Tata Motors Rolls Out 1 Millionth Car From Sanand Plant; To Invest In Tamil Nadu

Tata Motors Rolls Out 1 Millionth Car From Sanand Plant; To Invest In Tamil Nadu

Achieving a significant milestone of rolling out the one-millionth car from its state-of-the-art facility in Sanand (Gujarat) that is spread over an area of 1100 acres, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Managing Director Shailesh Chandra is known to have spoken about replicating the environment in China for EVs until a certain threshold of sale of such vehicles is achieved. 

The importance of this statement is significant in terms of the development of EV charging, manufacturing and supplier infrastructure in the country for EVs, including the production of key electronic parts such as semiconductors, mentioned an industry source. 

Commanding roughly 86 percent of the EV market in India, Tata Motors has been at the forefront of supporting cab aggregators and others in the adoption of electric passenger vehicles to ensure zero tailpipe emission in urban regions. The company is following a ‘planet’ first policy that emphasises on circular economy among other factors. 

With 50 percent of the power consumed in Sanand-1's operations coming from renewable sources, the roll out of the one-millionth car reflects the hard work and dedication of the team at the Sanand facility, according to the company’s statement. 

With plans chalked out to achieve 100 percent green energy usage in the next three years, the Sanand plant is the youngest plant of Tata Motors. It boasts of having an up-to-the-minute technology across all its processes, is highly mechanised with lean process management system and includes a press line, weld shop, paint shop, assembly line and powertrain shop. 

The facility also has a flexible assembly line and is known for producing various models of passenger vehicles like Tiago, Tiago AMT, Tiago.ev, Tiago iCNG, Tigor, Tigor AMT, Tigor EV, Tigor iCNG and XPRES-T EV. A single model plant has been successfully converted into multi-model plant churning out three models with 100 percent assets management and utilisation.

In other news, Tata Motors has announced that it has signed a MoU with Government of Tamil Nadu to set up a vehicle manufacturing facility with an investment of INR 9 billion over the next five years. 

The facility would have the potential to create up to 5,000 jobs (direct and indirect). The MoU was signed between Tata Motors and Guidance, Tamil Nadu’s nodal agency for investment promotion and facilitation recently. The teams from both the organisations will work together to achieve the desired results. 

MapmyIndia And Zoho Announce Integration For CRM Users

MapmyIndia Mappls - Zoho

MapmyIndia Mappls, a digital mapping and geospatial technology company, and Zoho, a technology company, have announced a collaboration to integrate two MapmyIndia features directly within Zoho CRM. The features being integrated are Address Capture and Nearby Lead Finder.

The integration allows Zoho CRM users to: capture verified addresses, visualise customer locations, discover potential leads in nearby areas and optimise sales routes. These functions are powered by MapmyIndia’s mapping platform.

Rakesh Verma, Co-Founder, Managing Director & Group Chairman, MapmyIndia Mappls, said, “This partnership between MapmyIndia and Zoho is a true blue Swadeshi celebration – two Indian innovators and leaders in their respective fields - coming together to deliver cutting-edge, homegrown technology that is world-class. MapmyIndia Mappls Address Capture and Nearby Lead Finder capabilities will help Zoho CRM users across India to work smarter and sell better, while keeping all data and innovation safe within India. I am confident that this partnership will boost collaborations amongst Indian tech companies creating a sympathetic ecosystem towards the realisation of an Atmanirbhar, Viksit Bharat.”

Mani Vembu, CEO, Zoho, said, "At Zoho, we believe that true technological progress begins with self-reliance. Building deep-tech R&D from India has always been one of our foundational pursuits, driven by the immense talent and creativity that thrive in the country. Our partnership with MapmyIndia embodies this vision, uniting homegrown expertise in business software and digital mapping to deliver solutions that are powerful, privacy-focused and proudly indigenous. This integration empowers Indian businesses by combining business intelligence with spatial intelligence, giving field teams the location-aware insights they need to better serve their customers."

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Opens Experiential Museum In Bengaluru

TEM

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has unveiled the Toyota Experiential Museum (TEM) in Bengaluru, which it said is a new cultural and lifestyle hub for the company. The space combines Indian philosophy with Japanese culture and technology.

Located on the ground floor of the Phoenix Mall of Asia, TEM is spread across 8,200 sq ft and offers a five-senses experience, blending Japanese minimalism with Indian warmth through visuals, sounds, scents, textures and flavours.

Tadashi Asazuma, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota, our vision of creating ‘Happier Paths Together’ goes beyond mobility – it is about inspiring experiences that connect people, cultures, and emotions. With TEM, we hope to offer a truly unique experience that embodies this spirit.

In India, we found inspiration in the practice of Sadhana – the mindful pursuit of inner balance and fulfilment. TEM is where the Japanese culture and values of precision, serenity, and respect for nature beautifully align with the spirit of Sadhana, making TEM a meaningful blend of both. Designed to engage the senses and spark reflection, it brings together art, technology, and craftsmanship to inspire mindfulness, especially amongst the youth.”

The museum features minimalist interiors and distinct aesthetics designed to spark curiosity, inviting guests to explore at their own pace. The journey begins with a mirrored and rhythmic experience of the changing seasons common to Japan and India, unfolding through infinite projections of light, colour and motion. It then rises into a celebration of shared passion, featuring an audio-visual collaboration with DRUM TAO. A display includes a water curtain encircling a car draped in satin.

A design cafe offers a range of merchandise blending heritage with contemporary lifestyle, celebrating simplicity and craftsmanship.

The TEM cafe features a curated menu that blends the Japanese tradition of matcha with Indian flavours. Highlights include the India-inspired mango infusion.

Rarity Solutions

Maruti Suzuki India (Maruti Suzuki) has announced an investment of nearly INR 20 million to pick up 7.84 percent stake in Bengaluru-based mobility insights start-up Ravity Software Solutions. The start-up claimed to be a global platform for AI-driven connected mobility intelligence, which transforms vehicle data into business value.

This marks the automaker’s third such move through ‘Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund’, which makes strategic investments in innovative and high-potential start-ups that can support Maruti Suzuki India’s operations.

The company made its first investment of INR 20 million in Sociograph Solutions in June 2022, followed by the same amount in Amlgo Labs in March 2024.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Aligning to our core value of keeping customer at the core of our business, we are focused on enhancing vehicle ownership experience. In the age of open innovation, we strive to co-create business solutions with specialized entities operating in the particular field. Startups are ideal partners as they bring agility, fresh thinking, and cutting-edge solutions, to support our goal of ensuring customer delight. Our investment in Ravity Software Solutions will enable us to elevate customer experience through data-driven insights. We have been associating with startups since 2019 under our Maruti Suzuki Innovation programs. Through this initiative, we are investing in a culture of innovation, building strategic partnerships, and unlocking new opportunities, in line with Government’s ‘Startup India’ initiative to promote entrepreneurship in the country.”

Vikas Rungta, Founder, Ravity Software Solutions, said, “It is an honour to be associated with an industry leader like Maruti Suzuki, whose name is synonymous with bringing personal mobility to millions in India as well as across the globe. An automobile major like Maruti Suzuki partnering with a startup speaks volumes about its forward-thinking mindset, humility, and openness to learn and collaborate to explore new ideas. With our excellence and expertise in AI, analytics and mobility, we are committed to upholding the trust Maruti Suzuki has placed in us. We believe that the high complementarity of our strengths: Maruti Suzuki’s scale of business and our agility and entrepreneurship, will further enhance customer experience and delight.” 

LG Display Wins Two CES 2026 Innovation Awards For Automotive Display Technology

LG - CES

LG Display has secured two CES 2026 Innovation Awards from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) for two automotive display innovations: Dual View OLED and Under Display Camera-infrared (UDC-IR) OLED.

Both products were honoured in the In-Vehicle Entertainment category for delivering space efficiency, superior picture quality and high standards of safety.

The Dual View OLED solution allows a single automotive display to show different content based on the viewing position. For example, the driver can view navigation while the front passenger streams content. Optimised pixel structure ensures the driver’s touch operation does not interfere with the passenger’s entertainment. The product utilises a Tandem OLED device structure for picture quality and operates reliably in environments ranging from -40deg C to 85deg C.

The UDC-IR OLED jointly developed with LG Innotek, is claimed to world’s first full-screen automotive display to conceal an in-screen driver-monitoring camera. LG Display developed advanced algorithms that make the camera hole invisible from the driver’s viewpoint. The camera integrates LG Innotek’s high-resolution IR camera and image-enhancement software to ensure accurate driver monitoring, which is becoming mandatory due to global safety regulations.

LG Display will showcase these solutions at a dedicated booth at CES 2026. The company has consistently won CES Innovation Awards, previously honoured for its Thin Actuator Sound Solution (CES 2023) and its 57-inch Pillar-to-Pillar LCD (CES 2024).