Zebra Technologies Corporation released the findings of its Automotive Ecosystem Vision Study. The study aimed to gauge industry views, priorities and expectations the industry faces, and the challenges and opportunities resulting from rapid digital transformation. All data was collected and tabulated by third-party research firm, Azure Knowledge Corporation.

The study confirmed automotive manufacturers are under pressure to accommodate growing consumers’ preference for electric vehicles (EVs) in the near future. Automotive manufacturers must plan for a smooth transition to EVs, which have a very different requirements from raw materials to final assembly. Technology-led priorities will therefore be focused on increasing automation, building in-house technologies and expanding visibility across their respective production and supply chains. 

The survey was conducted from August to September 2022, with participation from 1,336 respondents globally, including industry decision-makers, fleet managers and consumers. In APAC, the 350 respondents were surveyed across India, Greater China, Japan and South Korea.

APAC consumers, including India respondents, will prefer purchasing EVs in the future
The survey reflects that in the near future there will be a shift in preference, with more than half of consumers (53 percent globally, 60 percent in APAC, including India) indicating going for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). However, navigating this increasing demand for EVs comes with challenges as 68 percent of global automotive industry decision-makers (60 percent in APAC, including India) say they are under high pressure to produce next generation (electric) vehicles, while 75 percent of them (71 percent in APAC, including India) are under high pressure to deliver products that are more eco-friendly, sustainable and safer for the environment.

The study also highlights consumers across generations pushing automotive manufacturers’ acceleration to technology innovation as eight in ten say that sustainability and eco-friendliness are key priorities in their vehicle purchase and lease decisions. 87 percent of millennials prioritise sustainability in their vehicles followed closely by 78 percent of Gen Xers and 76 percent of baby boomers. Within APAC, 85 percent of consumers were aligned with these key priorities, consisting of 92 percent of millennials, 83 percent of Gen Xers and 72 percent of baby boomers prioritising sustainability the highest.

Consumers are driving the growing emphasis on personalisation – the ability to customise a vehicle to their liking. Nearly four in five consumers say personalisation options factor into their decision to purchase a vehicle, and eight in ten fleet managers share these same requirements for sustainability and personalisation. APAC consumers resonate with this most strongly when compared with their global counterparts, with 86 percent prioritising personalisation options in their purchasing decisions, and 92 percent of fleet managers sharing the same requirements.

While nearly 80 percent of automotive industry decision-makers globally (77 percent in APAC, including India) recognise consumers expect more sustainable and personalised vehicle options today, around seven in ten concede it’s difficult to keep up with increasing customisation demands. As a result, three in four automotive manufacturers globally say a top priority is to build strategic partnerships with tech companies for their next generation of production. This number is lower across APAC, at 72 percent and 64 percent respectively.

Tan Aik Jin, Vertical Solutions Marketing Lead APAC, Zebra Technologies, said, “The challenges that automotive manufacturers face today include finding and retaining qualified workforce, navigating supply chain disruptions, delivering on heightened expectations around speed and accuracy. While it’s heartening that consumers are leaning towards a greener automotive future with greater preference towards electric vehicles, this is a signal to automotive decision-makers to actively invest more in safer technologies and robust infrastructure, to better serve their customers.”

Trust and transparency in automotive manufacturing
Data and information transparency is highly important to consumers and fleet managers alike, and they are seeking more visibility into the automotive ecosystem. When considering a vehicle for purchase or lease, 81 percent of consumers globally (85 percent in APAC, including India) and 86 percent of fleet managers (92 percent in APAC, including India) indicate they want to understand the origin of materials and parts on their vehicle. Millennials lead the way in demanding more transparency in automotive manufacturing, as more than eight in ten (both globally and in APAC, including India) say it is important to have access to manufacturer information along with knowing if source materials and parts are sustainable and understanding how the vehicle is manufactured from end-to-end.

Beyond gaining greater visibility into the automotive manufacturing process, once they have their vehicles, 88 percent of consumers (82 percent in APAC, including India) and 86 percent of fleet managers (88 percent in APAC, including India) want to understand how the data from their vehicles will be used by the automotive ecosystem.

After a vehicle purchase, 83 percent of consumers and 84 percent of fleet managers expect ownership and control of the data their vehicle generates. This sentiment is similarly shared within APAC, by 86 percent of consumers and 88 percent of fleet managers.

Automotive supply chain visibility
A majority of consumers (79 percent globally, 83 percent in APAC, including India) and fleet managers (81 percent globally, 84 percent in APAC, including India) want end-to-end visibility during the manufacturing process. However, only around three in ten automotive industry decision-makers say they will prioritise connecting real-time data systems (30 percent in APAC, including India) to enable a holistic view of operations and increase visibility across production and throughout the supply chain over the next five years (32 percent in APAC, including India). 

Jin added, “To provide real-time visibility throughout the supply chain, digitising operations via RFID and rugged handheld mobile computers can ensure that both regulations and sustainability expectations are met effectively and efficiently.”

Slightly more than one-third of OEMs globally and in APAC said autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), RFID, rugged handheld mobile computers and scanners as well as industrial machine vision will improve supply chain management. Similarly for suppliers, one-third of those surveyed cite mobile barcode label/thermal printers, wearable computers and location technology as the technologies to do so. 

Rajnish Gupta, Vice President and Head – India and Sub-Continent Business, Zebra Technologies, said, “Manufacturers are innovating to meet changing customer demands, and they are increasing their investment in technologies to deliver more personalised and sustainable vehicles. Along with this, they also need to ramp up their end-to-end supply chain visibility to build the next level of trust with their customers. We are ready to help automotive manufacturers enhance their operational capabilities through digitalisation through varying solutions like the L10ax rugged tablet, RFD90 ultra-rugged UHF RFID sleds, MC9300 DPM mobile computer and Workforce Connect, just to name a few.”

Overall, around seven in ten automotive industry decision-makers (76 percent globally, 67 percent in APAC, including India) agree that digital transformation is a strategic priority for their organisation. In the next five years, they anticipate expanding their use of technology, with 47 percent (both globally and in APAC, including India) focused on additive manufacturing/3D printing and 45 percent globally (46 percent in APAC, including India) on supply chain planning solutions.

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Tata Elxsi, a leading design and technology solutions company, has announced its financial results for Q1 FY2027, reporting operating revenue of INR 10.21 billion, up 2.8 percent over the previous quarter and 14.5 percent YoY.

For Q1 FY2027, the company’s EBITDA came at INR 2.16 billion with a margin of 21.2 percent and a profit after tax (PAT) of INR 1.7 billion, up 18.2 percent YoY.

The company’s revenue from the transportation segment grew 13.3 percent YoY, supported by engagements in off-road and aerospace segments. Automotive OEM revenue now accounts for 78 percent of the division's total revenue. The media & communications segment revenue grew 22.2 percent YoY, while healthcare and life sciences clocked 1.7 percent growth QoQ.

Manoj Raghavan, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Elxsi, said, “For the quarter, Tata Elxsi delivered a healthy performance with growth in our two primary verticals, supported by strong deal execution and continued momentum in large strategic engagements. We also crossed a key milestone of reporting operating revenue of more than Rs. 1,000 crores in the current quarter. The performance in the quarter reflects the strength and increasing relevance of our design-led and AI-enabled engineering capabilities in our chosen industries.”

“FY2027 marks a year of future focus for the company, as we prepare and equip ourselves for a world reshaped by AI. We are making targeted investments in specialized talent, AI powered platforms, tools and infrastructure, to pivot to a Domain + AI future. These investments are enhancing customer value creation with tangible outcomes and opening new avenues for growth and positioning us for the year and decade ahead,” he concluded.

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Chinese automotive major BYD Group showcased eight model debuts at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it occupied a 2,016 square metre stand. The display featured vehicles from the BYD, DENZA and YANGWANG brands, with several models participating in the hillclimb event.

At the event, BYD introduced the DOLPHIN G DM-i, a supermini featuring Dual Mode Super Hybrid technology that pairs an electric motor with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. The manufacturer also presented the SHARK pickup, which produces 436PS and accelerates from 0-62mph (0-100 kmph) in 5.7 seconds.

DENZA unveiled the Z sports car, a coupe with 1604PS and a top speed of 217mph (350 kmph), which was presented by Stella Li and 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button. The brand also displayed the BAO 5 SUV, which incorporates DMO (Dual Mode Off-road) technology. Additionally, DENZA demonstrated charging speeds of up to 1,500kW, allowing vehicles to charge from 10-70 percent in five minutes.

YANGWANG exhibited the U9 Xtreme, a production car with a top speed of 308.3mph (496 kmph) and a 1200V powertrain. The brand also displayed the U8L SUV and the U7 saloon.

Stella Li, Executive Vice President, BYD, said, "It's been an exciting privilege to play such a central role at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. Our stand has been the focal point for thousands of visitors, who've been able to explore a host of new models – our incredible DENZA Z and DENZA BAO 5, as well as the BYD SHARK and, for the first time in the UK, the DOLPHIN G DM-i. We've really enjoyed meeting car enthusiasts from around the world, and it's been a particular thrill to see our cars, such as the YANGWANG U9X, going up the iconic hillclimb. Goodwood really is a global centrepiece for car culture, and we're delighted to have been able to show how our new-energy technologies are creating advances in sustainable mobility around the world."

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European commercial vehicle major IVECO and PETRONAS Lubricants International (PLI) have renewed their strategic partnership for five years, extending the agreement through 2032.

The collaboration continues the supply and joint engineering of lubricants for IVECO’s vehicle portfolio in Europe, including engine oils, transmission fluids, brake fluids and coolants.

The partnership focuses on the development of IVECO URANIA engine oils and IVECO TUTELA technical fluids. These products are recommended by IVECO and result from joint research and development. Recent innovations include the launch of Urania Next 0W-16, a lubricant formulated for heavy-duty applications.

Domenico Nucera, Chief Quality & Operations Officer, Iveco Group, said, "The renewal of the agreement with PETRONAS Lubricants International confirms the strength of a long-standing collaboration built on shared technical expertise and a common ambition to continuously improve performance, efficiency, and sustainability across our vehicle and powertrain portfolio. Through the co-engineering of our IVECO URANIA and IVECO TUTELA ranges, we are able to deliver solutions that maximise vehicle uptime, optimise total cost of ownership, and support our customers and dealer network with the highest standards of quality and reliability."

Domenico Ciaglia, Group Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, PETRONAS Lubricants International (PLI), said, "This partnership renewal demonstrates what can be achieved through a long-term forward-thinking collaboration, with consistency, and a shared commitment to excellence. Through continuous product innovation, we have been able to co-develop market-leading solutions such as the Urania Next 0W-16 engine oil formulation, seamlessly integrated into IVECO's ecosystem. This collaboration enables us to deliver greater value to the industry by combining our expertise and driving innovation together. Looking ahead, PETRONAS Lubricants International remains fully committed to supporting the IVECO Group with forward integrated reliable, high-performance products and solutions that create lasting value for its network and customers. This renewed collaboration further reinforces the foundation of PLI's broader strategic roadmap, demonstrating how technical excellence and trusted partnerships can drive sustainable, long-term value internationally."

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L&T Technology Services (LTTS), a leading engineering research & development (ER&D) company, has concluded its Engineering Intelligence (EI) OpenHack 2026, an innovation challenge held simultaneously across nine locations in India, the US and Europe. The event involved nearly 4,000 engineers across 770 teams.

Participants worked on over 500 challenge statements related to software-defined mobility, plant modernisation, energy, automation and AI infrastructure. The solutions developed during the 24-hour event focused on areas such as industrial automation, cybersecurity, autonomous systems and healthcare.

A jury evaluated the entries based on innovation, technical execution, scalability and relevance. The winning teams received prizes totalling over INR 3 million. Promising projects were selected for further development through the company’s Project Equinox platform and patent-worthy concepts were identified for intellectual property recognition.

Mritunjay Kumar Singh, Chief Operating Officer, L&T Technology Services, said, “The EI OpenHack 2026 reflects LTTS’ vision of Engineering Intelligence, where engineering expertise and AI come together to solve real-world industry challenges. What stood out was not only the scale of participation, but the ability of our engineers to apply contextual understanding, domain knowledge and AI prowess to develop solutions with tangible business relevance. Initiatives like OpenHack create opportunities for our talent to experiment, collaborate and develop solutions that will shape the future of engineering.”

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