Synopsys, in association with 3D Engineering (an Ansys Elite Channel Partner), has inaugurated a new Design Center for Engineering Simulation at the MCCIA Electronic Cluster Foundation (MECF) in Pune.

The facility aims to accelerate access to advanced simulation technologies for MSMEs and be a catalyst for industrial R&D in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, industry-academia collaboration and student training.

The Design Center will enhance simulation-led innovation and adoption in electronic product design engineering for MSMEs in automotive, aerospace and defence, electronics and healthcare.

The facility will provide hands-on access to engineering tools in structural analysis, thermal modelling, electromagnetics and digital twin technologies. It is equipped with licensed Ansys (now part of Synopsys) simulation platforms and a high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure.

The MECF facility is one of the Common Facility Centers (CFCs) approved by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), valued at INR 710 million. MECF is promoted by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA).

This initiative aligns with India's goals under 'Make in India' and 'Skill India' by enabling simulation-led R&D, accelerating time-to-market for local manufacturing innovations and building a talent pipeline trained in engineering challenges.

It will serve as a dual-purpose hub for skill development and industry consultancy, offering design, simulation services and hands-on training. It will also bridge the cost and resource gap for smaller enterprises by offering discounted access to design tools and expert support.

Mike Yeager, Area Vice-President, Synopsys, said, “Simulation is a foundation of modern engineering, and we believe in making these powerful tools accessible everywhere in India. Our collaboration with 3D Engineering and MECF, supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will empower students, startups, and SMEs to leapfrog into next-generation design and innovation.”

Murali Pullela, Area Sales Director, Synopsys, said, “Our collaboration with MECF reflects the company's commitment to empower innovation from silicon-to-systems. By equipping the design center with advanced engineering tools, India’s electronics ecosystem can be strengthened, accelerating product development aligned with global standards.”

Shrikrishna Gadgil, CEO, MECF, said, “MECF helps the industry in their product development cycle from design to certification, which will support the electronics ecosystem in the region. Our vision is to make the region vibrant with innovation, fostering new products and technologies, and establishing it as a hub for futuristic products and a center of technology excellence. We’re committed to bringing world-class technology and infrastructure closer to grassroots engineering talent. For us, this Design Center by 3D Engineering with Synopsys, as the principal partner is not just an investment in infrastructure, but also an investment in people, capability-building, and future innovation.”

Ajay Deshkar, Managing Partner, 3D Engineering, said, “As a long-standing Ansys Channel Partner, we at 3D Engineering are proud to enable this ecosystem where cutting-edge simulation technology meets local ingenuity. This Design Center is a model for how industry partnerships can meaningfully drive regional innovation and contribute to India’s technological self-reliance.”

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The Centre of Excellence in Advanced Automotive Research (CAAR) at IIT Madras, in partnership with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), is establishing the Advanced Automotive Translational Research Centre (AATRC). The facility will be located at the Tamil Nadu Knowledge City in Tiruvallur.

The project involves an investment of around INR 2 billion over the next five years. The centre will occupy 40,000 sqft of research and laboratory infrastructure dedicated to translational research and product development for next-generation automotive technologies.

Technical focus areas for the AATRC include:

• Powertrains and Electronics: Electric powertrains and automotive power electronics.
• Energy Storage: Battery technologies and electric vehicle (EV) charging systems.
• Digital Architecture: Software-defined vehicles and industry-ready innovation.

According to data released by IIT Madras, the initiative expects to achieve several benchmarks within its first five years of operation:

• Product Innovation: Development of 40–50 automotive products.
• Enterprise Support: Provision of testing and validation infrastructure for 150–200 start-ups and MSMEs.
• Employment: Creation of 50–70 high-skill direct jobs and approximately 2,100 ecosystem-linked employment opportunities.

The collaboration follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the State government and IIT Madras in January, aimed at positioning India as a hub for EV and automotive technology.

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Chinese technology company Hesai Technology has joined the Nvidia Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab, an accredited body for the inspection of AI-driven physical systems. As a member, Hesai will validate its lidar platforms within a framework covering functional safety, cybersecurity and AI compliance.

Nvidia Halos is a safety system for physical AI that unifies safety elements across vehicle and robotics architectures. The system combines hardware, software and models to safeguard autonomous vehicle (AV) and robotics stacks.

Hesai utilises a ‘Safety Triad’ engineering approach, which integrates:

• Functional Safety: Adherence to ISO 26262 standards.
• Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF): Managing risks from functional inadequacies.
• Cybersecurity: Protecting system integrity across real-world environments.

The company claims that Hesai was the first LiDAR manufacturer to obtain ISO 26262 ASIL B certification and currently participates in global safety standard development alongside firms including Bosch, Nissan and ZF.

The collaboration between Hesai and Nvidia began in 2019 with the integration of LiDAR into Nvidia autonomous computing platforms. Hesai has delivered over 2 million LiDAR units globally to date.

The company was recently selected as a lidar partner for Nvidia DRIVE AGX Hyperion 10, a reference architecture designed to make vehicles Level 4-ready. This platform enables the development of AI-defined fleets for automakers and developers.

David Li, Co-Founder and CEO, Hesai Technology, said, “Autonomous systems will only achieve broad adoption if they meet the highest standards of safety and reliability. As autonomous vehicles and intelligent machines move toward large-scale deployment, safety becomes the defining requirement for the entire system.”

“Our work with Nvidia began several years ago with the integration of Hesai LiDAR on Nvidia autonomous computing platforms. Lidar is often the primary sensor responsible for detecting hazards in the most critical situations on the road. Joining the Nvidia Halos ecosystem allows us to further strengthen the safety architecture required to bring trusted autonomous technology into everyday use,” he said.

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Zenobe, a fleet electrification and battery storage specialist, has acquired California-based Revolv to expand its electric truck operations in the United States. The transaction marks Zenobe's entry into the North American commercial fleet and truck segment.

The acquisition adds to Zenobe's established portfolio in student transportation and public transit across the U.S. and Canada.

Key additions to Zenobe’s network include:

• Operational Sites: 13 customer sites located in California.
• Fleet Size: More than 100 electric trucks integrated into the service network.
• Project Pipeline: Additional commercial projects currently under development.

Zenobe intends to integrate the Revolv team to maintain continuity for existing customers and leverage regional expertise. The combined platform provides end-to-end solutions, including vehicle provision, charging infrastructure, financing and battery lifecycle management.

The expansion follows a period of growth in the U.S. Zero Emission Truck (ZET) market, where over 59,000 vehicles have been deployed nationwide. Zenobe’s strategy focuses on a battery-as-a-service (BaaS) model, which involves performance guarantees and the management of second-life battery applications to reduce risks for fleet operators.

The acquisition is supported by Zenobe’s major investors, KKR and Infracapital, as part of a broader effort to scale electrification in hard-to-decarbonise sectors.

Andreas Lips, President of EV North America, Zenobe, said, “Revolv's end-to-end fleet electrification model is highly complementary to Zenobe's global experience and our growth plans in North America. As commercial fleet electrification enters its next phase, operators are increasingly seeking partners who can deliver vehicles, infrastructure, financing and long-term battery performance under one roof. This acquisition strengthens our ability to provide flexible, end-to-end solutions at scale across North America.”

Steven Meersman, Founder Director, Zenobe, said, “This is a strong opportunity to accelerate electrification at scale, by pairing Revolv's fleet electrification platform with our deep experience and unique financing models. We're grateful to Revolv CEO Scott Davidson and the team at GDEV Management for backing Revolv early on. Now we are taking it to the next stage.”

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51WORLD has been named as Nvidia’s global Level 4 simulation partner. The companies announced an integration between Nvidia Omniverse NuRec and 51WORLD’s SimOne platform during the Nvidia GTC Conference on 16 March 2026.

The collaboration utilises neural rendering technology to convert static, real-world collected scenario data into interactive simulation environments. This process is intended to address limitations in autonomous driving development workflows by making recorded data reactive.

The platform is designed to support the training of reasoning-based autonomous systems, including – world models, vision-language-action (VLA) models and physical AI development tools.

By transforming real-world data into interactive simulations, the integration increases the volume and variety of edge cases available for developers working on Level 4 autonomous systems.

At present, 51WORLD holds a 53.5 percent share of the L3+ simulation market in China. The partnership with Nvidia is intended to extend the company's reach into international autonomous driving programmes and provide development tooling for global automotive partners.

The announcement coincided with several related partnerships involving Nvidia’s DRIVE Hyperion, Omniverse and Alpamayo technologies, focused on the advancement of autonomous vehicle platforms.

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