Autocar Professional - Latest Articles

Rethinking Farm Mechanisation for a Sustainable Future

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:11:32

Agriculture remains central to India's economy and livelihoods, employing over 46% of the population while feeding the whole of the country. But farmers today face mounting challenges—shrinking labour availability, unpredictable climate conditions, and the need to produce more from limited land. Addressing these pressures will require smarter mechanisation that improves not only farm productivity but also the durability, efficiency and sustainability of agricultural equipment.

However, only about 47% of farming in India is mechanised, trailing powerhouses like Brazil and China. Since most Indian farmers work small plots, providing access to high-endurance, high-performance farm machinery is no longer a convenience; it is essential to sustaining agricultural productivity and improving farm incomes.

Why tractor design matters
When discussing agricultural mechanisation, tractors occupy a unique position. They account for the majority of farm power used across Indian agriculture (over 80%) and support a wide range of activities.

Because tractors perform such an important role, their operational efficiency directly influences farm productivity and the total cost of ownership. Every component affects the materials, energy and maintenance a machine requires over its lifecycle. Longer-lasting components reduce replacement, transportation and disposal, lowering both lifecycle costs and resource consumption. In that sense, durability itself becomes an important sustainability metric.

The transition to smarter friction systems
As India accelerates its transition towards sustainable agriculture, attention must extend beyond the visible aspects of farm machinery to the engineering systems that determine its long-term efficiency and sustainability. While discussions around mechanisation often focus on horsepower, fuel efficiency and automation, friction technologies, particularly brakes and clutches play a pivotal role by directly affecting reliability, maintenance requirements, machine uptime, operating costs and lifecycle sustainability.

The Indian tractor industry has already undergone a significant transition from conventional dry braking systems to oil-immersed wet brakes. Dry braking systems generate higher operating temperatures and greater component wear under demanding agricultural conditions, leading to more frequent maintenance, increased downtime and higher lifecycle costs. In addition, brake wear particles have attracted growing attention for their potential environmental and occupational health implications.

Unlike conventional dry brakes, wet friction systems operate within an oil-lubricated environment that improves heat dissipation while protecting critical components from dust, moisture and contamination. This helps reduce wear, extend service life and deliver more consistent performance under demanding agricultural conditions. The enclosed design also helps contain friction-generated wear particles, reducing particulate emissions and contributing to improved lifecycle sustainability.

Today, a similar evolution is underway in clutch systems, as OEMs increasingly seek solutions that improve durability while lowering lifecycle costs.

To withstand the demanding conditions of modern farming, wet friction systems rely on specialised friction materials and intermediate plates designed for high-load agricultural applications. For farmers, this translates into equipment that requires less maintenance, fewer replacement parts and lower operating costs over the machine's lifetime, while supporting more reliable day-to-day operations.

Engineering the future of farm mechanisation
The future of sustainable agriculture depends not only on how crops are grown, but also on how agricultural machinery is engineered. As mechanisation evolves, the focus must extend beyond raw horsepower to include durability, lifecycle performance and resource efficiency. Decisions that extend component life, minimise maintenance and reduce resource consumption will define the next generation of farm equipment. Wet friction technologies, such as wet brakes and wet clutches, exemplify this engineering shift.

Looking ahead, advances in agricultural machinery will continue to be driven by automation, connectivity, precision farming and smarter engineering. Combined with durable, high-efficiency friction systems, these innovations will enable farm equipment that is more productive, reliable and resource-efficient, helping farmers meet future demands while supporting a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem.

E Madhavan is Managing Director at JM Frictech India Pvt. Ltd. Views expressed are the author's personal.

Scrapping Your Car in India: What You Get vs What It's Actually Worth

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:02:34

Vehicle scrappages has made headlines again as the Delhi Government proposes incentives linked with scrappage under its Electric Vehicle Policy draft. As per NITI Aayog estimates, only around 2-3% of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) enter India's formal scrappage ecosystem currently. Such incentives though domicile to the national capital, will play a significant part of a country-wide shift in behaviour and perception; that scrapping a vehicle is not only about disposing of an old vehicle anymore it is transforming into a smart financial decision.

Owners of vehicles that are over 15 yearsthat are unfit, facing rising maintenance costs, repair requirements, fitness renewal fees and falling resale valueare often evaluating whether to sell their vehicle or scrap it. Consumers believe that the only value in scrapping comes from the money one gets for the value of metals from the scrapped vehicle. Although scrap value provides immediate financial return, typically calculated based on weight of the vehicle and materials that can be extracted, it only forms a fraction of the overall financial value unlocked through scrapping.

Scrapping via an authorized Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) gives you a Certificate of Deposit (COD), enables tax exemptions on your next vehicle as per the respective state policies and permits. This can then be coupled with exchange bonus or purchase incentives, provided by select automobile makers, against the validity of the COD.

One can also save on future fitness renewal fees, green taxes and maintenance costs as additional benefits, eliminating any liability associated with the vehicle in the future by means of legal transfer of the ownership.

The True Value of Scrapping a Car

Component	Illustrative Benefit*
Scrap value	₹25,000
Certificate of Deposit (COD) benefit	₹20,000
Dealer incentive	₹30,000
Total potential value realised	₹75,000

*Illustrative only. Actual benefits may vary depending on the vehicle, state policies and OEMs' offerings.

It is important to understand one thing with clarity: scrapping decisions should be judged based on the total value of the deal and not merely the cheque that is offered by the scrapping facility.

Why Is It Different from Selling?

Unlike selling your old vehicle that involves finding a buyer and negotiating with them; scrappingis more institutionalised. Selling gives you real-time gratification, scrapping enables incentives by means of tax exemptions, which proved to be more advantageous for vehicles with low resale value.

But the selection of the facility is crucial factor as well. Authorized RVSFs meet certain environmental and safety standards, depollute hazardous materials and provide complete documentation of the process. In doing so, they protect you as a consumer while responsibly extracting the value from the material resources.

As India’s vehicle scrappage ecosystem of develops further with increased infrastructure, OEM participation and evolving state policies, the discussion is slowly shifting from disposal to value realization.Widespread awareness will be critical in helping people realize the financial gains from the formal scrappage process. It will also be pivotal in increasing the adoption rates and propelling the success of the system.

Another factor is the ownership profile of ageing vehicles. Many ageing vehicles have been passed on multiple times over the years and thus have a second, third or even fourth owner. For these consumers, affordability plays an important role in their replacement decision. Proper incentives from scrappage could make it financially easier for them to upgrade to a newer vehicle while motivating them to use the formal scrappage ecosystem and not the informal route. A tradable certificate of deposit with direct monetary benefits would play a pivotal rolein helping encourage such consumers participate in the formal scrappage ecosystem.

Thus, there is an urgent need for all stakeholders to develop a cohesive national framework comprised of some uniform principles that help build a stronger scrapping infrastructure. Apart from Delhi, some of the other states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have also launched scrapping incentivizes aimed at increasing public awareness and large scale adoption. Additionally, most of these ageing vehicles belong to the lower income pyramid of the economy, thus policies should be drafted that focus on helping scrapping be a financially rewarding exercise

The industry players should focus on increasing public awareness and helping bring about a change in the consumer’s mindset when it comes to scrapping. They need to recognize the holistic value of a formal scrappage system that helps balance environmental and economical value, effectively.

Nitin Chitkara is CEO, Meta Materials Circular Markets. Views expressed are the author's personal.

Charging as the New Petrol Pump: How India Is Building a Cleaner, Smarter Refuelling Economy from Scratch

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 21:14:30

EV Two-Wheeler Sales Surge as Petrol Prices Spike

The petrol pump has never been mere infrastructure in India; it is where the world's instability becomes a household expense. That truth returned with force this year when the US-Iran conflict threw crude markets into disarray, and oil marketing companies raised petrol prices four times in ten days. What broke from precedent was the response. Rather than absorbing yet another oil shock, buyers stepped around it altogether: over 10 lakh electric two-wheelers were sold by early July. Also, in June, EVs crossed 10 per cent of all two-wheeler sales for the first time.

A transition of this magnitude now demands a refuelling economy of its own, and the one taking shape bears little resemblance to its predecessor. Chargers are multiplying across fuel forecourts, states are compressing approvals into single windows, and vehicles are learning to manage their energy. A new national utility is rising, built almost entirely from scratch.

From Fuel Retailer to Energy Entrepreneur

The clearest evidence of this construction sits at the most familiar location of all. Over 27,000 electric vehicle charging stations are now operational at fuel retail outlets nationwide, of which more than 18,500 were added by public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) using their own capital. The petrol pump, in other words, is not being displaced by the charging economy. Instead, it is becoming its first host.

Moreover, the policy intent aligns with the ground activity. The Union Petroleum Ministry has urged India's 70,000-plus fuel retail outlets to reposition themselves as energy entrepreneurs, offering EV charging, rooftop solar, battery swapping and fintech-enabled services alongside fuel, with dealers described as the physical interface between the Indian citizen and the national energy system, whose role must evolve from dealer to energy partner.

That framing carries real economic weight. Every forecourt that adds chargers and digital services transforms a single-revenue fuel business into a multi-revenue energy platform. Oil marketing companies are developing 4,000 integrated energy stations along key corridors between 2024-25 and 2028-29, offering petrol, CNG, biofuels and EV charging under one roof, with over 1,000 already operational. Beyond the forecourt, the opportunity extends to housing societies, commercial real estate and franchise charging networks. A refuelling economy that once employed pump attendants will employ electricians, grid technicians, software operators and site franchisees. That said, a narrative about jobs and entrepreneurship is emerging within the broader infrastructure context.

Policy Is Finally Moving at the Speed of the Market

For years, the honest criticism of India's EV transition was that vehicles were arriving faster than the supporting ecosystem could keep pace. That gap is closing on the policy side. Delhi's EV Policy 2026 offers the clearest template yet: charging mandates on OEM’s & dealerships, with housing societies & RWAs brought in as deployment partners, a target of 32,000 charging points by 2030, and, most consequentially, a single-window clearance system that compresses approvals which once wandered across departments into one accountable channel.

While single-window clearance sounds procedural, it is the difference between a charging site taking months to energise versus weeks. When approvals, grid connections and land-use permissions move through one door, private capital follows. The lesson from telecom and digital payments applies here: India scales fastest when the state simplifies the plumbing and lets entrepreneurs build on top of it. Other states are studying Delhi's framework closely, and its replication across major vehicle markets would do more for charging density than any subsidy line ever could.

The underlying strategy is deliberate: the energy transition is not being built in isolation; it is being layered onto infrastructure people already trust and use, placing chargers precisely where motorists already stop and draining range anxiety at its source.

The Leapfrog: When the Vehicle Becomes Part of the Infrastructure

Here is where India's opportunity diverges from the Western playbook. Countries that electrified early replicated the petrol station: drive somewhere, plug in, wait. India, electrifying at the two-wheeler scale, can skip that detour, because the most efficient charging point is the one the rider never has to think about.

A new generation of deep-tech firms building intelligent transportation systems, including ourselves, is engineering for exactly this. Our premise is that an electric vehicle should be an integrated system built from the ground up, where the machine, its battery intelligence, the energy management layer and the charging hardware operate in continuous dialogue rather than as parts bolted together. The most advanced platforms are innovating the charging ecosystem with features like fast charging, wireless charging, and universal interfaces – an area where we hold patents. So, a parked EV charges fast and efficiently, no cables, no compatibility puzzles. Combined with intelligent battery management, deeply integrated AI & machine learning, this architecture becomes an ecosystem proposition: recurring revenue for the manufacturer, reduced ownership risk for the rider, and diminished dependence on public infrastructure for both.

If the petrol pump demanded a visit, its successor asks for nothing at all. That inversion, more than any deployment number, is the real story of this buildout.

In essence, infrastructure always carries the assumptions of its time. The petrol pump assumed oil would arrive, prices would be borne, and crises would pass. The charging economy under construction assumes something else entirely: a nation's mobility should answer to its own grid, not the world's geopolitics. Built on domestic energy, open to entrepreneurship, and embedded in the vehicle itself, it is designed to make the next oil shock a news item rather than a household event.

The New Automotive Currency: Why Technology Is Becoming the Decisive Factor in India’s Car Buying Journey

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:42:39

India’s automotive market has traditionally been shaped by practical and measurable considerations. For decades, consumers evaluated vehicles through familiar parameters such as mileage, engine performance, maintenance costs, reliability, service network strength, and resale value. In many ways, the Indian car-buying decision was anchored in engineering logic and ownership economics.

These considerations remain important. However, they are no longer sufficient to fully explain how consumers assess value.

As vehicles become more connected, software-enabled, and experience-led, technology is emerging as one of the most powerful influences on automotive purchase decisions. Features that were once viewed as premium additions are now becoming mainstream expectations. Touchscreens, connected-car applications, digital clusters, 360-degree cameras, advanced safety systems, wireless smartphone integration, and over-the-air updates are steadily changing how consumers perceive a vehicle.

Twenty years ago, consumers compared horsepower, fuel economy and maintenance costs. Today they increasingly compare touchscreen responsiveness, connected services, safety assistance technologies and digital convenience. The centre of gravity in automotive purchasing is gradually shifting from mechanical differentiation to experience differentiation.

This raises an important question for the industry: Is India entering an era where technology, rather than horsepower alone, becomes the new currency of automotive value?

When Cars Start Competing with Smartphones
One of the most important shifts in the automotive market is that consumers no longer evaluate a vehicle against another vehicle.

Their expectations are increasingly shaped by the broader digital ecosystem around them. Smartphones, smart televisions, wearables, digital payment platforms, food delivery apps, and banking applications have trained consumers to expect convenience, speed, personalisation, and intuitive interfaces.

As a result, the experience inside a vehicle is now being compared with the seamless digital experiences consumers already encounter in everyday life.

This is a significant change. A car is no longer assessed only as a mechanical product. It is increasingly viewed as a connected environment that must fit into the consumer’s digital lifestyle. The question is no longer limited to whether the vehicle is powerful, efficient, or reliable. Consumers are also asking whether it feels intelligent, convenient, safe, and easy to live with.

In this sense, the competitive benchmark for automakers has expanded. The reference point is not just the rival model in the showroom. It is the smartphone in the consumer’s hand.

Consumers Don't Buy Features—They Buy Outcomes
The automotive industry often communicates technology through feature lists. A larger infotainment screen, more connected functions, additional sensors, advanced cameras, or new software capabilities are frequently positioned as evidence of innovation.

Consumers, however, usually attach value to technology in a different way. A 360-degree camera is valuable not because of the number of lenses it uses, but because it reduces anxiety while parking in tight urban spaces. ADAS is meaningful not because of its sensor architecture, but because it creates a greater sense of safety and confidence for the driver and family. Wireless smartphone connectivity matters not because it is technically sophisticated, but because it removes a small but recurring inconvenience from daily life.

This distinction is important. Technology succeeds when it solves a real consumer problem. It becomes powerful when it improves the ownership experience. It becomes memorable when it creates confidence, convenience, or pride.

Therefore, the industry’s focus may need to shift from simply adding features to understanding the emotional and practical value those features create.

The Technology Value Pyramid: From Utility to Identity
The growing role of technology in vehicle purchase decisions can be understood through a simple framework: the Technology Value Pyramid.

At the base are Functional Technologies. These are features that solve practical problems and improve ease of use. Examples include tyre pressure monitoring systems, reverse cameras, navigation, wireless charging, smartphone connectivity, and basic connected-car functions. These technologies make the vehicle more convenient and user-friendly.

The next level consists of Confidence Technologies. These include ADAS, blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree cameras, emergency assistance, connected safety alerts, and other systems that reduce uncertainty during driving. Their value lies in reassurance. They help consumers feel more secure, especially in increasingly congested and complex traffic conditions.

At the top are Identity Technologies. These are features that contribute to emotional appeal and ownership pride. Panoramic sunroofs, immersive digital cockpits, ambient lighting, premium audio systems, connected ecosystems, and highly personalized interfaces often fall into this category. These features are not always essential to mobility, but they influence how consumers feel about the vehicle and how they present it to others.

The interesting point is that technology often operates across all three levels. A feature may be purchased for functional reasons, appreciated for the confidence it provides, and remembered for the pride it creates.

This is why feature lists alone may not fully explain purchase behaviour. The real value of technology lies in the experience it enables.

The New Definition of Premium
Once technology begins influencing convenience, safety and emotional engagement simultaneously, it inevitably starts influencing consumers' willingness to pay. This is where one of the industry's most significant shifts becomes visible—the redefinition of premium.

The rise of technology is also changing the meaning of premium in the Indian automotive market. Traditionally, premium value was associated with larger engines, superior materials, chrome accents, leather upholstery, wood finishes, and spacious interiors. These attributes continue to matter, particularly in higher segments. However, premium is increasingly being defined by digital capability and experience quality.

Consumers are often willing to stretch their budgets for larger screens, connected services, digital instrument clusters, advanced safety technologies, voice commands, 360-degree cameras, ventilated seats, premium audio, and software-enabled convenience features.

In many cases, the upgrade from one variant to another is driven less by mechanical improvement and more by technology access. This marks a meaningful shift. Premium is no longer only about what the consumer can see and touch. It is also about what the vehicle can sense, process, connect, predict, and simplify. As a result, automakers are not merely selling hardware. They are increasingly selling an integrated experience.

The Feature Race—and Its Hidden Risks
While technology is becoming a major value driver, there is also an important risk that the industry must recognise. As competition intensifies, manufacturers may be tempted to offer longer and more impressive feature lists. This can generate showroom excitement and help differentiate variants. However, more features do not automatically create more value.

Consumers do not necessarily want more menus, more alerts, more subscriptions, or more complexity. They want technology that works reliably, intuitively, and without demanding constant attention. This creates the risk of feature fatigue.

A vehicle may offer dozens of connected functions, but only a few may become part of the consumer’s daily usage. Some features may impress during the purchase process but lose relevance after the initial ownership period. Others may remain invisible but become deeply valued because they quietly remove friction from everyday driving.

The industry therefore needs to distinguish between two types of technologies:

Showroom Exciters — features that attract attention during the purchase journey.

Daily Delighters — features that continue to provide value throughout ownership.

This distinction could become increasingly important for product planning, pricing strategy, and consumer research.

The winners may not be the brands that offer the highest number of features. They may be the brands that understand which features consumers actually use, value, trust, and recommend.

Why Automotive Research Must Evolve
The growing importance of technology also has major implications for automotive research. Traditional product clinics have focused on design, ride quality, handling, performance, space, comfort, fuel efficiency, and perceived value. These dimensions remain critical. However, they may no longer be enough to understand the full purchase journey.

Researchers now need to explore a new set of questions.

Which technologies genuinely influence consideration and purchase?
Which features create willingness to pay?
Which technologies are discovered during the showroom visit, and which are understood only after ownership begins?
Which connected features are used regularly, and which are ignored?
Which technologies improve trust in the brand?
Which digital experiences create advocacy?
How do consumers balance hardware value against software value?

These questions are becoming central to future product strategy.

As vehicles become more software-led, consumer research must move beyond feature awareness and measure actual technology relevance, usability, satisfaction, and emotional impact.

In the next phase of automotive competition, understanding the difference between perceived innovation and lived value will be critical.

Automakers Are No Longer Competing Only With Automakers
The rise of automotive technology also means that carmakers are no longer competing only with other carmakers. Every seamless app experience, every intuitive device interface, every personalised digital service, and every frictionless payment journey raises consumer expectations. These experiences shape how consumers define modernity and convenience.

When consumers enter a car, they carry these expectations with them. This places new pressure on automakers. Infotainment systems must be responsive. Connected-car apps must be reliable. Voice commands must be practical. Safety technologies must be trusted. Software updates must add value. Digital interfaces must be easy to understand.

In other words, the vehicle is becoming part of the consumer’s larger digital ecosystem. This does not reduce the importance of traditional automotive engineering. Rather, it adds a new layer of competitive differentiation. Mechanical reliability, safety, durability, and efficiency remain the foundation. But software, connectivity, and user experience are increasingly becoming the differentiators.

The Industry's Next Challenge: Innovation With Purpose
India’s automotive industry is entering a phase where technology will play a defining role in shaping consumer expectations. However, the success of this transition will depend on how effectively the industry balances innovation with relevance.

For consumers, technology must deliver visible value.
For automakers, it must support differentiation and profitability.
For dealers, it must be easy to explain and demonstrate.
For researchers, it must be measured not just by awareness but by actual usage and satisfaction.

For the industry as a whole, the challenge is to ensure that technology does not become a race for specification superiority alone. The real opportunity lies in creating vehicles that are not merely more advanced, but more intuitive, reassuring, and meaningful in everyday life.

Conclusion: The New Automotive Value Equation
The Indian automotive market is not abandoning its traditional priorities. Fuel efficiency, reliability, safety and ownership economics will continue to matter. What is changing is the value equation surrounding them.

Technology is becoming the layer through which consumers experience convenience, confidence and differentiation. As vehicles become increasingly software-defined, buyers are beginning to evaluate not only what a vehicle is, but what it can continuously become.

This marks a fundamental shift in automotive competition. The winners of the next decade are unlikely to be defined solely by engineering excellence or production scale. They will be the companies that successfully integrate mechanical capability with digital intelligence, turning technology from a specification sheet into everyday consumer value.

The defining purchase question of the future may no longer be:

"How powerful is this vehicle?"

but rather:

"How intelligently does this vehicle fit into my life?"

In that transition lies the future of India's automotive industry.

Final Take: Technology is neither a replacement for core automotive fundamentals nor merely a showroom differentiator. It is becoming a new layer of automotive value—one that must balance convenience, confidence, connectivity, and consumer relevance. Its long-term success will depend not on how many features a vehicle offers, but on how meaningfully those features improve everyday ownership. In India’s next phase of automotive growth, the winners will be those who combine engineering excellence with intuitive digital experiences and turn technology from specification into sustained consumer value.

Prasad Joshi is a Research Director, Clinics & Mobility Labs at Ipsos India. Views expressed are the author's personal.

India’s Monsoon Test Puts Vehicle Rust Protection in the Spotlight

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:09:15

Every monsoon, Indian cars go through a durability test that few buyers think about at the time of purchase. They wade through waterlogged roads, sit in open parking lots through days of rain, and face a mix of rainwater, mud, road debris, humidity and, in coastal regions, salt-laden air. This year’s monsoon has again made that stress visible. The immediate impact of such rain is usually seen through flooded streets, stalled vehicles, traffic disruption and repair bills. But there is a longer-term ownership question that rarely gets asked in Indian showrooms: how well is the car’s body protected against rust?

For years, Indian buyers have compared cars on mileage, airbags, service cost, resale value, infotainment screens and, more recently, safety ratings. But as car prices increase and ownership expectations stretch longer, body durability could become an equally important part of the purchase conversation. Rust is not just a cosmetic issue. It can affect appearance, resale value, repair costs and, in severe cases, the strength of body panels with consequences for passenger safety and protection of valuable electronic components.

This is where the conversation needs to move beyond aftermarket anti-rust coatings that are merely add-on barrier coatings and into how cars are built. According to the American Galvanisers Association, zinc-coated or galvanised steel is widely used globally because zinc not only provides barrier protection but also provides a sacrificially protective layer. Its technical note also says zinc can corrode 10 to 100 times slower than ferrous materials, depending on the environment, and that steel corrosion does not commence until the adjacent zinc coating is consumed.

With regard to automobiles, the International Zinc Association says zinc-coated steel helps create durable, long-lasting vehicles that enable high warranty periods against corrosion. It also says virtually all automakers have adopted galvanised steel for high-volume internal combustion, hybrid and electric vehicle models. Durable vehicles are also safer, as shown in the results of a study by Thatcham Research (U.K.) for the insurance company Folksam (Sweden) that showed there is a 20% higher chance of fatality in a crash involving a heavily rusted car than a rust-free car.

That matters in India because vehicles operate in difficult conditions. Monsoon moisture, waterlogging, coastal humidity, outdoor parking and road debris can all test the durability of the body shell over time. Also, for most of the year the many hours of bright Indian sunshine eventually compromise the organic paint layer, opening pathways to the underlying steel. If zinc is not present, the unprotected steel will rust. In such an environment, the question is not only whether a car has an anti-rust coating applied later, but whether corrosion protection is built into the vehicle from the start.

Warranty language is one visible sign of this shift. Volkswagen India’s ownership page lists a 2-year unlimited-kilometre new vehicle warranty, a 3-year paint warranty and a 6-year anti-perforation warranty. Renault India’s warranty document mentions an anticorrosion warranty of 3 years or 1,00,000 km, whichever is earlier, and says the warranty covers bodywork and sub-frame perforation from the interior due to steel-panel corrosion caused by manufacturing, material or protective-product application defects.

Premium brands communicate this even more prominently. Audi India mentions a 12-year unlimited-kilometre body warranty against corrosion/perforation. BMW India says vehicles sold after 2010 come with a 12-year bodywork warranty, regardless of mileage, along with a 3-year paintwork warranty. India Volvo Cars India says its corrosion protection warranty begins with the vehicle warranty and continues for 12 years.

But the story is not simply about which brand offers how many years of coverage. It is about whether rust protection becomes a mainstream ownership issue in India. A buyer may understand engine warranty or battery warranty, but very few ask whether the car’s body panels are galvanised, what corrosion protection is built into the body-in-white, or whether anti-perforation coverage exists at all.

This gap matters because standard vehicle warranty and corrosion protection are not the same thing. Hyundai Motor India says its warranty information is valid from January 2022 onwards; it lists models such as NIOS, Aura and i20/N Line at 3 years / 100,000 km, while Venue/New Venue, Verna, Creta, Alcazar, Tucson, Exter, IONIQ 5 and Creta Electric are listed at 3 years / unlimited km. Toyota India’s warranty page specifically excludes cosmetic or surface corrosion from stone chips or paint scratches, and also excludes surface corrosion problems due to environmental factors such as acid rain, salt, floods and torrential rain.

For carmakers, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that Indian buyers are still more likely to pay attention to sunroofs, screens and connected-car features than to steel treatment or body corrosion protection. There is an opportunity for the manufacturer which communicates that durability is as essential to the car’s value as the many other promoted features – durability that can be related to reliability and trust in the vehicle brand.

Electric vehicles could make this question even more important. If consumers are expected to keep EVs longer, then the body shell, underbody and battery enclosure must also be able to withstand Indian weather and road conditions. Passenger safety in electric vehicles involves not only crash protection but also protection from the higher voltages used in the vehicles. Corrosion protection may therefore become part of the broader EV durability conversation, not just an issue for petrol and diesel cars.

The next evolution in Indian car buying may therefore not be only about features or safety ratings. Safety ratings made consumers ask how a car performs in a crash. Monsoons may now push them to ask how a car survives years of rain, humidity, slush and coastal air.

For a country where vehicles routinely face waterlogging, outdoor parking and intense seasonal weather, rust protection should no longer remain hidden in warranty booklets or service add-ons. The next practical showroom question may be simple: is this car built to resist corrosion from the start?

Frank E. Goodwin is the Director of Technology & Market Development at International Zinc Association. Views expressed are the author's personal.

India’s Monsoon Test Puts Vehicle Rust Protection in the Spotlight

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:09:15

Frank E. Goodwin is the Director of Technology & Market Development at International Zinc Association. Views expressed are the author's personal.

The Edge AI Revolution: Why Your Next Car Will Be Truly Self-Aware

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:34:48

Imagine this: You’re driving along, and instead of a sudden dashboard light flashing “Check Engine” when it’s already too late, your car gently says, “Hey, I’ve noticed your brake pads wearing a bit faster lately—probably because of those twisty roads you love. Want me to schedule a replacement?”

That’s not science fiction. It’s the future arriving right now, thanks to Edge AI.

For years, we’ve called cars “computers on wheels,” but most of them still behave like old-school machines—relying on basic warning lights and underused data hidden away in the CAN bus. Edge AI is changing that. By processing rich telemetry and camera vision right inside the car, vehicles are evolving from reactive metal boxes into proactive, intelligent companions.

1. Why the “Edge” Matters More Than the Cloud

Safety can’t wait for a good mobile signal. When your car needs to detect if you’re drowsy or spot a pedestrian, every millisecond counts. Sending data to the cloud and waiting for a reply introduces dangerous delays and unpredictable lag.

Processing everything locally—on the vehicle’s own computers (ECUs)—solves two big problems:

It’s fast and reliable. No waiting for the internet.
It protects your privacy. Sensitive data like what’s happening inside the cabin stays in the car.

This approach also makes it easier for manufacturers to meet strict safety standards (like ISO 26262), because the critical decisions happen locally, predictably, and safely.

2. Making Powerful AI Fit Inside a Car

Automotive computers are nothing like the massive servers in data centers. They’re tiny, power-hungry, and must stay cool under the hood. That’s where clever engineering comes in. Tools like ModelNova Fusion Studio help engineers squeeze powerful AI models into these small ECUs through three key tricks:

Quantization: Shrinking the model’s precision (from 32-bit to 8-bit) so it uses far less memory and runs much faster.

Pruning: Cutting out unnecessary parts of the neural network, creating leaner, more efficient models.

Hardware-specific optimization: Tailoring the AI to run perfectly on the exact chip inside the car.

The result? Serious intelligence running smoothly even on constrained hardware.

3. Smarter Safety Through Vision

Edge AI is already making cars safer and more attentive:

Driver Monitoring: Infrared cameras watch your eyes, head position, and blinking. The system can detect fatigue or distraction in less than a tenth of a second and alert you instantly—no internet needed.

Occupant Monitoring: The car can tell if a child is in the front seat and automatically adjust airbag force to keep them safer.

Road Awareness: In ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), AI understands the entire scene around the car—lane markings, pedestrians, other vehicles—even in areas with no connectivity.

4. Predictive Maintenance: Goodbye to Surprise Breakdowns

Instead of waiting for the “Check Engine” light, Edge AI looks at hundreds of data points—fuel efficiency trends, oil pressure, driving style, even the terrain you’ve been driving on—and predicts problems before they happen. It can tell you the remaining useful life of parts like brakes, battery, or tires, and suggest service at the right time. No more guessing. No more roadside surprises.

5. How the Whole Fleet Gets Smarter

Putting AI in millions of cars brings a new challenge: the real world is messy and constantly changing. To keep models accurate, manufacturers use:

Over-the-Air (OTA) updates: Cars get better with time, just like your smartphone.

Federated Learning: Vehicles learn from their own experiences locally, then share only anonymous “lessons learned” with the manufacturer. The entire fleet improves together—without compromising anyone’s privacy.

6. Your AI Co-Pilot

The most delightful part? The way the car talks to you.

Instead of cryptic error codes, you get natural, helpful messages

“I noticed your front brake pads are wearing faster after those drives in the Western Ghats. Shall I book a replacement for your next service?”

It feels less like a machine and more like a thoughtful companion.

Conclusion: The New Automotive Ecosystem

The future of driving isn’t just smarter — it’s truly alive.

The revolution begins at the edge. By putting powerful intelligence right next to the sensors, vehicles stop merely reacting to problems and start predicting them — before they happen.

This localized, self-aware brain — continuously sharpened through federated learning — becomes the connective tissue of an entirely new mobility ecosystem:

• Fleet Optimization - Fleet operators can now see the future of their vehicles, slashing downtime, boosting efficiency, and squeezing every kilometer out of fuel or battery.

• Usage-Based Insurance - No more one-size-fits-all premiums. Safe, smooth drivers are rewarded in real time with personalized rates based on actual driving behavior.

• Smart Cities - Every car becomes a rolling sensor for the city — anonymously reporting potholes, traffic snarls, and infrastructure issues, helping urban planners build better, safer, and greener cities.

From isolated vehicles to intelligent nodes in a living network — this is the new reality.

Smarter cars. Sharper fleets. Safer roads. Better cities. The automotive ecosystem just got an upgrade. And it’s only getting started.

Bhaskar Kanchi is the Head of Engineering, India at embedUR. Views expressed are the author's personal.

India's New Automotive Cybersecurity Rules Are About More Than Software—They're About Trust

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:28:03

For decades, vehicle safety has been measured by airbags, crash structures and braking distances. But as modern vehicles evolve into software-defined machines, a new threat has emerged—cybersecurity. Today's connected cars exchange data with smartphones, cloud platforms, charging infrastructure and even other vehicles. They receive over-the-air (OTA) software updates, support remote unlocking, AI-powered voice assistants and connected diagnostics. In this new reality, protecting a vehicle is no longer just about preventing collisions—it's about preventing cyberattacks.

India's proposed amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) recognise this shift. Through the introduction of Rule 125-T and Rule 125-U, the government proposes making compliance with AIS-189 (Cyber Security Management System) and AIS-190 (Software Update Management System) mandatory for specified vehicle categories. In simple terms, cybersecurity will no longer be a value-added feature—it will become a legal requirement for vehicle approval.

The burden falls where it should—on manufacturers

One of the most progressive aspects of the draft regulations is that they place accountability squarely on the vehicle manufacturer rather than the customer.

OEMs will be required to demonstrate that cybersecurity has been engineered into every stage of the vehicle lifecycle—from design and production to software updates and post-sale monitoring. Before a vehicle reaches the showroom, manufacturers must establish a certified Cyber Security Management System (CSMS), conduct structured Threat Analysis and Risk Assessments (TARA), implement secure electronic architectures, continuously monitor emerging threats and maintain the capability to respond rapidly when vulnerabilities are discovered.

Software updates will also undergo far greater scrutiny. Every OTA update must be authenticated, validated for integrity, assessed for safety implications and remain fully traceable throughout the vehicle's lifetime. That means software can finally be treated with the same rigour as mechanical safety systems.

For Indian OEMs, this represents a cultural shift. Cybersecurity is no longer an IT function—it becomes a boardroom responsibility.

Cybersecurity doesn't stop at the factory gate

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the draft is that cybersecurity cannot be outsourced.

While legal liability rests with manufacturers, compliance depends on an entire ecosystem of Tier-1 suppliers, software vendors, semiconductor manufacturers, battery suppliers, telematics providers and testing agencies. Every connected component now contributes to the vehicle's cybersecurity posture.

OEMs must ensure suppliers follow recognised engineering practices, validate third-party software and manage risks introduced through open-source libraries and connected services. This mirrors global automotive cybersecurity standards and recognises a simple truth: a vehicle is only as secure as its weakest supplier.

For India's rapidly growing EV ecosystem, where numerous startups and component manufacturers are entering the market, this supply-chain discipline may prove even more valuable than the regulations themselves.

Drivers have responsibilities too

The regulations do not penalise owners who ignore software updates or install aftermarket accessories. Yet the effectiveness of the framework depends heavily on responsible user behaviour.

Ignoring security updates leaves known vulnerabilities unpatched. Installing unofficial ECU tunes or firmware can bypass cryptographic protections and even prevent legitimate security patches from being installed. Cheap Bluetooth-enabled accessories, uncertified OBD-II devices or poorly secured battery management systems may introduce entirely new attack surfaces.

Modern vehicle ownership increasingly resembles smartphone ownership. Just as users routinely update their phones, protect online accounts and avoid installing unknown applications, connected vehicles demand similar digital hygiene. Strong authentication, authorised software, secure companion apps and responsible servicing are becoming part of everyday vehicle maintenance.

Recent incidents show why regulation matters

The timing of these regulations is no coincidence.

Recent cybersecurity incidents involving Jaguar Land Rover's global operations, repeated customer data breaches affecting Hyundai India and Zoomcar, and the BAT-BMS vulnerability that allowed pranksters to remotely immobilise electric rickshaws demonstrate that automotive cyber risks are no longer theoretical.

Perhaps the BAT-BMS incident was the strongest wake-up call. It wasn't a sophisticated nation-state cyberattack. It exploited unsecured Bluetooth settings and default credentials, allowing vehicles to be disabled using freely available mobile applications. While premium passenger vehicles remained largely unaffected due to stronger security architectures, the episode exposed significant vulnerabilities across lower-cost mobility platforms and aftermarket components.

It also highlighted an important reality: banning vulnerable mobile applications addresses only the symptom. The real solution lies in secure-by-design engineering, authenticated communications and lifecycle cybersecurity governance—the very principles embedded within AIS-189 and AIS-190.

More than compliance

When viewed narrowly, these regulations introduce another layer of certification, but if viewed strategically, they represent something much bigger.

Connected vehicles are rapidly becoming extensions of our digital lives. They know where we live, where we work, what are our points of interest, what’s our driving style and behaviour, how we drive and increasingly control critical vehicle functions through software. Consumer confidence in this connected future depends entirely on trust.

India's proposed cybersecurity framework is therefore not merely about satisfying regulators. Responsibility now extends beyond manufacturing reliable vehicles to ensuring continuous cyber resilience throughout the vehicle's operational life. It is about creating confidence in connected mobility, protecting consumers from evolving digital threats and ensuring Indian manufacturers remain globally competitive as international cybersecurity regulations become the norm.

Manufacturers must lead through certified governance, suppliers must deliver secure components, technology partners must support trusted software ecosystems, and vehicle owners must adopt responsible digital practices.

The message is clear. Automotive safety is no longer defined solely by crash tests and crumple zones. In the connected era, a secure line of software code may be just as important as a strong chassis. India's automotive industry has successfully embraced emissions regulations, advanced safety standards and electrification. Cybersecurity for mobility is the next frontier—and one that cannot arrive soon enough.

India's Next Battery Challenge: Who Controls the Scrap?

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:17:04

India's battery ecosystem is entering a phase of unprecedented growth. Electric vehicles, telecom infrastructure, renewable energy storage systems and conventional automotive applications are all driving demand for batteries across the country. Yet an equally important question remains largely overlooked: where will the industry source its raw materials from once batteries reach the end of their life?

The answer increasingly lies in scrap.

Used batteries were once viewed primarily as waste. Today, they are emerging as a valuable secondary resource that can support domestic supply chains, reduce import dependence and strengthen India's circular economy ambitions. As India's battery consumption grows, access to end-of-life batteries could become a more important competitive advantage than recycling capacity itself.

The Hidden Supply Chain Behind India’s Battery Economy
Unlike traditional manufacturing sectors where raw material sourcing is relatively straightforward, battery recycling depends on a complex collection ecosystem. Used batteries are dispersed across millions of households, workshops, dealers, fleet operators and industrial users. Recovering them efficiently requires strong sourcing networks, collection systems and logistics capabilities. Historically, much of this collection activity was handled by informal channels.

Today, the recycling process includes collection, battery breaking, smelting, acid treatment, plastic recycling, refining and alloying, producing lead ingots with purity above 99.97%. India’s recycled lead industry is supported by lead’s high recyclability, with nearly 85–90% of domestic lead production derived from recycling and over 80% of lead consumption used in battery manufacturing. The sector has around 672 registered recycling units across four regional clusters, with installed capacity of approximately 3.53 million tonnes per annum. India’s lead-acid battery market was valued at ₹42,150 crore in FY2025 and is projected to reach ₹59,671 crore by FY2030, growing at a 7.2% CAGR, driven by automotive, telecom, renewable energy, inverter, UPS and data centre demand.

Yet, India’s recycled lead industry continues to face a supply-side gap, with the unorganised sector accounting for an estimated 24.4% of recycled lead ingot supply and imports contributing another 14.4%. In FY2024, India imported around 1,53,500 tonnes of lead scrap worth ₹2,486 crore, mainly from the USA, UK and Australia, with import value growing at an 11.6% CAGR since FY2019.

This dependence reflects the gap between installed recycling capacity and reliable domestic scrap collection. However, stricter environmental regulations, traceability requirements and EPR norms are gradually shifting volumes toward organised recyclers. As battery consumption rises, competitive advantage is likely to depend less on plant size alone and more on the ability to build compliant scrap sourcing, collection and processing networks.

This is also why organised recyclers are increasingly investing in collection networks, sourcing partnerships and recovery technologies. For many players, securing feedstock has become as important as expanding capacity.

More importantly, recycling is increasingly being viewed through the lens of resource security. At a time when supply chains are becoming more vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions and commodity price volatility, recovering metals already available within the domestic economy offers both economic and strategic advantages. What was once considered waste is gradually being recognised as a valuable industrial resource.

For India, the next chapter of the battery story may not be written in factories alone. It may be determined by the efficiency with which the country collects, recovers and reuses the materials already in circulation.

India's Next Battery Challenge: Who Controls the Scrap?

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:17:04

The answer increasingly lies in scrap.

SEO Got Us Found, GEO Gets Us Recommended: Why the Next Frontier of Automotive Digital Marketing Is Winning Inside AI, Not Just Search

Autocar Professional Bureau — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:35:20

The Day Bots Stopped Being the Enemy
For years, automotive brands invested heavily in CAPTCHAs, cybersecurity tools, and digital safeguards designed to keep bots out of their websites. Today, a fascinating reversal is taking place. The bots have not only arrived, they are also increasingly becoming the intermediaries between brands and consumers.

The next generation of car buyers may never see many of the webpages, review articles, or comparison portals that marketers spend millions creating. Instead, they may simply ask:

"Which SUV is best for a family of four?"

"What's the safest compact SUV under ₹20 lakh?"

"Should I buy X or Y?"

And an AI engine will provide the answer. This shift represents one of the most profound changes in digital discovery since the birth of search engines.

From Dealerships to Search Engines to AI
The automotive purchase journey has continuously evolved. For decades, dealerships controlled information. Consumers visited multiple showrooms, gathered brochures, spoke to sales representatives, and gradually formed opinions.

The internet shifted power toward consumers. Digital platforms enabled buyers to research vehicles, compare specifications, watch reviews, and shortlist options long before entering a showroom. Consumers learned to ask Google questions, and SEO emerged as the discipline that helped brands appear when those questions were asked.

Today, another shift is underway. Consumers are no longer just searching for information. Increasingly, they are asking AI to interpret the information for them.

The Evolution of SEO Has a New Name: GEO. SEO Was About Visibility. GEO Is About Influence.
SEO helped brands answer one critical question:

"How and where do I appear when consumers search?"

GEO asks something far more consequential:

"How do I become the brand AI recommends?"

This distinction is critical. When users interact with traditional search engines, they receive a list of links and perform their own research. With generative AI, users increasingly receive a synthesised conclusion. The consumer is no longer evaluating ten links.

The AI is. And then it delivers a recommendation.

SEO Got Us Found. GEO Gets Us Recommended
That single shift changes everything. Success is no longer measured solely by rankings. It is measured by whether AI systems include your vehicle in the shortlist—or exclude it altogether.

Rather than viewing GEO as a replacement for SEO, brands should see it as its natural evolution.

SEO Optimizes for Discovery.

The objective is visibility.

Rank high on Google
Drive traffic
Increase clicks
Capture leads

GEO Optimizes for Recommendation.

The objective is inclusion in AI-generated responses.

Influence AI-generated conclusions
Strengthen credibility signals
Create authoritative digital narratives
Ensure key brand strengths are accurately represented

Simply put: GEO is the evolution of SEO.

The challenge is no longer getting people to visit your content. The challenge is optimising content so AI engines like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Copilot, Gemini and voice assistants recommend your brand.

Why AI Recommendations Feel Different
Consider how consumers perceive a vehicle review. When a YouTube creator criticises a car, viewers instinctively recognise that the opinion may contain personal bias.

The audience knows it is one person's viewpoint. But when an AI platform reaches a similar conclusion, the psychology changes. Consumers often assume the answer reflects analysis of thousands of reviews, websites, specifications, owner discussions, and expert opinions.

Whether that assumption is entirely accurate is almost beside the point. The recommendation feels objective. And therefore, more persuasive.

A single opinion can now become part of what appears to be a broader digital consensus. For brands, that makes reputation management exponentially more important.

The Multi-Engine Challenge
The SEO era was dominated largely by Google. The GEO era is far more fragmented.

Today's consumers may ask the same question across:

ChatGPT
Google AI Overviews
Microsoft Copilot
Gemini
Claude
Meta AI
Voice Assistants

And receive different answers from each.

The reason is simple. Each engine interprets authority, relevance, context, and intent differently. A vehicle that performs exceptionally well in one AI ecosystem may receive limited visibility in another.

For marketers, this introduces a challenge that never existed at scale in traditional SEO:

Brands Are No Longer Optimising for One Search Engine.

They need to be optimising for Multiple AI Reasoning Engines.

The New Automotive Battleground: The Consideration Set
In automotive marketing, inclusion in the consideration set has always been critical.

Historically, consumers created that shortlist themselves. Today, AI increasingly creates it on its behalf.

This means OEMs face a new strategic reality: A vehicle that never appears in an AI-generated recommendation may never receive a dealership visit, test drive, or quote request.

The battle is increasingly being won—or lost—before the consumer enters the funnel.

What OEMs Need to Do Differently
1. Monitor AI Recommendations Continuously

Brands must understand and monitor:

Which vehicles appear in AI recommendations
Which competitors are consistently mentioned
Which attributes are owned by competing brands
Which weaknesses repeatedly emerge

Unlike websites, AI outputs evolve almost everyday.

Monitoring cannot be a once in a while exercise.

2. Build Authority Beyond Owned Media

Traditional SEO focused heavily on brand-owned or Brand Influenced assets. GEO places greater emphasis on external validation.

AI engines consume:

Reviews
Comparison articles
News coverage
Expert opinions
Community discussions
Forum conversations

The broader and more credible the digital footprint, the stronger the signals available to AI. Controlling narratives become even more relevant which means quicker interventions when needed.

3. Move Beyond a Single USP

Many OEMs attempt to own one defining attribute: Safety. Technology. Mileage. Performance.

The risk is obvious. If AI assigns that attribute more strongly to a competitor, the entire positioning strategy weakens. The strongest brands create multiple reasons to remain in consideration. If one narrative fails, another keeps the vehicle on the shortlist.

Dealerships Must Evolve Too
The impact extends beyond OEM digital teams. Dealerships increasingly face customers arriving with fully formed AI-generated opinions. The traditional sales process assumed customers were gathering information. Tomorrow's customers may arrive believing they already possess the answer. Sales teams must therefore become better at validating, challenging, and expanding AI-generated conclusions.

The conversation is no longer:

"Let me tell you about this vehicle."

It becomes:

"Let me show you why the recommendation you received may not tell the entire story."

The Next Frontier Is GEO
For twenty years, digital marketing revolved around winning in search. The next decade will revolve around winning inside AI, maybe even now. The brands that succeed will be those that understand a fundamental shift: Consumers are increasingly outsourcing research. Soon, they may outsource comparison. Eventually, many may outsource the recommendation itself. In that world, being searchable is no longer enough. Being recommended and not just visible becomes the new competitive advantage.

Conclusion: Winning Inside AI, Not Just Search
SEO transformed how brands became discoverable. GEO will transform how brands become preferred. For OEMs, the question is no longer whether consumers will use AI during their purchase journey.

They already are. The real question is: When an AI engine compares your vehicle against competitors, what conclusion does it reach?

Because the future of automotive marketing may no longer be determined by who ranks first on a search page. It may be determined by who gets recommended in a single AI-generated answer.

Balaji Pandiaraj is the Group Head of Customer Experience & Automotive & Mobility Development at Ipsos India & Sudeep Raj is a senior automotive expert at Ipsos India. Views expressed are the author's personal.