Cybersecurity Flagged as Key Challenge for Smart Mobility at SIAT 2026

Cybersecurity has emerged as one of the major challenges in the development of smart mobility solutions, experts said at the recently concluded Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT) 2026.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Dr Reji Mathai, Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), said cybersecurity was identified as a critical concern during expert discussions at the 19th edition of SIAT, held at the Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre (PIECC), Moshi.

“The theme of SIAT 2026 was Innovative Pathways to Safe and Sustainable Mobility, and cybersecurity stood out as a key challenge for smart mobility solutions,” Mathai said.

He added that other issues requiring attention include validation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) through high-level simulation, development of charging infrastructure, range anxiety and affordability of smart mobility solutions.

Mathai said India would need to focus on a mix of technologies, including hybrids alongside full electric vehicles, smart grid integration to optimise charging time and reduce costs, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. V2X, using 5G and dedicated radio technologies, can enable data exchange between vehicles and networks to support road safety, traffic management and autonomous driving. He also stressed the need for policy collaboration to support India’s carbon neutrality goals by 2030.

Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Steel Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma, who attended the closing ceremony, said safer, cleaner and greener mobility is critical as India moves towards a $5 trillion economy. He highlighted ARAI’s role in certification, research and technology support for national initiatives.

The event also underscored the need to build an indigenous automotive technology ecosystem under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, with greater use of local resources to develop solutions for Indian conditions.

SIAT 2026 saw participation from over 2,500 delegates and around 13,000 visitors at the expo. The symposium featured 64 technical sessions, eight plenary presentations and two panel discussions. A total of 248 technical papers were presented, including 33 international papers, across 64 concurrent sessions evaluated by more than 80 judges. Tata Motors received the Best Paper Award.

Senior industry and institutional representatives present at the event included Vikram Kasbekar, Executive Director and CTO, Hero MotoCorp, Dr G Nagrajan, President, SAE India, and Dr N H Walke, Convenor, SIAT 2026.