PTC Hosts Grand Automotive Executive Exchange in Delhi

As the automotive industry moves deeper into software-defined vehicles, AI-enabled engineering, and future autonomous mobility, PTC is positioning what it calls the “Intelligent Product Lifecycle” as a core framework to help manufacturers manage rising engineering complexity, faster development cycles, and growing regulatory demands.

Speaking at PTC’s automotive executive exchange in New Delhi, Rob Dahdah said AI adoption across manufacturing is accelerating rapidly, but many early deployments have produced “unsatisfying outcomes” because enterprises lack connected and contextualised data foundations.

“The quality of your data will determine your AI ceiling,” Dahdah said, adding that precision-driven industries such as automotive cannot rely on “probable outcomes” from AI systems.

According to Dahdah, global AI spending is expected to touch $1.6 trillion in 2026, with India projected to account for nearly $200 billion of that investment. He said the industry is now shifting focus from experimentation to creating connected digital engineering environments where AI can operate across design, manufacturing, and service ecosystems.

PTC outlined its broader “Intelligent Product Lifecycle” strategy, which aims to integrate CAD, PLM, ALM, and service lifecycle systems into a unified digital thread capable of supporting AI-driven workflows.

Using examples from automotive manufacturers such as Lamborghini, Dahdah said companies that have spent years building connected engineering and manufacturing environments are now better positioned to deploy AI meaningfully across product development cycles.

Earlier, Upkar Saini highlighted India’s growing importance within the global automotive and engineering ecosystem, noting that the country now houses around 32 percent of PTC’s global workforce and one of its largest R&D centres in Pune.

Saini said India remains at an “inflection point” in automotive transformation, with significant headroom still available in passenger vehicle and SUV electrification despite strong EV penetration in two- and three-wheelers.

“We are at an inflection point where organisations really want to make sure that they are not operating in silos,” he said, pointing to growing demand for integrated engineering, manufacturing, and service workflows.

A major focus of the event was the rising complexity associated with software-defined and autonomous vehicles. Michele Del Mondo argued that traditional automotive engineering approaches are no longer sufficient as vehicles become increasingly software-centric and continuously upgradeable.

Del Mondo said modern vehicles could involve nearly 500,000 requirements compared to just seven requirements that defined vehicles in the 1930s, dramatically increasing engineering, validation, and compliance complexity.

“There is no finish line anymore,” he said, referring to the shift from fixed vehicle programmes to continuously evolving software-enabled platforms requiring updates for years after production.

He also stressed that autonomous mobility and software-defined vehicles would require tightly integrated ALM-PLM toolchains capable of connecting mechanical, electrical-electronic, and software domains in real time.

The event also featured presentations from Krishnan Sadagopan on fuel-agnostic engine development aligned with future energy pathways, and Amit Pandey on “Left Shift” engineering approaches in automotive development.

The evening concluded with a highly engaging panel discussion on connected cars and smart ecosystems, moderated by Rajkiran, featuring executives from HCLTech, PMI Electro Mobility, and Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles.