Latest news with #ETAutoTechSummit2025
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
ETAuto Tech Summit 2025: India's automotive tech dreams need a bold R&D reset, industry leaders at the event
The message from the ETAuto Tech Summit 2025 in Bengaluru was loud and clear: if India wants to position itself as a global hub for automotive technologies, it must significantly step up its R&D investments and build a deep, future-ready talent pool. Industry stalwarts expressed concern over India's lagging progress and emphasised the urgent need to capitalise on the growing opportunities already unfolding within the country. 'R&D spending is key to long-term growth. One of our biggest misses has been underutilising opportunities to create IP, drive deep-tech innovation, and foster a strong research culture,' said Kishor Patil , Chairman, NASSCOM ER&D Council , MD and CEO, KPIT Technologies. He added that global growth trends clearly correlate with high R&D expenditure, and it is time for Indian OEMs to move beyond their acquisition mindset and instead embrace grassroots innovation to build a solid base of patented technologies and indigenous products. Drawing comparisons with innovation-driven nations like the US and China, Patil pointed out that those countries follow a well-structured, multi-pronged approach - government-led identification of key focus areas, direct project allocation to OEMs, strong academia-industry ties, and active support for startups. 'India is only beginning to build this ecosystem,' he said. 'We need to treat this as a fire-fighting exercise if we intend to close the gap.' The numbers back his concern. India's R&D investment in the automotive sector stands at just 0.65per cent of GDP, significantly behind China (2.56per cent ), the US (3.59per cent ), Japan (3.41per cent ), and Germany (3.13per cent ). 'We have just 4,552 global patents, while China has 70,160 and the US 54,087,' Patil said. India currently ranks 39th on the Global Innovation Index 2024, while China sits at 11th. Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre), echoed the call for change. 'We must focus on building 'Brand India' by developing technologies indigenously, instead of always looking to acquire them abroad,' he said. 'We have fallen behind in R&D, now is the time to realign and push forward with renewed intent.' Adding further perspective, Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, emphasised the need for localised solutions. 'Increasing the localisation of components is critical,' he said. 'We also need India-specific datasets and software solutions tailored to real-world use cases in the country.' Dr. Andy Palmer, global automotive veteran and Chairman, Inobat Auto, captured the shifting paradigm, 'The race in the automotive world today is for technology leadership over market share.' Reflecting on the current geopolitical landscape, he highlighted the importance of strategic alliances and self-reliance. 'India must act now to protect and strengthen its supply chains.'
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
India's drive toward autonomous, AI-native mobility begins
At the ETAutoTech Summit 2025, the tone was set: India's not just chasing innovation — it's building its own. The event brought together leaders from across the ecosystem to talk AI, autonomy, indigenous IP, and collaboration with unlikely partners like ISRO. Meanwhile, Tesla's robotaxi rollout faces technical and political turbulence, even as Indian AVs quietly inch forward. From IIT Hyderabad's TiHAN to TCS' SDV labs in Europe — it's clear: the road to future mobility is being paved fast, and everywhere. ETAutoTech Summit 2025: Innovation and urgency to scale indigenous capabilities take centre stage India's automotive industry is going full throttle on localisation — from electrification to AI-native platforms . ETAutoTech Summit 2025 became the rallying point for stakeholders who believe India isn't just participating in the EV-autonomous revolution — it's aiming to lead it. Read more ETAutoTech Summit 2025: Pawan Goenka urges ISRO-Auto industry collaboration on sensor tech In one of the event's key moments, Pawan Goenka called for ISRO to team up with automakers to build world-class sensor systems. From GNSS to LIDAR, the pitch is simple — space-grade precision could power the next-gen Indian autonomous stack. Read more Indian autonomous driving tech for India, and the world Autonomy isn't one-size-fits-all — and India's proving it. With unpredictable roads and unique conditions, Indian AV developers are solving edge cases that global players can't. This video explores how our chaos could become our competitive advantage. Watch now How is Tesla expected to remotely control its robotaxis, and what are its limitations? Tesla's approach to robotaxis involves remote operation fallback — think human drivers overseeing fleets through control centers. But real-time decision-making over networks has its risks: latency, liability, and edge-case failures remain unresolved. Read more TiHAN-IITH moots industry consortium for autonomous navigation TiHAN at IIT Hyderabad is building the R&D backbone for Indian autonomy. It now wants to create an industry consortium to leverage its testbeds, labs, and simulation platforms. A collaborative effort to drive standards and scale. Read more TCS expands software-defined vehicle capabilities in Europe with new hub With new centres in Germany and Romania, TCS is doubling down on SDVs — building embedded software, cloud stacks and cybersecurity layers for next-gen cars. The global auto industry is clearly taking Indian IT very seriously. Read more Elon Musk faces pushback as Texas lawmakers urge delay of Tesla robotaxi launch Regulatory brakes are being applied in the US. Lawmakers in Texas want Tesla to pause its robotaxi deployment, citing safety concerns and lack of transparency. The tension between innovation and regulation is on full display. Read more As India accelerates toward a software-first, AI-powered mobility future, the question is no longer 'if' but 'how soon.' The tools are being built, the coalitions are forming, and the ambition is loud and clear. The next lap? Real-world execution — at scale. We'd love to hear what you think about this edition of the newsletter! Your feedback and suggestions help us improve and deliver content that matters to you.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
ETAutoTech Summit 2025: Autonomous driving for India, by India - but with global vision, say experts
Bengaluru: India must not just adopt, but lead the development of autonomous vehicle technologies tailored to its unique challenges - technologies that are developed in India, by India, but for the world. This was the recurring sentiment echoed by industry leaders at the ETAutoTech Summit 2025 in Bengaluru. 'Autonomous technologies are the need of the hour for India,' says Dr. K Subramanian , Senior Vice President, Ashok Leyland . Highlighting the complexity and diversity of Indian roads, driving patterns and environments, he emphasises the need for the country to be at the centre stage of development, testing, piloting, and deploying autonomous systems. Dr. Subramanian expresses concern over the current trajectory of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) in India. 'I'm not happy with the way ADAS is panning out in the country,' he says. Instead of aiming for overly futuristic and complex solutions, he suggests focusing on simplicity, both in hardware and software. 'Make the hardware simpler and apply simplicity to the software, which can then be updated over time. As an industry, we must ensure that ADAS doesn't complicate vehicle architecture but rather lays the foundation for simple, efficient autonomous technologies,' he notes. He also urges a relook at how the industry is approaching these technologies, advocating for V2X ( Vehicle-to-Everything ) and V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) integration that enables a robust, communication-led ecosystem. Echoing the sentiment, Debashis Neogi, Managing Director, Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India says: 'We cannot just cut-copy-paste global solutions. We need indigenous technologies, developed and tested in India's diverse and dynamic environment.' Neogi stresses on the role of smart road infrastructure in accelerating adoption. 'We need to work closely with the government to unclutter traffic signals and enhance road infrastructure. That will pave the way for V2X and V2V systems to thrive.' Highlighting India's strength in frugal innovation, he adds, 'India has the potential to lead the world in cost-effective, intelligent ADAS and autonomous system development.' Dr. P Rajalakshmi , Cyient Chair Professor and Director of the NMICPS TiHAN Foundation, IIT Hyderabad , says, 'We are confident that autonomous driving will become a reality in India with the right regulations. R&D is already progressing.' Describing autonomous vehicles as cyber-physical systems that operate in a closed-loop without human intervention, she explains, 'The system involves sensors, perception, path planning, and control. The control algorithm is a critical piece in the autonomous tech stack, and we are developing an end-to-end stack validated across various categories of vehicles.'
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
ETAutoTech Summit 2025: Innovation and urgency to scale indigenous capabilities take center stage
New Delhi: At day 1 of the ETAutoTech Summit 2025 , a convergence of visionaries and leaders from across India's and the world's mobility ecosystem shared a common belief that India stands on the cusp of global automotive leadership. The discussions through the day spanned electric mobility , digital transformation , AI integration , sustainability, and the urgent need to scale indigenous capabilities . In a stirring keynote, Dr. Andy Palmer, Global Auto Industry Veteran and Chairman, Inobat Auto, called on India to reject dependence on external supply chains, especially from China, and instead invest deeply in domestic ecosystems. 'Why would you let your industry be subservient to Chinese supply?' he asked. Reflecting on his 46-year career, which has seen the industry transition from ICE to mass-market electrification, Dr Palmer outlined a three-point strategy for India's leadership in EVs– build domestic battery systems , recycling facilities, and skilled manpower; scale EV charging infrastructure , and pilot synthetic fuel stations; and enforce circularity, advancing end-to-end recycling. Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, INSPACe, traced his journey from auto to space tech, emphasising how India's auto industry has reached a stage where it can lead globally. However, he pointed out that two foundational challenges persist, namely quality and R&D investment. Create your place in the history of Indian auto. Don't just build for the market; build to lead, Dr Goenka said. 'Why would you let your industry be subservient to Chinese supply?'Dr Andy Palmer India's EV ambition India must not chase the cheapest EV, but the smartest one, said R Velusamy, President – Technology & Product Development, Mahindra & Mahindra. He emphasised leveraging large language models (LLMs) and AI for embedded intelligence in EV platforms. Echoing this, Mahesh Babu, CEO, Switch Mobility, underscored India's strength in IT and the opportunity to lead in AI and ML integration. 'Everyone gets the battery and motor. What differentiates Switch is our focus on software and digitalisation.' As the post-COVID landscape drives consumer behavior further into the digital realm, Dr. Tapan Sahoo, Executive Officer – Digital Enterprise, Maruti Suzuki India, noted the rising role of startups. He said, 'Startups bring fresh ideas and tech, but they lack scale. That's where OEMs must step in.' His colleague, Tarun Aggarwal, Head – Engineering, Maruti Suzuki, added that liquid fuels still hold untapped potential in India, warranting attention alongside EVs. "Create your place in the history of Indian auto. Don't just build for the market; build to lead."Dr. Pawan Goenka Data and AI Dr. Calev Munigety, Head, Enterprise-AI, Bosch India, highlighted the untapped potential of Generative AI . 'We are just at the beginning. The possibilities with Gen AI are infinite.' Ujjwala Karale, Senior Deputy Director, ARAI, emphasised that the conversion of data to actionable knowledge, and the collaboration between OEMs, is central to future innovation. Adding a systems lens, Dr. Lokesh Agrawal, CTO, NBC Bearings, said the rise of EVs demands a shift to system engineering, especially as scheduled maintenance becomes obsolete. He stressed the need for lightweighting at the sub-system level for improved efficiency and performance. India is also building a regulatory environment that is uniquely forward-looking. Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, ARAI, shared how India is the only country to implement both E20 ethanol blending and the BS-VI emission regime, emphasising the alignment of sustainability with safety and innovation.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
ETAutoTech Summit 2025: Pawan Goenka urges ISRO-Auto industry collaboration on sensor tech
Sensor technology is fast becoming the beating heart of next-gen vehicles. As cars evolve into intelligent, software-defined machines, India has a golden opportunity to tap into its space ecosystem for cutting-edge innovation. Speaking at the ETAutoTech Summit 2025 in Bengaluru, Dr. Pawan Goenka , Chairman, IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre), shares that among the various technologies, sensor technology should be the first to go when it comes to technology transfer from ISRO to automotive sector. 'ISRO has some 50 odd different sensors that can see application into the automotive industry ,' he shares, adding that technologies from ISRO and DRDO in the areas of sensors, ADAS and camera should be looked at by the automotive industry in collaboration with ARAI for its commercial viability. There are close to 14 space technologies that have been identified for possible transfer to automotive sector. 'There should be no one sensor that should be imported in India. We must leverage indigenous capabilities.'Dr. Pawan Goenka Goenka emphasises that two ISRO centres house hundreds of scientists dedicated solely to sensor development . He called on the auto industry to form a collaborative task force with ISRO to adapt and customise space-grade sensors for road-ready applications. 'If we can put a group together in the automotive industry to work with ISRO, we can translate the space sensor technology to automotive sensor technology,' he notes. 'There should be no one sensor that should be imported in India,' he states. 'We must leverage indigenous capabilities.' Reflecting that the technology of ISRO is very expensive and would need a recalibration and refinement to suit the automotive sector, Dr. Goenka says, 'We need to work together to make the cost right, and remove features that may be unnecessary for automotive. That's how we create viable, local solutions.' Asked about slow pick up of NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellations) technology, he says, 'Three more navigation satellites will soon be launched. With that, NaVIC will be able to do everything and would be little better than GPS in terms of accuracy and data.' He adds, 'Government is making every effort to push NavIC in civilian applications to reduce dependency on foreign systems for something so critical as navigational data. NaVIC is already in use for our strategic needs and is successful.' Beyond individual technologies, Dr. Goenka stresses on the need to build Brand India, both globally and domestically. He urged Indian manufacturers to focus on quality, R&D, and technology ownerships. 'We have come a long way. Today, Indian companies are producing world-class products, using local manufacturing and sourcing,' he says. 'Now, we must aim to build and position Brand India alongside Germany, Korea, and Japan on the global automotive stage.' However, he emphasises on the need to further improvements in quality and a stronger focus on R&D. 'If we look at any vehicle closely today and the technologies it has, how much is coming in from India - it is close to zero,' he reflects. Looking ahead, Dr. Goenka sees a major global opportunity in Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and urges Indian tech leaders and automotive industry to take the lead. 'India has the core software and systems expertise. If we act now, we can become the SDV capital of the world,' he shares.
