Orbitsys DMS leverages its cloud-based platform, allowing centralisation of data and remote access to tackle connectivity and data hurdles in the automotive industry.

As the world relies more on technology and data to tackle different situations or to streamline processes, loopholes exist inevitably. Orbitsys leverages its cloud-based platform, allowing centralisation of data along with remote access for the automotive industry to tackle dealerships and hurdles.

“We tackle connectivity and data hurdles in the automotive industry by offering a cloud-based platform. This allows dealerships and OEMs to centralise data, which eliminates scattered systems, creating a single source of trusted data for customer and vehicle information. Moreover, accessing data remotely enables secure, role-based and real-time data visibility across multiple locations, improving decision-making,” informed Harvinder Pal Singh, Chief Business Officer, Orbitsys DMS.

The software services company also tackles challenges pertaining to supply chain management by leveraging cloud-based tools that monitor performance in real-time. “We optimise supply chain management by providing tools for efficient inventory management, order tracking and supplier collaboration. The platform enables companies to monitor supply chain performance in real-time, identify bottlenecks and make data-driven decisions to improve efficiency and reduce costs,” said Singh.

However, in this rapidly changing landscape of digitisation, data security has assumed an important position. Commenting on ensuring data security and privacy in its application, Singh said, “We prioritise data security and privacy in our solutions for the automotive sector by implementing robust security measures such as encryption, access controls and regular security audits by industry-leading security partners. The platform ensures that customer data is protected against unauthorised access and adheres to industry standards and regulations for data privacy.”

Furthermore, as Orbitsys is an ISO certified company, it conducts regular audits and updates the solutions to comply with statutory requirements, ensuring that customers can confidently use their services while meeting regulatory obligations.

When asked how Orbitsys’ technology enhances efficiency and productivity in automotive production and distribution processes, Singh explained, “We improve order accuracy by leveraging real-time customer orders and vehicle inventory data of dealerships that can be shared with manufacturers, enabling them to adjust production plans and reduce the risk of overstocking or understocking at dealerships. Customers can be provided estimated arrival times and updates on vehicle delivery periods. Moreover, efficient service at dealerships, facilitated by our system, can lead to quicker turnaround times for repairs and maintenance, potentially reducing warranty claims and improving customer satisfaction.”

Digital solutions

Some of the specific solutions and services offered by Orbitsys include customer relationship management systems. These comprehensive, pre-configured auto-centric CRM platforms help automotive dealerships manage all interactions and communications with customers, including lead tracking, opportunity management and service requests.

It offers data repository services where a centralised repository keeps all customer and vehicle data, streamlining operations and improving data visibility. The Orbitsys CRM-DMS supports the entire sales process, from lead generation to deal closing, while the after-sales service module helps manage service appointments, track repair work and bill customers. The system can also be integrated with workshop management systems to streamline service operations.

Its inventory management system helps manage inventory levels for parts and vehicles, ensuring that dealerships have the right stock on hand to meet customer demand. It also offers the full range of pre-configured customer feedback programmes that are used by businesses to gauge customer satisfaction.

Besides these offerings, Orbitsys offers a range of mobile apps for OEMs, dealerships and vehicle owners, providing on-the-go access to key information and functionality.

Its vehicle and parts distribution platform for OEMs and dealers offers a comprehensive integration to OEM vehicle warehouse operations and enables on-line vehicle ordering as well as fund-management.

Moreover, the core platform has the capability to connect to any OEM or external system for secure and automated data flows.

The service provider leverages its technological expertise to innovate in the automotive sector by focusing on streamlined dealer business management and cloud-based accessibility. The system offers an all-in-one solution for dealerships, managing various aspects like distribution, sales, service and customer relationship management.

This eliminates the need for multiple disconnected systems and enforces pre-defined processes to ensure data integrity and minimise the possibility of frauds.

“Our platform is designed on pre-defined processes that are enforced with minimal manual intervention so that all reports and insights use trusted data. This attention to process also minimises the possibility of fraud. Moreover, our web-hosted software allows dealerships with multiple locations and brands to access and manage data and operations centrally. This provides real-time data visibility, improving decision making and streamlining processes across the network,” informed Singh.

Answering how Orbitsys contributes to electric vehicle (EV) technology advancements, he said, “We offer features that support EV manufacturers in managing customer relationships, streamlining operations and analysing data. This helps EV manufacturers improve efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate the development and adoption of EV technology.”

Market presence

The service provider has been present in the automotive segment since 1995 and has worked with brands such as Daewoo, Skoda, Isuzu and Benelli in ICE and Amo Mobility and Omega Seiki and Lohia Auto in EV segment. Over 1,700 automotive dealers and workshops have chosen to work with their system so far. “We work closely with the Federation of Dealer Associations in India to engage with dealerships across the country. Orbitsys has been the DMS partner for India’s most prestigious Autocar Awards – created and hosted by India’s most trusted automobile publication, for over six years now,” informed Singh.

He added, “Orbitsys CRM-DMS stays ahead in the rapidly evolving automotive market by continuously innovating its service offerings to meet the changing needs of customers and the industry. We invest in research and development to develop cutting-edge solutions with mobile capabilities that help automotive businesses stay competitive. We actively collaborate with industry partners and engage with customers to understand their challenges and develop tailored solutions that address their specific needs.”

Commenting on long-term goals and vision in relation to the automotive sector, Singh said, “We intend to create a globally scaleable platform that will work across multiple markets. On the technology side, we are actively working on plans for block-chain integration. AI integration will be coming to specific modules on a small scale first and then become an integral part of the system. We will integrate closely with connected vehicle systems to bring the best vehicle ownership experience to customers.

With factors like exhaust emissions, non-exhaust emissions, battery durability and lifetime requirements (in terms of mileage and lifetime) as the key requirements, vehicles complying with BS 7 emission regulations will see a considerable rise in onboard controllers. 
The commercial vehicles will be particularly subject to a doubling of controllers onboard as the new emission regulations kick in the next two to three years, mentioned a technology chief of an automobile company in India recently. 
The number of controllers will double in a commercial vehicle from 10 to 20, he explained. He drew attention to the move up to Euro 7 emission norms in Europe and stated, “The BS 7 emission norms in India are loosely based on the Euro 7 emission regulations that come into effect in Europe in 2025.”  
The Euro 7 emission regulations in Europe will come into force for passenger vehicles from 1 July 2025. The Euro 7 emission regulations for commercial vehicles will come into force from 1 July 2027. 
The BS 7 emission regulations draft is out, mentioned an auto components industry leader. “The emission regulations, like in Europe, are expected to be enforced in a staggered manner,” he added. 
The government is expected to announce the BS 7 regulations for passenger vehicles and two-wheelers in the middle of next calendar year. These would closely follow the RDE norms that came into force from middle of last calendar year. 
The effect of BS & emission norms is expected to be considerable in terms of price escalation in vehicles. 
 

Visteon Corporation, a leading supplier for automotive cockpit electronics and connected car solutions, has inaugurated its new Global Capability Center (GCC) in Kolkata, India. The facility set to become operational by January 2025 is set to have 300 engineers by end-2026 with plans to scale it up to over 500 engineers in the next two to three years.

The Kolkata GCC will focus on Android-based infotainment, autonomous vehicle solutions, cybersecurity, multimedia & remote projection, cloud technologies. It will exclusive focus on Android-based infotainment and cockpit software development.

With this, the company now has facilities in Chennai, Goa, Bengaluru, Pune, Trivandrum and Coimbatore contributing to its global development capabilities.

Sachin Lawande, President & CEO, Visteon, said, “India has been central to our strategy for over 20 years, with over 2,000 of our people driving automotive innovation. The new Kolkata center strengthens our focus on Android-based automotive solutions and expands our fastest-growing product portfolio. At Visteon we meet the talent where it’s at, and we’re glad to strengthen our team with Kolkata’s engineering expertise and collaborate with the city’s top universities to support the evolving needs of automakers worldwide.”

Altair, a pioneer in computational intelligence worldwide, has revealed that its data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) platform, Altair RapidMiner, now enables customers to create and implement sophisticated AI agents with ease. By integrating generative AI (genAI) agents into their processes, organisations may use Altair RapidMiner to enable operational insight and disruptive automation.

The most cutting-edge elements of top AI agent frameworks are combined in this new capability, which also adds Altair RapidMiner's unique advantages. Features like AI fabric intelligent ecosystems, graph-powered contextual intelligence, smooth integration with sophisticated computational systems, integrated governance and traceability and improved multi-agent collaboration are all included in the Altair RapidMiner for AI agents, which connects to APIs, enterprise systems and external tools with ease.

Sam Mahalingam, CTO, Altair, said, “Altair RapidMiner, already a trusted platform for machine learning and data analytics, is now taking the next step with our AI agent framework. By enabling users to build autonomous AI agents that seamlessly integrate graph-based intelligence, machine learning, simulations and business rules, we're unlocking new possibilities. This innovative approach, built on the trusted foundation of Altair RapidMiner, allows organisations to maximise the value of their data and achieve a competitive edge.”

US-based artificial intelligence (AI) driven data solutions company iMerit recently launched an automotive AI centre of excellence in Coimbatore. Speaking to Motoring Trend on the sidelines of the event, Chief Executive Officer Radha Ramaswami Basu said, “The Centre of Excellence works on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and audio-visual systems, ensuring that the perception models are safely built with high quality data under many different traffic and weather conditions. Secondly, we perform review work, quality control of the models, generative AI explainability and driving scenario analysis, to close the loop.”

The company has hired all local people from Coimbatore and nearby areas for the centre and provides high quality training to them to hit the ground running. With projects in hand, and long-term customers, it already has a workforce of over 200 people with plans to double the number in 2025. “Our Ango Hub technology gives them a huge advantage in their career journey,” said Basu.

While the company refrained from disclosing customer names citing stringent confidentiality policies, it noted that it works with OEM, Tier-1 and Silicon Valley innovators, in the automotive and drone spaces.

The new centre, iMerit’s 12th location, was inaugurated by Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services for Tamil Nadu, Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan, in the presence of employees, guests and senior executives from iMerit. The company continues to invest in developing industry-leading software and solutions for AI Data to support its customers in autonomous mobility, medical AI and technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Thiagarajan said, “This event signifies a critical milestone, illustrating the remarkable speed at which visionary leadership and dedicated execution can effect change. The establishment of an office within six months—from initial discussions to formal inauguration—constitutes an exceptional accomplishment. Organisations operating in sectors such as artificial intelligence, computer vision and data augmentation are poised to transform industries on a global scale. Moreover, these companies are fostering inclusive growth by advancing historically underserved communities, generating employment opportunities and equipping individuals with advanced skill sets. Notably, with women comprising 52 percent of the workforce, many serving as sole breadwinners, this model embodies innovation, social equity and empowerment—a true reflection of Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister Thiru MK Stalin’s ambition and excellence.”

Basu also noted, “Coimbatore is a historic cultural and industrial venue. It is already famous for its IT and automotive sectors. I am very pleased to bring these together with iMerit’s automotive AI vertical.  Automotive AI is our largest vertical. 60 percent of our revenues come from cutting-edge companies in autonomous mobility including trucking, ADAS and drones.

Commenting on the new centre, Chief Delivery Officer Anupam Biswas said, “Data quality is critical to AI technology, especially in computer vision and multi-sensor fusion, which are important for innovation in autonomous vehicles. The work is quite complex and we found a good mix of experienced and young talent in the Coimbatore area. This has been our fastest ramp-up in a new location. We have already hired and trained over 220 multi-sensor fusion experts on our Ango Hub software and they have started working on critical customer projects.”

The company emphasises responsible AI through ethical practices. For over 10 years, it has helped leading AI model developers across mission-critical industries like autonomous mobility, healthcare AI and high-tech.  iMerit has also been steadily growing its India business. With Automotive AI in India poised to cross a billion dollars in the next five years, the company hopes to leverage its global know-how to help the Indian industry also build a strong AI data backbone.