The Toyo Kogyo Company continued to manufacture machine tools alongside the three-wheel trucks, expanding its car production capability in 1960 to produce the Mazda R360 Coupe - Mazda’s first passenger car.

It was from this point that the Toyo Kogo Company really started to make an impression on the automotive world with four new vehicles produced in just four years and cumulative vehicle production reaching a million by 1963. By 1970 the company was producing twelve vehicles and with the accumulative production figure approaching five million it had already developed engine technology that no other manufacturer had been able to perfect - the rotary engine.

At the heart of every car is the engine, and in their quest to develop the perfect combustion method, Mazda has developed some of the industry’s most interesting power units over the years. In the 1960’s Mazda saw the potential of the rotary engine, the ability to develop high power from a lightweight, small capacity engine with a smooth operation due to rotating parts rather than reciprocating movement. The unique characteristics of the rotary all contributed to the driving experience that has made Mazda rotary engine cars a favourite of drivers the world over and brought motorsport success to Mazda over the last fifty years.

Mazda has never been one to follow the herd and in 1995 it was the first automotive manufacturer to develop and use a Miller Cycle engine, initially in the Mazda Xedos9 and more recently the Mazda2 in Japan. Previously limited to large capacity engines, the Miller cycle engine was used in ships and trains, it improves efficiency through reduced pumping losses and is used to control NOx at high engine load by reducing the temperature at full compression.

With the launch of the CX-5 in 2012, Mazda introduced the Skyactiv G and Skyactiv D engines, developed in pursuit of the perfect engine to improve efficiency and emissions. The major breakthrough was a common compression ratio of 14:1 for both fuel types, the world’s highest compression ratio of any petrol engine, and for diesel, the world’s lowest compression ratio. The new petrol engine improved fuel efficiency and torque by 15 percent, while the diesel improved both by 20 percent, offering better real-world driving emissions and efficiency.

The production process also benefited from the low compression ratio of the diesel engine. With a compression ratio of 14:1 the diesel engine can be constructed entirely from aluminium, this led to a standardisation of diesel and petrol engine manufacturing, allowing them to be made on the same line with the same machining processes, this was an industry first.

Pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the development of the internal combustion engine Mazda launched the world’s first compression ignition petrol engine in the Mazda3 in 2019. Controlled by a spark plug, the SPCCI engine is the second step in Mazda’s quest to develop and petrol engine with the ideal combustion method. Developing compression ignition for petrol engines had long been a goal of engineers, some believing it was an impossible goal. In the SKYACTIV-X, a spark plug is used to control compression ignition, resulting in dramatic improvements across a range of important performance indicators.

Plastic manufacturing and recycling has been a concern for Mazda for over three decades with a focus on research and development. In 1992 Mazda was the first manufacturer to recycle bumpers, initially just using the recycled plastic for hidden parts such as undertrays. By 2011 Mazda had developed a world-first recycling technology, which enhanced the process it uses to recycle used bumpers from vehicles whose useful life has ended into raw plastic resin for use in new vehicle bumpers. The recycled materials first started being used in the rear bumper of the Mazda Biante minivan.

Under the ‘Mazda Biotech material’ name, the company has succeeded in developing the automotive industry's first high-strength heat-resistant plant-derived bioplastic for interior parts, and, in 2007, the world's first biofabric for vehicle seat upholstery made entirely from plant-derived fibre. In 2015 Mazda developed the world’s first bio-plastic that was of a high enough quality to be used in design decoration parts on the Mazda MX-5 and then on CX-5, CX-30 and MX-30.

Turning their attention to the painting process, Mazda achieved world-class low CO2 emission levels with the implementation of the Three Layer Wet Paint System in 2002. Then in 2009 Mazda developed the Aqua-tech paint system to create one of the most environmentally-friendly automotive paint systems in the world.  It reduces emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 78 percent compared to Mazda's previous oil-based paint systems without increasing energy consumption (and associated CO2 emissions) which was already one of the lowest of any paint system in the world.

As the world turned its focus onto car emissions in the 1990s, Mazda unveiled the HRX-1 hydrogen powered concept car at Tokyo motor show in 1991. Hydrogen as the motive power for a car has the environmental benefit of the exhaust emissions being water, but to develop a standard reciprocating engine to run on hydrogen requires expensive modification. With a long heritage in developing the rotary engine, Mazda engineers recognised the potential to run the rotary on hydrogen because of the unique way the engine combusts, meaning the expensive modifications required to convert a reciprocating engine to hydrogen did not apply to a rotary.

In 2006 Mazda became the world’s first company to commercially lease hydrogen powered rotary engine cars with the hydrogen Mazda RX-8 RE. In 2007 Mazda developed the world’s first catalyst material using single nanotechnology with two main features to inhibit the thermal deterioration caused by the agglomeration of precious metal particles and offer a significant improvement in oxygen absorption and release rates for enhanced emissions clearing purification. 

As Mazda continues in its quest to create the world’s most efficient internal combustion engine and the most environmentally friendly production techniques and materials the company hopes to create world firsts that benefit both the customer and environment.

Magic Behind MX Moniker  

While celebrating centenary year Mazda is also looking to the future with the debut of its first all-electric production vehicle – the Mazda MX-30, a unique, stylish and versatile crossover EV.

With its distinctive styling and freestyle doors combined with a cabin where the use of environmentally-friendly materials has been carefully matched to meticulous quality and finish, the MX-30 is a stand-out addition to the Mazda line-up. However, why does it wear the MX moniker? A badge made most famous by the MX-5.

The MX prefix is given to a car that takes on a challenge to create and deliver new values without being confined by convention regardless of vehicle type. When it was revealed in 1989 the Mazda MX-5 was exactly this kind of car, as the automotive industry as a whole moved away from the affordable sports car, Mazda defied convention to create a perfect modern reinterpretation of the classic rear-wheel drive roadster.

More than three decades later the MX-5 needs no introduction, but the first car to wear the MX badge is less famous, however there’s no forgetting it once you’ve seen it. Revealed in 1981, the Mazda MX-81 Aria concept car was created by Italian styling house Bertone, who using Mazda 323 running gear created a futuristic wedge-shaped hatchback. A one-off concept that certainly met the defy convention ethos of MX models, it led to a future relationship with Bertone, while things like the high-mounted taillights and pop-up headlamps appeared in future Mazda production cars later in the eighties.

Next in the MX lineage was the 1983 MX-02 concept car, a big flat sided five-door hatch with large windows, aerodynamic rear wheel covers and flared in door mirrors. Unique features included rear wheel steering and a windscreen head-up display. The one-off theme continued with the 1985 Mazda MX-03, which again was a radical looking concept car, but this time it was a defy convention sports car that was powered by a triple rotor 315ps engine. Conceived purely as a concept, this low-slung coupe, was pure futuristic exuberance, with a cabin that featured an aircraft style yoke rather than a wheel, plus digital displays and a head-up display, its technology tally also including four-wheel steering and all-wheel drive, while the long low body delivered an aerodynamic Cd figure of just 0.25.

While the MX-02 and MX-03 shared some of the same futuristic design cues, the MX-04 was completely different. Displayed at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, the MX-04 was a front-engine rear-wheel drive sports car chassis that had removable fibreglass panels, but not just one, but two different sets, allowing the car to switch from a glass dome roofed coupe to a beach buggy style open sided roadster. Powered by a rotary engine this barmy shape-shifting sports car was never a serious contender for production, but little did outsiders know that Mazda was already developing the MX-5, and just two-years later, the most famous car to wear a MX badge arrived.

And the next cars to wear the MX badge were also production models, both cars built on the MX-5’s success and offered very different coupe styles. Sold from 1992 to 1993, the Mazda MX-3 was a four-seat coupe hatchback that disregarded the convention for normal hatchbacks to offer buyers something far more stylish and sportier, while it further earnt its MX badge by being available with the world’s smallest mass-produced V6 engine. The larger MX-6 coupe conveyed big premium coupe style for family saloon money, but in the 1990s arguably the most radical car to wear the MX badge was the Mazda MXR-01.

Into the 21st century the MX moniker returned to adorn concept cars, all of which stayed true to the MX ethos of delivering something new by challenging convention: the 2001 MX-Sport Tourer concept was a radical MPV concept with freestyle doors and sweeping body design, that highlighted the fact an MPVs did not have to be boxy or dull, something the resulting Mazda5 proved. In fact, the 2004 Mazda MX-Flexa was a concept that was even closer to the final ground-breaking Mazda5 production car, sharing its popular sliding rear doors.

The 2002 MX-Sport Runabout concept previewed the modern look of the second-generation Mazda2, while the 2003 MX-Sportif was the concept that previewed the first generation Mazda3, which was a big step forward from the outgoing Mazda 323.

And now with the arrival of the ground-breaking MX-30, it’s appropriate that the MX name returns to a production model – as Mazda’s first production EV, the MX-30 is a car that represents a new chapter in Mazda’s history. (MT)

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Tier 1 automotive supplier Marelli has received the ‘Commendable’ honour in the ‘Engineering Product of the Year’ category at the Digital Engineering Awards 2026. The ceremony, hosted by L&T Technology Services in association with ISG and CNBC-TV18, was held in Boston, USA, on 12 March 2026.

The award recognises the role of Marelli’s Zone Control Unit (ZCU) in the transition towards software-defined vehicles.

The ZCU is designed to replace traditional domain-based architectures with a platform that delivers cross-domain control through a single Electronic Control Unit (ECU). This system simplifies vehicle electrical and electronic (E/E) layouts and enables communication across vehicle zones. By reducing the number of dedicated ECUs and streamlining wiring, the ZCU reduces wiring harness weight by 30 per cent compared to existing systems.

It is built on the EliteZone platform and supports ethernet capabilities, hardware accelerators, and remote-control protocols. It features processing performance up to 6 KDMIPS, two-port Gigabit Ethernet, and more than 20 CAN and LIN interfaces. The unit also includes an integrated hypervisor and data routing engine, supporting functional safety up to ASIL D standards.

For power management, the ZCU accommodates 48V system requirements with dedicated power input and efuse-protected output. The hardware uses a service-oriented architecture (SOA), which decouples software development from hardware. This approach allows modules to subscribe to services exposed by the ECU, supporting feature updates throughout the vehicle lifecycle and shortening development cycles for manufacturers.

Ravi Tallapragada, President, Marelli’s Electronics business, stated, “This recognition for our Zone Control Unit makes me and all of us at Marelli truly proud. It reflects the impact of our work on supporting the industry’s transition toward software-defined vehicles. By bringing cross-domain control into a single, scalable platform, our ZCU enables vehicle makers to innovate at speed. I want to congratulate our global engineering teams, whose dedication and expertise made this achievement possible.”

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drivebuddyAI has been awarded a patent for a facial recognition system designed for vehicle environments. The technology identifies drivers in moving vehicles to monitor duty hours and manage fatigue.

The system uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to recognise faces under varying lighting conditions and when drivers wear accessories such as caps or mufflers. This replaces manual or key-based identification methods to track driving time for wage calculations and safety compliance.

The patented technology is integrated into several areas of the company's product suite:

• Driver Profiling: Used in the 'CARDs' scoring method.
• Alert Systems: Provision of language-specific alerts based on driver identification.
• Performance Monitoring: Real-time tracking of duty time and driver behaviour.
• Compliance: Alignment with Indian government discussions on enforcing rest periods for commercial vehicle operators.

The company holds 15 patents in AI vision, edge processing, and risk assessment. Its systems meet India's AIS-184 driver monitoring standards and the European Union's General Safety Regulation (GSR) 2144.

Nisarg Pandya, CEO, drivebuddyAI, said, “Driver fatigue remains one of the most critical yet under-addressed causes of highway accidents. Our patented technology ensures that fleets know exactly who is driving, for how long, and under what conditions. This creates a foundation for enforcing safe driving limits while also enabling continuous learning and improvement for drivers. This milestone reflects our commitment to delivering technology built from the ground up and leveraging AI to enable safer and smarter driving solutions.”

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Servotech Renewable Power System and Electra EV have been granted a patent by the Indian Patent Office for an ‘Electric Vehicle Charging Device’. The technology is designed to provide charging solutions for low-voltage electric vehicles (EVs).

The device addresses interoperability challenges by enabling fast DC charging for low-voltage EVs with sub-200V DC platforms. This includes vehicles based on GB/T Bharat DC 001 standards. The technology allows these vehicles to utilise widely deployed, conventional high-voltage CCS2 charging infrastructure.

The patented device incorporates power management and voltage conversion systems to facilitate energy transfer to low-voltage battery platforms. The primary focus of the technology is on vehicle segments such as small commercial EVs and pick-up vans, which are used for urban and last-mile mobility.

Key features of the technology include:

• Interoperability: Enables sub-200V DC platforms to use CCS2 fast-charging stations.
• Compatibility: Supports vehicles adhering to GB/T Bharat DC 001 standards.
• Energy Management: Advanced voltage conversion to ensure safe battery charging.
• Safety: Integrated protocols for stable energy transfer.

The joint ownership of the patent by Servotech and Electra EV is intended to accelerate the development of charging infrastructure for small commercial fleets. The demand for such flexible solutions has increased as adoption of low-voltage EVs grows within the Indian logistics and transport sectors.

Arun Handa, CTO, Servotech Renewable Power System, said, “Securing this patent is an important step in strengthening our innovation-led approach to EV charging technology. Low-voltage electric vehicles are a key part of India’s mobility ecosystem, particularly in segments like small commercial fleets. This patented device has been designed to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable charging for such vehicles, helping make EV adoption through improved charging compatibility.”

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NXP Semiconductors has launched the NXP CoreRide Z248, a zonal reference system combining 48V energy distribution with data routing. The hardware-software foundation is designed to assist OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in transitioning to software-defined vehicle (SDV) architectures by reducing integration effort and development cycles.

The Z248 is built on NXP’s S32K5 microcontroller series, featuring on-chip Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM). This technology is intended to accelerate electronic control unit (ECU) programming during manufacturing and over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The system integrates several 48V-capable components and networking tools:

• Power Management: Includes eFuses, Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMICs), and DC-DC converters for energy conversion and protection.
• Networking: Features Ethernet PHY and CAN transceivers for data handling.
• Software Stack: A pre-validated stack managing smart data energy network (SDEN) functions such as impedance monitoring and diagnostics.
• Safety: Built-in functional safety and real-time responsiveness for zonal processing.

NXP stated it has validated the Z248 through system-level tests focusing on low-power modes and wake-up response times. The package includes a Board Support Package (BSP) with integrated software from partners including GLIWA for performance monitoring, Green Hills Software for compilers and Vector for embedded tools.

The reference system is designed for deployment across internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid, and battery electric vehicle (BEV) platforms. It supports ECU consolidation by managing energy distribution and data protocols within a single architecture.

Sebastien Clamagirand, SVP and General Manager, Automotive Systems & Platforms, NXP Semiconductors, said, “The NXP CoreRide zonal reference system Z248 delivers a performance-optimized, scalable 48 V foundation that intelligently fuses power, data and software, while dramatically simplifying system integration, reducing time to market, and enabling OEMs to focus on vehicle differentiation and long‑term value creation.”

Peter Gliwa, CEO and Founder, GLIWA, added, “NXP understood that the eco-system, the tooling around a new platform is essential for its success. With our Analysis Suite T1 built into the NXP CoreRide Z248 zonal reference system, high efficiency, proper timing analysis and timing verification are very well addressed.”

Jochen Rein, SVP Business Unit Software Platform, Vector, stated, “The combination of the NXP CoreRide platform and Vector’s software foundation provides a robust basis for next‑generation zonal architectures. We enable our joint customers to reduce their time- to-market due to a pre-integrated and highly optimized software stack.”

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