Pioneer Corporation has announced plans to expand its presence in India by establishing two new research and development facilities in Gurugram and Bengaluru.

The new buildings in Gurugram and Bengaluru will concentrate on key growth areas such as infotainment, safety and security products, telematics and connected solutions for the automotive market including EVs and two-wheelers. Recruitment and training of talented engineers will also be undertaken in order to strengthen R&D capabilities.

This move will enable the manufacturer to bring newer mobility experiences to consumers in India and worldwide, while working with various auto makers, tier one suppliers, and aftermarket distribution channels. Collaboration between the India R&D teams and Pioneer's technology development centers in Japan and other countries will be instrumental in creating innovative products and solutions for both Indian and global markets, further contributing to India's vision of 'Make in India’.

Under its vision of ‘Creating the future of mobility experiences,’ announced in 2020, Pioneer has been making efforts to transform itself into a global automotive solutions and services company. To further support this vision and to reinforce global strategy they have also appointed industry veterans, including Siva Subramanian as Chief Innovation Officer in January 2023 and Arvin Baalu as Chief Product Officer in March 2023.

“We are very pleased to announce the establishment of a new R&D center in India. We are confident that we will be able to provide new mobility experiences not only in the Indian market but also globally by establishing a system to provide products and services in a timely manner in the fast-growing Indian market,” quoted Shiro Yahara, President and CEO, Pioneer.

“Pioneer's expansion in India aligns with its long-term business goals and strategies by tapping into the fast-growing Indian automotive market. It enables Pioneer to establish a local presence for product development, targeting the specific needs of Indian consumers and leveraging the potential for growth in the country,” said Hideaki Ishii, Managing Director, Pioneer India.

Japanese mobility company Suzuki Motor Corporation and Tata Elxsi, a leading design and technology services company have inaugurated the ‘Suzuki-Tata Elxsi Offshore Development Center’ in Pune, India.

The facility will focus on driving innovations in advanced engineering for Suzuki Motor Corporation’s future offerings. Tata Elxsi says it will support Suzuki in its green mobility vision by aligning with the OEM’s global focus on sustainable innovation in lightweight design, safety, styling and engineering, eco-friendly materials, and advanced simulations to improve time-to-market.

Furthermore, the partners will also focus on developing next-generation powertrains (across electric, hybrid and alternate fuels) and software-defined vehicles (SDV).

Katsuhiro Kato, Chief Technology Officer, Suzuki Motor Corporation, said, “As the industry progresses in Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric technologies, Suzuki must accelerate electronic and virtual development to meet evolving demands. Tata Elxsi’s expertise in advanced computing, simulation, and design digital makes them an ideal partner in bringing forward-thinking solutions to market. This strategic and long-term partnership incorporates Suzuki’s endeavor of minimising energy and enables India’s talent to actively contribute to our development efforts globally.” 

Manoj Raghavan, MD & CEO, Tata Elxsi, said, “The inauguration of Suzuki-Tata Elxsi Offshore Development Center marks a significant milestone in our partnership with Suzuki and our shared vision for the future of mobility. Tata Elxsi’s design-led, digital-first approach is uniquely positioned to support Suzuki’s energy minimisation and sustainability goals, advancing the future of automotive engineering with precision and responsibility. We are delighted to support Suzuki in this journey towards transformative automotive engineering.”

MathWorks, a leading developer of mathematical computing software, and NXP Semiconductors, a leading provider of automotive processing technology have joined forces to introduce Model-Based Design Toolbox (MBDT) for Battery Management Systems (BMS).

With this, engineers will be able to not only develop models but also validate BMS applications on MATLAB and Simulink. They will also be bale to automate C code generation from MATLAB for NXP Battery Cell controllers, and also support NXP’s software solution, the BMS SDK components. 

For the unversed, BMS is one of the crucial technology for electric vehicles that ensures optimal performance, durability and safety for the battery packs. The BMS design process the partners state increasingly relies on modelling and simulation to fine-tune algorithms tailored to EVs' specific battery cell types and battery pack configuration. 

The Model-Based Design provides efficient design of the BMS algorithms, which allows it to be tested in simulation for different scenarios, such as driving habits, environmental conditions, and fault occurrences. 

Lars Reger, CTO, NXP Semiconductors, said, "We’re excited to collaborate with MathWorks to support automotive engineers in developing the next generation of BMS solutions. Simplifying direct testing with MBDT on NXP processors offers a broad range of benefits, including faster design iterations that allow engineers to identify and fix issues upfront in the design process and reduce time to market.” 

The MDBT acts as a bridge between theoretical design and practical application.

Jim Tung, MathWorks Fellow, said, "By enabling engineers to go directly from creating BMS algorithms in Simulink to running them on an NXP processor, we're simplifying and accelerating the development process. The growth of the EV market demands more efficient, reliable, and safer battery systems, and tools like MBDT that streamline and enhance the engineering process will be critical. Reducing development times, facilitating easier testing, and accelerating market entry will be differentiators in this competitive market.”

Mushin Innovation Labs, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) start-up providing digital solution for the automotive manufacturing industry, has raised USD 250,000 in Seed Series Round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The startup through its Mushin Aqua platform supports Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers to optimise their compliance and improve quality management. This it claims helps to reduce upto 85 percent cost reduction.

The new funds it intends to deploy towards improving sales and marketing operations, accelerate its R&D efforts, and further innovate its product suite. It also aims to expand its market presence, enhance product offerings, and develop new solutions to meet the ever-evolving needs of the automotive manufacturing sector.

Interestingly, Mushin Innovation Labs claims it already secured partnership with 15 leading automotive brands and has onboarded 70 factories within two years. It has successfully passed the Maruti Vendor System Audit (VSA) and obtained Letters of Intent (LOIs) from 15 factories. It currently has 14 active deployments and a pipeline of 52 factories. The start-up claims it has received interest from global OEMs such as Volkswagen, Skoda, Volvo, JCB, and Aston Martin. The start-up was founded by Rachit Srivastava (CEO) and Amman Batra (COO).

The company estimates that the total addressable market (TAM) for Mushin Aqua, is estimated at INR 7,000 billion annually. The serviceable available market (SAM), specifically targeting Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers in India, is valued at INR 450 billion. Based on the company's current capabilities and market focus, the serviceable obtainable market (SOM) stands at INR 45 billion annually.

Vikram Ramasubramaniam, Partner and CIO, Inflection Point Ventures, said, “The automotive manufacturing industry has stringent compliance standards to follow while minimising costs and maintaining top-notch quality. Many Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers struggle to meet these demands efficiently due to fragmented processes and outdated systems. Mushin Innovation Labs addresses this challenge and streamlines compliance and enhances quality management in an accessible price range, making lives easier for tier 1 and 2 manufacturers. IPV believes Mushin is well-positioned for sustainable growth, making it a right investment choice.”

Schaeffler India, a leading motion technology company, in partnership with Buddy4Study Foundation, has announced the winners of its 2024 edition of the Schaeffler India Social Innovator Fellowship Program.

The initiative under Schaeffler India’s CSR initiative HOPE (Healthcare, Occupational skill development, Preservation of Heritage & Environment and Empowerment of Society) in its third edition recognises and rewards social entrepreneurs for their unique sustainable solutions that has positive impact to the society.

The programme is open to applicants between the ages of 18 – 35 across different institutions including IITs, IIMs, NITs, non-profit organisations, and early-stage startups, to pitch their ideas and prototype solution across six key categories. These include environmental sustainability, renewable energy, carbon neutrality, circular economy, natural resource management, and application of technology in the social sector.

The participants undergo rigorous screening, of which 10 projects are shortlisted and receive a grant of INR 150,000 each. The winners were awarded 24-week hybrid mentorship at IIMA Ventures formerly (IIMA-CIIE), a startup incubator founded by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. They also get an opportunity to connect with Schaeffler India's network of industry partners, and fellow innovators in the program.

The initiative which started in July 2024, has received over 276 registrations from over 25 states, including the Northeast, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, and more, with 78 shortlisted applicants for assessment.

Harsha Kadam, MD and CEO, Schaeffler India, said, “At Schaeffler India, we are dedicated to advancing motion to foster a sustainable, efficient, and resilient world. The remarkable response to this year’s Social Innovator Fellowship Program highlights the potential of India’s youth to be agents of transformative change. Sustainability and innovation are inherently linked, and through this initiative, we are committed to nurturing young innovators who will help shape the future of India, where both people and the planet can thrive.”

The award ceremony saw attended by Munish Bhatia, Co-Founder, India Accelerator & CEO, Bharat Ventures, and Praveen Bhadada, CXO Advisor and Mentor, along with the Leadership Team of Schaeffler India.