design centres and 100 innovation labs globally.

The agreement strengthens the partnership between LTTS and the automotive manufacturer in the area of mobility engineering. The company provides design, development, and testing services across the mobility, sustainability, and tech segments. 

Alind Saxena, Executive Director and President, Mobility and Tech at L&T Technology Services, said, “We are proud to deepen our partnership with the valued customer through this strategic engagement. LTTS brings together domain-led engineering, secure development practices and excellence in global delivery to accelerate the future of premium mobility. The win reflects the trust placed in our teams and our commitment to delivering world-class engineering at scale”.

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French technology company Valeo and NATIX Network have announced a partnership to develop a multi-camera World Foundation Model (WFM). The project combines Valeo’s research in artificial intelligence and generative modelling with NATIX’s decentralised physical infrastructure network (DePIN) to create an open-source platform for autonomous driving and robotics.

The initiative aims to move beyond perception-based models by creating a system capable of predicting future states and reasoning about physical interactions in a four-dimensional environment. The model will be trained using NATIX’s data network, which has collected 600,000 hours of video data across the US, Europe and Asia over seven months. This data provides the multi-camera inputs necessary for the spatial perception required by autonomous vehicles and robots.

The partnership builds upon Valeo’s existing open-source frameworks, VaViM (Video Autoregressive Model) and VaVAM (Video-Action Model). While these frameworks were previously trained primarily on front-camera datasets, the integration of NATIX’s multi-camera network expands the AI’s field of vision to 360 degrees.

Under the open-source framework, the partners will release models, datasets and training tools. This approach is intended to allow the research community to fine-tune models and benchmark physical AI across various driving conditions and geographic regions. The collaboration seeks to accelerate the deployment of end-to-end AI models by learning from real-world edge cases captured by vehicles in operation.

Marc Vrecko, Chief Executive Officer, Valeo’s Brain Division, said, “Since our creation in 2018, Valeo’s AI research center has been at the forefront of AI research in the automotive industry, especially in the fields of assisted and autonomous driving. Our goal has always been to advance mobility intelligence safely and responsibly. By combining Valeo’s generative world modeling research expertise with NATIX’s global multi-camera data, we are accelerating both the quality and the accessibility of next-generation end-to-end AI models, enabling the research community to build upon strong open models.”

Alireza Ghods, CEO and Co-Founder, NATIX, added, “WFMs are a once-in-a-generation opportunity — similar to the rise of LLMs in 2017–2020. The teams that build the first scalable world models will define the foundation of the next AI wave: Physical AIs. With our distributed multi-camera network, NATIX has a clear advantage of being able to move faster than large OEMs.”

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