French technology company Valeo and NATIX Network have announced a partnership to develop a multi-camera World Foundation Model (WFM). The project combines Valeo’s research in artificial intelligence and generative modelling with NATIX’s decentralised physical infrastructure network (DePIN) to create an open-source platform for autonomous driving and robotics.

The initiative aims to move beyond perception-based models by creating a system capable of predicting future states and reasoning about physical interactions in a four-dimensional environment. The model will be trained using NATIX’s data network, which has collected 600,000 hours of video data across the US, Europe and Asia over seven months. This data provides the multi-camera inputs necessary for the spatial perception required by autonomous vehicles and robots.

The partnership builds upon Valeo’s existing open-source frameworks, VaViM (Video Autoregressive Model) and VaVAM (Video-Action Model). While these frameworks were previously trained primarily on front-camera datasets, the integration of NATIX’s multi-camera network expands the AI’s field of vision to 360 degrees.

Under the open-source framework, the partners will release models, datasets and training tools. This approach is intended to allow the research community to fine-tune models and benchmark physical AI across various driving conditions and geographic regions. The collaboration seeks to accelerate the deployment of end-to-end AI models by learning from real-world edge cases captured by vehicles in operation.

Marc Vrecko, Chief Executive Officer, Valeo’s Brain Division, said, “Since our creation in 2018, Valeo’s AI research center has been at the forefront of AI research in the automotive industry, especially in the fields of assisted and autonomous driving. Our goal has always been to advance mobility intelligence safely and responsibly. By combining Valeo’s generative world modeling research expertise with NATIX’s global multi-camera data, we are accelerating both the quality and the accessibility of next-generation end-to-end AI models, enabling the research community to build upon strong open models.”

Alireza Ghods, CEO and Co-Founder, NATIX, added, “WFMs are a once-in-a-generation opportunity — similar to the rise of LLMs in 2017–2020. The teams that build the first scalable world models will define the foundation of the next AI wave: Physical AIs. With our distributed multi-camera network, NATIX has a clear advantage of being able to move faster than large OEMs.”

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Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) has introduced DEP AIWorks, an engineering platform designed to integrate machine learning with physics-based simulation. The launch follows the conclusion of a five-city industry conclave held across Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai.

DEP AIWorks is built as a physics-agnostic and tool-agnostic environment, allowing it to function across various datasets and engineering domains. The platform combines neural networks and physics-informed models with computer-aided engineering (CAE) solvers to provide predictive and generative capabilities within the product development lifecycle.

Core features of the platform include modular architecture, operational speed and ecosystem compatibility.

The platform is intended for use in the automotive, aerospace, energy, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. It supports various stages of development, from early design exploration to manufacturing validation. By utilising data-driven learning alongside physics-based validation, the system aims to improve engineering productivity and accelerate decision-making cycles.

Radha Krishnan, President & Founder, DEP, said, “DEP AIWorks reflects the next step in how engineering organisations will adopt AI, not as a standalone tool, but as an integrated part of the product development lifecycle. By combining decades of simulation expertise with advances in AI, we are enabling teams to move faster while maintaining engineering rigor and reliability.”

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German tier 1 supplier ZF has introduced SolarBoost, a retrofittable solar panel system designed to support the 24-volt on-board electrical systems of city buses and coaches. The technology generates electricity during vehicle operation to recharge batteries, intended to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance requirements for fleet operators.

The system reduces the load on the drive engine by providing an alternative power source for on-board systems, which are traditionally supplied by the alternator. According to ZF, the additional energy can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3.5 percent, depending on weather conditions and application profiles.

The company states that key benefits for operators include battery longevity, as continuous recharging extends battery life. ZF reports potential savings equivalent to one battery per vehicle per year.

Furthermore, it enhances uptime by reduced requirement for stationary battery recharges and lower maintenance frequency. The system includes Bluetooth connectivity, allowing operators to track energy generation in real-time via a mobile application.

SolarBoost utilises a plug-and-play architecture designed for installation in an operator's own workshop using standard tools. The process does not require drilling into the vehicle structure or extensive rewiring, allowing for fleet-wide scaling with minimal disruption to service.

The hardware is engineered to withstand vibrations and weather conditions associated with heavy-duty transit. ZF provides a 5-year warranty and repair kits to support the long-term durability of the flexible panels.

The product is positioned as a scalable solution for bus operators to meet environmental targets. By utilizing renewable energy for electrical loads, the system assists in reducing the carbon footprint of intercity and urban transport fleets. It aligns with ZF’s broader strategy to deliver innovations that improve vehicle efficiency while supporting climate-friendly mobility.

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Recyclekaro, an e-waste and lithium-ion battery recycling firm, has been cleared for eligibility under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Mines under the National Critical Minerals Mission.

The company has committed an investment of approximately INR 3 billion to expand its operations. This brownfield expansion aims to increase total processing capacity to 50,000 metric tonnes.

Its targeted waste streams for mineral recovery include spent lithium-ion batteries, electronic circuit e-waste, rare earth magnets and spent catalytic converters.

The project is designed to increase the domestic recovery of lithium and rare earth elements, reducing reliance on mineral imports for the electric mobility and renewable energy sectors.

Recyclekaro plans to invest over INR 5 billion over the next five years into a research and development facility. This centre will focus on technologies for the recovery of rare earth and critical minerals. The objective of the expansion is to align with national resource security and circular economy targets.

Rajesh Gupta, Founder and Managing Director, Recyclekaro, said, “We are proud to have secured eligibility under the Government of India’s Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme and sincerely commend the Ministry of Mines for instituting a visionary and robust framework under the National Critical Minerals Mission. This marks a decisive step toward strengthening India’s energy security that relies on securing critical minerals domestically. This will support India’s net zero goals. Over the past 15 years, we have built world-class in-house technologies, conducted thousands of pilot-scale experiments, and are now investing over INR 5 billion next 5 years in our newly developed R&D facility. It is going to be amongst the biggest privately owned facilities in India dedicated to rare earth and critical mineral recovery. At Recyclekaro, we remain deeply committed to this national movement and invite researchers, innovators, and technology partners to collaborate in accelerating India’s clean energy and circular economy transition.”

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Kochi-headquartered deep-tech company RoshAi has raised INR 220 million in funding, which was led by IAN Alpha Fund, part of the IAN Group.

The capital is designated for product development, expansion of deployments and scaling operations across international industrial markets.

RoshAi develops autonomy solutions that can be retrofitted to existing heavy vehicles in sectors such as ports, mining and logistics. This approach allows operators to implement driverless operations without the requirement for new fleet investments.

The technology stack comprises three primary components:

Retrofit Hardware: Physical kits to enable autonomous control of conventional vehicles.

In-Vehicle Autonomy System: AI-powered software and sensors for navigation and obstacle detection.

Cloud-Based Fleet Management: A platform for remote monitoring and operational coordination.

The company reports that its systems have completed over 100,000 km of testing with no safety incidents.

The global industrial autonomous vehicle market is projected to reach USD 162.8 billion by 2030, up from USD 47.6 billion in 2024. RoshAi aims to capture this growth by targeting the United States, Australia and Southeast Asia. It currently collaborates with Tier 1 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and industrial operators on pilot projects.

Sarika Saxena, Managing Partner, IAN Alpha Fund, said, “RoshAi is solving industrial autonomy through a retrofit-first approach, enabling operators to upgrade existing fleets rather than invest in new infrastructure. With strong early validation, repeat customer engagement, and a scalable autonomy platform, the company is well-positioned to build a globally relevant deep-tech business from India.”

Roshy John, Founder & CEO, RoshAi, added, “Our focus is to make industrial operations safer and more efficient by enabling existing fleets to operate autonomously. This investment allows us to accelerate product development, scale deployments across global markets, and continue building a robust autonomy platform for industrial use cases. We are glad to have IAN’s support as we move into this next phase.”

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