Silicon Valley-based Elevatics to invest US$ 50 million in auto-focused AI training in India

Looking at the huge demand-supply gap for trained professionals in Artificial intelligence, Vineet Singh, a former Tesla, Apple, and General Motors tech expert, has collaborated with Gauss Moto and Lizmotors Mobility, to establish a training platform Elevatics AI in India, which will be set up in five to eight major metros by FY 24-25, at a cost of US$ 50 million.

The training platform will be the country's first third-party training academy that will be "designed to empower learners and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge in the field of technology to excel in leadership roles,” the co-founder of Gauss Moto told Autocar Professional.

Elevatics’ India's Plans

The course, which is currently in the pilot phase and will commence this August, will be priced between US$ 2500 and US$ 3000 and will be divided into two cohorts for weekdays and weekends.

The company says that each cohort will accommodate 50 learners over six months. Elevatics will also provide scholarships to extraordinary candidates who have demonstrated excellence in AI, Machine Learning, Robotics, or other relevant technology sectors.

"Our programme will provide deep insights into the realms of mobility, including the latest trends and innovations in transportation, electric vehicles, autonomous systems, and connected technologies, while also focusing on emerging technologies such as blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision, and edge computing," Vineet said.

Taking Tesla as an example to talk of the importance of investing in AI, Vineet said that "People do not buy Tesla just because it is an electric car, but it has the most advanced technology entirely built in-house.”

He added that the Tesla example is a good case study for Indian OEMs to start investing in AI rather than sourcing it from Tier 1 component suppliers.

Informing that the cost of hardware that goes into AI is more than a billion dollars, Vineet said that, as a result, technology development for OEMs is now in the hands of Tier-1 OEMs such as Bosch, Continental, or Aptiv, which have become the solution providers to the automotive industry.

Bridging the AI skills gap 

Alluding to the skill gap, Vineet said that there are “technical and cultural gaps to provide training programmes to upskill engineers in India on advanced technologies used by auto OEMs. Companies in the automotive and transportation industries are looking for problem solvers rather than degree holders to help them accelerate their product development cycles and reduce R&D costs,” Vineet added.

Talking of specific skill sets, he said, "There is a high demand for trained professionals with experience in managing remote OTA updates, remote diagnostics, monitoring vehicle ECU performance, and teleoperation."

In response to the scarcity of trained professionals, Vineet said, "We realised that in today's rapidly evolving digital world, it is essential to stay ahead of the curve and pioneer cutting-edge advancements, which has led us to design the country's first and disruptive Smart Mobility course."