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BMW, the luxury car maker from Germany, which launched its fifth <keyword id="1641453" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="MINI-Convertible">Mini Convertible</keyword> model in India yesterday, has said that it is open to local assembly of the car when it reaches a critical mass in sales. 
 
"We can look at local assembly here, when we reach a critical mass in sales volume. That can happen some years down the line," BMW Group India President Philipp von Sahr told PTI. 
 
As of now, BMW India has an assembly line in Chennai, which makes eight models in the country. 
 
BMW, the luxury carmaker from Germany, which launched its fifth Mini Convertible model in India yesterday, has said that it is open to local assembly of the car when it reaches a critical mass in sales. "We can look at local assembly here, when we reach a critical mass in sales volume. That can happen some years down the line," BMW Group India President Philipp von Sahr told PTI. 
 
As of now, BMW India has an assembly line in Chennai, which makes eight models in the country. Sahr also added that the company does not want to make it a mass-brand just to increase the volume at the cost of the brand proposition of being the most premium small car in the world and in India. 
 
"Selling say 1,000 units as a premium brand and doubling that number at a lower price does not make much of a qualitative difference," he said while also adding that the mini doesn’t have any competition at all in this market. 
 
In the international market, BMW sold over 1.64 lakh units of Mini car in the first five years, while in India, it has been trending around 400 units per annum ever since it entered the market in 2012. 
 
Globally, amongst the largest selling model is the Cooper S, which is priced at Rs 31.4 lakh in India. Yesterday, its latest model, the Mini Cooper S Convertible, was launched at an introductory price of Rs 34.9 lakh, ex-showroom national. 
 
<a href="http://www.topgear.com/india/images/stories/articles/578x325/2012Jul23030856.jpg">Image source</a>

Make In India: BMW might start local assembly of Mini Convertible

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ford">Ford</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/toyota">Toyota</a> announced additional plant shutdowns and production suspensions at the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak sweeps the globe.</li><li>Last week, Ford shut down operations in Europe, North America, and South America.</li><li>BMW also said it would idle its factory in South Carolina.</li><li>Almost the entire US auto industry has shut down in the past week; Daimler continues to operate in Alabama, but could confront a shortage of parts.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>After shutting down North American operations last week, both Ford and Toyota extended their actions to India and Asia on Monday as the coronavirus pandemic rages globally.BMW also announced that it would shut down its factory in South Carolina, effective April 3; the plant builds the German automakers' lineup of SUVs.Daimler hasn't yet idled its factory in Alabama but like BMW it could confront a shortage of parts due to plant closures in Europe."Ford Motor Company is temporarily suspending vehicle and engine production at its International Markets Group (IMG) manufacturing sites in response to the growing impact of the coronavirus," the company said in a statement."The IMG production suspensions began Saturday, March 21, and will continue for several weeks depending on the pandemic situation, national restrictions, supplier constraints and dealer stock requirements.In total, Ford said it would idle four plants in India, two in South Africa, and one each in Vietnam and Thailand. Ford has earlier shut down operations in South American, bringing its entire global manufacturing machine to a halt."In these extraordinary times, we must come together to put our people first," Ford IMG president Mark Ovenden said in a statement. "We will continue working across our region to explore additional protocols and procedures to help prevent the spread of the virus and define new work practices to lessen its effects wherever we can."Toyota said that it was idling a facility in India and shutting down an assembly line in Japan, after a workers there tested positive for the coronavirus, Bloomberg reported.Automakers shutting down plants have given estimates of around two weeks before they attempt to restart.Get the latest Ford stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/f-Quote"> here.</a>

Ford and Toyota are shutting down plants in Asia and India, and BMW will idle its US factory during the coronavirus pandemic

BMW, the renowned carmaker from Germany has launched the petrol version of its luxury sedan BMW 320i in India, with its ex-showroom price starting at Rs 36.9 lakh. 
 
While the “Prestige” variant is priced at Rs 36.9 lakh, the upper model “Luxury Line” is priced at Rs 42.7 lakh. 
 
"With the launch of the BMW 320i, the BMW 3 Series sedan is now available across the country in both petrol and diesel variants," said a statement issued by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/BMW-launches-updated-version-of-Mini-countryman-in-India/articleshow/48363406.cms">BMW India</a>. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Meet-the-two-new-stunners-from-BMWs-xDrive-stable/articleshow/49382987.cms">Meet the two new stunners from BMW’s xDrive stable!</a> 
 
The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Official-Made-in-India-BMW-cars-at-a-revisedprice-to-hit-the-market/articleshow/48019965.cms">Chennai-produced</a> BMW 3 Series portfolio comprises of diesel engine (320d) in four variants, and is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/BMW-cars-to-get-costlier-in-India-company-to-raise-prices-by-up-to-3-from-January-next-year/articleshow/49937445.cms">sold across India</a>. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/BMW-to-start-assembling-Mini-Convertible-in-India/articleshow/51442230.cms">Make In India: BMW might start local assembly of Mini Convertible</a> 
 
Talking f specifications, it comes with latest generation BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine, featuring agile power delivery and excellent responsiveness even at low engine speeds, can accelerate from 0-100 km/hr in just 7.3 seconds to a top speed of 235 km/hr, has auto start-stop, brake-energy regeneration, and electronic power steering. 
 
<a href="http://motorbash.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/New-BMW-3-Series-320i-Petrol.jpg">Image source</a>

BMW petrol-powered 320i sedan will cost Rs 36.9 lakh in India

<ul><li>Mercedes-Benz is pushing its EV portfolio by launching three new electric cars in India.</li><li>The company expects electric cars to account for 25% of its sales by 2025.</li><li>The company is setting up 140 charging points across the country by the end of 2022.</li></ul>Automakers worldwide are slowly moving towards electric cars amid calls to stop the sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and rising fuel prices. Mercedes-Benz has already launched electric cars in the past and has now announced its plans for electric cars in India. The German carmaker launched the EQC SUV in India in 2020, and after two years after its first launch, the company announced that it would launch three new electric cars in India this year. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Electric cars line-up from Mercedes-Benz for 2022" comment="subhead" text="Electric cars line-up from Mercedes-Benz for 2022">Electric cars line-up from Mercedes-Benz for 2022</cmsannotation> The first car, the premium <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mercedes-amg-eqs-53-4matic-ultra-luxury-ev-sedan-launched-in-india-for-2-45-crore/slidelist/93751976.cms">Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+</a>, was launched in India with a price tag of ₹2.45 crore. One of the reasons for the high price is that the car is being imported as a completely built unit (CBU), thereby attracting a higher tax rate. The second car will likely be more affordable as it will be locally assembled after the company brings in knocked-down kits. The company is expected to launch the electric sedan, the EQS 580, next month. The third car from the company will be the <keyword id="6357420" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mercedes" source="Orion">Mercedes</keyword> EQB SUV that is slated to launch in November. The EQB will be the first electric SUV from the company in India to feature seven seats. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mercedes says electric cars will account for 25% of its sales by 2027" comment="subhead" text="Mercedes says electric cars will account for 25% of its sales by 2027">Mercedes says electric cars will account for 25% of its sales by 2027</cmsannotation> Mercedes has also said that it expects electric cars to account for 25% of its sales by 2027, Martin Schwenk, the company’s managing director, said that the number was unthinkable two years ago when it launched its first electric car in India. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mercedes-Benz invests in charging infrastructure" comment="subhead" text="Mercedes-Benz invests in charging infrastructure">Mercedes-Benz invests in charging infrastructure</cmsannotation> To push the sale of its electric cars, the company is reportedly investing ₹15 crore along with franchise partners to establish 140 charging points across the country by the end of the year. “The charging network will be exclusively available 24x7 for Mercedes Benz customers. The vehicles can be charged at the company dealerships free of cost till 2023," Schwenk said. Out of the 140 charges, 20 will be 180kW ultra-fast DC chargers, 20 will be 60kW fast DC chargers, and 100 will be 22kW AC chargers. In the electric segment, the company competes with the likes of BMW and Audi, who have launched their own electric cars. While BMW offers cars like the iX SUV and i4 sedan, Audi offers cars like the e-tron 50, e-tron 55 and more. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/government-is-reportedly-reworking-the-fame-ii-scheme-to-ensure-companies-use-domestic-components/articleshow/93752352.cms">Government is reportedly reworking the FAME-II scheme to ensure companies use domestic components</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/audi-to-hike-its-prices-by-2-4-from-september-onwards-in-india/articleshow/93728939.cms">Rising input and supply chain costs push luxury carmaker Audi to hike prices by 2.4%</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/indians-are-buying-more-pre-owned-cars-scorpio-fortuner-among-the-top-picks/articleshow/93619467.cms">Indians are buying more pre-owned cars: Scorpio, Fortuner among the top picks</a>

Mercedes-Benz says 25% of its sales in India will be electric by 2027, plans to launch three new electric cars this year

German luxury car maker <keyword id="6355119" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BMW">BMW</keyword> today said the localisation level in the cars it makes in India has reached up to 50 per cent and it plans to introduce 15 new models this year. 
 Cricket legend <keyword id="6354267" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sachin-Tendulkar">Sachin Tendulkar</keyword> marked the occasion at the company's manufacturing unit at Mahindra World City, Singaperumalkovil near here, by formally assembling a BMW 5 Series car using parts from Indian auto-component suppliers. 
The company said 50 per cent of the 2,800 parts used in this series are now produced locally. 
 BMW began operations at the Chennai plant on March 29, 2007. Since then, the group has strengthened its commitment to the <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword> and has continuously increased the number of locally produced car models. 
 Eight car models are produced on two assembly lines at the BMW Plant Chennai plant -- 1 Series, 3 Series, 3 Series Gran Turismo, 5 Series, 7 Series, X1, X3, and <keyword id="430920" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="X5">X5</keyword>. 
 "In 2015 we will expand our product range and cover all the opportunity available in the luxury car segment. This year we will launch 15 new products along with i8 launched in January. We will also launch 1 Series, 3 Series, (new models)," <keyword id="890930" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="BMW-Group-India">BMW Group India</keyword> President, <keyword id="1131692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Philipp-von-Sahr">Philipp von Sahr</keyword> told reporters. 
 He said: "Till date, BMW Group has increased <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> to Rs 4.9 billion (Rs 490 crore) in <keyword id="105039" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BMW-India">BMW India</keyword> from Rs 3.9 billion. 
 
BMW activities in India include the manufacturing plant in Chennai, a parts warehouse in Chennai, a training Centre in Gurgaon. The company has 40 sales outlet in India.

BMW's planning a bumper 2015 for India. Know how

BMW India launched a new variant of its popular SUV model X3 priced at Rs. 59.9 lakhs today. 
 The new <keyword id="592541" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="BMW-X3">BMW X3</keyword> xDrive 30d M Sport comes fitted with a 3 litre six-cylinder diesel engine and is locally assembled at the company's Chennai plant. 
The new variant also features the 'BMW Driving Experience Control' switch, which enables the driver to choose between different driving modes to suit the driving conditions. 
 BMW Group India President <keyword id="1131692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Philipp-von-Sahr">Philipp von Sahr</keyword> said, "The BMW X3 is built for both the small and big challenges that each day brings." 
 
The X3 is now available in two variants - 30d M Sport and xDrive 20d. 
 
(Image credit: Indiatimes)

BMW unveils new X3 variant

<ul><li><keyword id="1731609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oppo" source="Orion">Oppo</keyword> was spotted filing trademarks for <keyword id="6354973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="Orion">electric vehicles</keyword> in India earlier this month.</li><li>It is now reportedly planning to launch electric vehicles by 2023 end or early 2024.</li><li>Oppo would be joining smartphone companies like Xiaomi who is also working on its electric vehicles.</li></ul>Chinese smartphone maker <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oppo-starts-rolling-out-coloros-12-for-find-x2-reno-6-pro-series-in-india/articleshow/87759007.cms">Oppo</a> is reportedly venturing into electric vehicles. The company is planning to launch its first lineup of electric vehicles in India by the end of 2023 or early 2024, according to a <a href="https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/oppo-electric-vehicles-ev-india-launch-timeline-exclusive/">report</a> by 91mobiles. This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about Oppo’s electric vehicle plans but a launch time for the Indian market hasn't been tipped yet. Earlier this month it was reported that Oppo along with its sister brands Realme and Vivo filed trademark applications for electric vehicles in India. Oppo had filed trademarks for electric vehicles, reversing alarms for vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, vehicle wheels and more. This doesn’t confirm that Oppo will indeed launch EVs in India but it does hint at the company’s expansion plans of products beyond smartphones. According to the latest report, Oppo’s plans for electric vehicles are already in the works and the launch is scheduled for 2023 end or early 2024. As for what kind of EVs we can expect from Oppo isn’t known yet. It was reported earlier this year in May that Oppo has already started work on its electric vehicle manufacturing, and the company’s CEO Tony Chan has held meetings with battery manufacturers and parts suppliers for Tesla. There’s a lot to expect from Oppo’s electric vehicles since it’s a smartphone brand and this would be the first time the company’s venturing beyond mobile devices. It’s also interesting to see how the company plans on handling the manufacturing and assembling of the vehicles — whether it would opt for local manufacturing or import vehicles. This could soon be a growing trend with rival company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/xiaomi-registers-car-company-named-xiaomi-qiche-co-founder-lei-jun-announces/articleshow/85824497.cms">Xiaomi </a>also planning to mass-produce its electric vehicles in the first half of 2024. Xiaomi announced its plans to enter the EV market in March this year and invest $10 million in this business over the next 10 years. It also registered its electric vehicle business Xiaomi EV, Inc. last month. It’s interesting to see how companies like Oppo, Realme and Xiaomi which already have a strong presence in the Indian smartphone market would disrupt the EV market. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/apple-electric-cars-3d-model-gives-a-sneak-peek-at-how-it-might-look-according-to-patents/articleshow/87646301.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Apple electric car’s 3D model gives a sneak peek at how it might look according to patents</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/qualcomms-chipsets-will-drive-bmws-next-gen-cars/articleshow/87754100.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Qualcomm's chipsets will drive BMW's next gen cars</a>

Oppo reportedly plans to launch electric vehicles in India by 2024

It’s proven, Indian auto market has the best of potential. With so many car launches happening over last few months, no matter how much stagnant car sales may seem like, automakers are never out of their breathe to bring something new every other week. 
And this time, it’s turn for German luxury carmaker BMW. As per a news report by the PTI, BMW has launched an updated version of its '6 Series Gran Coupe', priced up to Rs 1.21 crore (ex showroom Delhi). 
 
The model will come in two variants-- the BMW 640d Eminence priced at Rs 1.14 crore and the 640d Design Pure Experience version tagged at Rs 1.21 crore. 
 
The company introduced the new car at the preview of the BMW India Bridal Fashion Week 2015 to be held in the Capital from July 15-19. 
 
The BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe would be available across the country as a completely built-up (CBU) unit from today onwards. 
 
BMW plans to launch 15 models during this year, with four brand new models that would be imported from our global centres and the rest will be re-launches. 
 
The company used to be a market leader in the luxury car space in India before its compatriot Audi overtook it. Currently, it is at number three behind Audi and Mercedes in the luxury segment in terms of volume. 
 
In the race for the number one spot, Mercedes has toppled Audi in the first quarter of 2015 with a massive 40 per cent rise in sales. While Mercedes-Benz sold 3,566 units during January-March, Audi sold 3,139 units during the period at a growth of 15 per cent. BMW hasn't shared its sales figures for the quarter yet. 
 
According to PTI, currently BMW sells more than a dozen models in India out of which eight assembled locally at its Chennai plant, which has an installed capacity of 14,000 units per year at three-shift schedule. It is focusing on increasing localisation of content in India. 
 
(Image: BMW)

BMW launches BMW 640d Eminence and 640d Design Pure Experience

<ul><li><keyword id="1386164" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rare-earth-elements">Rare earth elements</keyword> contribute a total value of nearly $200 billion to the Indian economy.</li><li><keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> today controls nearly 90% of global rare earth production.</li><li>India has the world’s fifth-largest reserves of rare earth elements, nearly twice as much as Australia, but it imports most of its rare earth needs in finished form from its <keyword id="1298556" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="geopolitical">geopolitical</keyword> rival, China. </li></ul> As <keyword id="106030" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-China">US-China</keyword> geopolitical rivalry becomes a permanent feature of the <keyword id="47890" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-economy">global economy</keyword>, the globalised supply chains that have powered India’s economic growth can no longer be taken for granted. Rare earth elements (REEs) are central to this new post-pandemic economic landscape: they underpin everything from advanced ballistics systems to industrial machinery and TV screens, contributing a total value of nearly $200 billion to the Indian economy. They are also crucial to emerging technologies such as renewable energy and electric vehicles. China today controls nearly 90% of global rare earth production, posing a vulnerability to manufacturing industries, which the rest of the world is moving to redress. New REE investments and <a href="https://www.mining-technology.com/features/australia-and-the-us-a-rare-rare-earth-partnership/">partnerships</a> between China’s geopolitical and geoeconomic rivals, such as Australia and the US, are being announced practically every week. These developments offer India a precious opportunity. India has the world’s fifth-largest reserves of rare earth elements, nearly twice as much as Australia, but it imports most of its rare earth needs in finished form from its geopolitical rival, China. With adjustments to the existing policy, India could emerge as a <keyword id="459885" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rare-earths">rare earths</keyword> supplier to the world and use these resources to power a high-end manufacturing economy geared to the needs of the 21st century. Here’s how. Existing Bottlenecks Merely having deposits of rare earths is no guarantee of being able to exploit them. The mining and extraction processes are capital-intensive, consume large amounts of energy, and release toxic by-products, an issue that has caused some controversy in India before. Processed <keyword id="56292" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Minerals">minerals</keyword> usually take the form of a rare earth oxide (REO), which then needs to be converted into a pure metal before it can be used to manufacture anything. India today has granted government corporations such as Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) a monopoly over the primary mineral that contains REEs: monazite beach sand, found in many coastal states. IREL produces rare earth oxides (low-cost, low-reward “upstream processes”), selling these to foreign firms that extract the metals and manufacture end products (high-cost, high-reward “downstream processes”) elsewhere. IREL’s <a href="https://www.irel.co.in/">focus</a> is to provide thorium — extracted from monazite — to the Department of Atomic Energy. As such REE production in India is conducted almost entirely by a government organisation focussed on something else entirely! Unsurprisingly, with little incentive to provide to global markets, IREL accounts for only a minuscule fraction of the world’s production: only <a href="https://ibm.gov.in/writereaddata/files/02182020103349Rare%20Earths_2018.pdf">2265 tonnes</a> of REOs in 2016-17, providing almost no value to domestic manufacturers and consumers, who continued to import finished REE derivatives from China. Reforms and Solutions The key challenge for India today is to scale up upstream and downstream processes in the rare earths value chain. Depending on IREL and government financing to do so is to play the game with one hand tied behind its back. India must open its rare earth sector up to competition and innovation, and attract the large amounts of capital needed to set up facilities to compete with, and supply to, the world. The best move forward might be to create a new Department for Rare Earths (DRE) under the Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas, drawing on its exploration, exploitation, refining, and regulation capabilities. This DRE should oversee policy formulation and focus on attracting investment and promoting R&amp;D, with its first move being to allow private sector companies to process beach sand minerals within appropriate environmental safeguards. It should also create an autonomous regulator, the Rare Earths Regulatory Authority of India (RRAI), to resolve disputes between companies in this space and check compliance. There are three possible approaches to maximising India’s rare earth potential. First, the DRE could secure access to REEs of strategic importance by offering viability gap funding to companies to set up facilities in the upstream sector. This could make Indian REOs globally competitive. Alternatively, it could focus on downstream processes and applications, such as manufacturing magnets and batteries; this would require a focus on port infrastructure and ease of doing business measures to allow Indian manufacturers to import REOs from whitelisted producers cheaply. Finally, it could coordinate with other agencies to partner directly with groupings such as the Quad, building up a strategic reserve as a buffer against global supply crises. According to a 2016 <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/metals-mining/india-not-realising-potential-of-rare-earth-industry/articleshow/54940321.cms">estimate</a>, the Indian REE industry could potentially “net a capital employment of about Rs 121,000 crore, including Rs 50,000 crore worth of foreign exchange”. The US, Japan, and Australia are announcing collaborations in this sector worth hundreds of millions of dollars; meanwhile, India’s relationship with China offers little guarantee that there will be no coercive economic actions in coming decades. India has already missed one global wave of industrial manufacturing. Its rare earth reserves and the post-pandemic economic situation offer it an opportunity to ride the next wave towards high-tech manufacturing. It must be sure not to miss this chance. The author, Anirudh Kanisetti, is Associate Fellow at the Takshashila Institution. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/petrol-and-diesel-will-become-cheaper-by-5-in-assam-only-from-today-midnight/articleshow/80876847.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Assam is making fuel and alcohol cheaper to woo voters ahead of the Assembly Elections in April</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/centre-earned-100-crores-by-sharing-vehicle-registration-data-with-companies-such-as-bmw-axis-bank-bajaj-allianz-lt-and-others/articleshow/80879638.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Centre earned ₹100 crores by sharing vehicle registration data with companies such as BMW, Axis Bank, Bajaj Allianz, L&amp;T and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/gst-council-may-consider-merging-the-12-and-18-tax-slab-in-the-next-meeting-says-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/80876459.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">GST Council may consider merging the 12% and 18% tax slab in the next meeting, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</a>

OPINION: Here's how India can end Chinese dominance in rare earths

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Humanoid robots are symbols of power and technological capability, a geopolitics expert says.</li><li>China and the US are going head-to-head `to mass produce them, like a 21st-century space race.</li></ul>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-russia-falling-behind-us-china-in-moon-space-race-2023-9">space race</a>, an epic showdown between the US and the Soviet Union, epitomized the quest for scientific dominance and the battle for geopolitical supremacy in the 20th century.It conjured up legendary imagery of intercontinental missiles piercing the skies, animals being launched into the earth's orbit, and Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk.An incident earlier this month involving a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-male-humanoid-robot-inappropriately-touched-female-reporter-video-shows-2024-3">Saudi humanoid robot inappropriately touching a female reporter</a> might not at first seem even remotely connected.But the incident inadvertently propelled Saudi Arabia's robotic endeavors into the international spotlight, underscoring how nations around the world are jockeying to make strides in developing functional humanoid robots.<div type="image" title="Muhammad the Humanoid Robot" height="1410" width="2030" msid="108900700" hostid="261" sizebytes="112900"></div>Saudi Arabia, for one, is investing heavily."We built a huge building at the heart of Riyadh, we hired more than 70 engineers," Elie Metri, the CEO of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-humanoid-robot-wont-talk-about-sex-politics-creator-says-2024-3">QSS Robotics</a>, which made the robot and has the Saudi government's backing, told BI.Muhammad, the robot with the wandering hand, was showcased at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.agbi.com/analysis/tech/2024/03/saudi-arabia-leads-gcc-adoption-robotics">DeepFest</a>, an AI conference where some of Saudi Arabia's more than 2,000 robotics companies sought to showcase the kingdom's technological prowess.Similar projects are emerging elsewhere, from India to Nigeria, as nations vie for leadership in this burgeoning industry.<h2>Humanoids are visual representations of breakthroughs in AI</h2>In Italy, the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia is working on iCub, a research-grade <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/humanoid-robots-jobs-manufacturing-tech-workforce-data-2023-12">humanoid robot.</a>According to Giorgio Metta, the institute's scientific director, their primary objective is knowledge-based: to investigate whether "machine learning and AI require a physical embodiment to develop a comprehensive understanding of the world."But Metta also acknowledges the escalating global competition to showcase innovational might, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-world-economy-china-stock-market-analysis-2023-9">particularly in light of AI's growing economic value.</a>He told BI that human-like robots are particularly effective in demonstrating progress because they offer a visual and easy-to-understand representation of advancements."It's very easy to show that your technology is good because you see it, and there's not much to explain," he said. "If you show a computer a program, you get an answer … no matter how impressive it can be, it's not as visible as a robot."<div type="image" title="iCub, the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia's research-grade humanoid robot." height="4197" width="6296" msid="108900702" hostid="261" sizebytes="723258"></div>Despite much of their work being collaborative, particularly with others in the European Union, Metta said he has been advised to exercise caution when working with one major global player in humanoid robotics: China."We are asked to be more careful," he said of the additional scrutiny.It's "unfortunate" that scientists are being told to consider the sensitivities of the geopolitical situation during their research, he added.<h2>China wants to take the lead</h2>When it comes to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/humanoid-robots-talk-carry-items-and-even-run-a-company-2023-11 ">humanoid robots</a>, China is vying for the top spot, so it's no wonder other nations are getting nervous.The country plans to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-plans-mass-production-humanoid-robots-within-two-years-2023-11">mass produce advanced-level humanoids by 2025</a>, according to a blueprint document published by its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in October.Fourier Intelligence, headquartered in Shanghai, told BI that it expects to have up to 1,000 units ready for delivery this year.CEO Zen Koh said: "China is a formidable competitor in the quest to establish dominance as a leading market force for humanoid robots."Koh explained that many factors have contributed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robotics-in-china-2015-11">China's prominence,</a> including substantial investment in research and development, namely in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/generative-ai-exaggeration-openai-nvidia-microsoft-chatgpt-jobs-investors-markets-2024-3">AI and robotics,</a> which he says has already given the country a leg up."The vast magnitude of the market offers an unmatched chance to test, improve, and expand the uses of humanoid robots," he said. "This could facilitate quick, frequent updates and enhancements, giving Chinese companies a competitive edge."<h2>The US also wants dominance</h2>Competing with Chinese ambitions, Agility Robotics in the US says it will produce "hundreds" of its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-amazon-warehouse-robot-humanoid-2023-10">Digit robots</a> in 2025. The company is building a factory in Oregon that's set to open later this year.Agility CEO Peggy Johnson told BI: "We'll get to the hundreds in 2025 and then ramp up capacity to thousands in the years following that."Johnson said it's well-positioned to engage customers and ramp up production and "welcomes" the competition. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-testing-humanoid-robots-digit-warehouses-agility-robotics-boston-dynamics-2023-12">Amazon is testing its robots</a> in its warehouses to help automate some functions.<div type="image" title="Digit, an upright robot by Agility Robotics demonstrates package delivery at the Ford booth during CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7, 2020." height="712" width="1024" msid="108900704" hostid="261" sizebytes="85136"></div>Several other key players in the US have also been flexing their muscles.This includes the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-bets-big-on-humanoid-robots-with-figure-ai-2024-2">$2.6 billion firm Figure AI</a>, which recently signed an agreement with OpenAI to "develop next-generation AI models" for its robots.The company also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-openai-talks-investment-figure-ai-humanoid-robotics-report-2024-1">inked a deal with BMW</a> to try out its robots in its manufacturing process.Texas-based Apptronik, meanwhile, signed a partnership with Mercedes to test out how its robot Apollo can help in the production assembly line.Tesla has its own <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-optimus-humanoid-robot-delivery-rollout-2024-1">humanoid ambitions</a> and has previously said it wants to start selling its Optimus robot by 2027.<h2>High stakes</h2>In today's geopolitical landscape, Julian Mueller-Kaler, director of the Strategic Foresight Hub at the Stimson Center, said that "high technology has come to define high politics," with humanoid robots and AI representing the apex of technological development and serving as symbols of power.The US, he said, is "defining national security through the prism of supremacy, not just in military terms and political terms, but also in economic and technological terms."The US is strategically investing in these cutting-edge technologies as part of its bid for supremacy, he said, as well as employing other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-trade-war-export-manufacturing-property-crisis-biden-trump-2024-3">measures to impede China's growth</a> in the field.Over the last couple of years, the US has been implementing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-china-tech-war-computer-chips-semiconductor-plants-costing-americans-2023-1">export controls on semiconductors to China</a> to limit the country's high-tech capabilities.But China, he said, has stepped up to the challenge: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-planning-41-billion-semiconductor-fund-chip-war-heats-up-2023-9">US sanctions supercharged China's chipmaking industry</a>, with the majority of the fastest-growing chip firms in the world now being Chinese, <a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/6189341/us-sanctions-china-chips-semiconductors/">according to TIME.</a>"They know it takes decades to build a ship fleet or aircraft carrier," Mueller-Kaler said. "The high-tech sector is where the Chinese think they have a chance to catch up."<h2>Humanoids are the peak of a 'hype cycle'</h2>Beijing announced last August that it was establishing a $1.39 billion fund to develop a hub for the humanoid robotics industry.At the time, the city was already home to 100 robotics enterprises.<div type="image" title="umanoid service robots dance at the booth of Dataa Robotics during 2023 World Robot Conference at Beijing Etrong International Exhibition &amp; Convention Center on August 18, 2023." height="716" width="1024" msid="108900707" hostid="261" sizebytes="65048"></div>But Li Boyang, president of EX Robots, a humanoid robot company based in China's Liaoning Province, <a target="_blank" href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-12-25/China-s-booming-humanoid-robotics-industry-embraces-bright-future--1pP17eWe6SA/p.html">told CMG</a> that China faces challenges in getting robots out of laboratories and into mass production.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-inspired-by-boston-dynamics-humanoid-robot-atlas-2024-2">Boston Dynamics</a> agrees. Deploying robots at scale is "an incredibly difficult challenge," a representative told BI.While obstacles to mass adoption of the technology exist, the potential rewards are substantial.The mass production of humanoids could increase a nation's perceived power by increasing its workforce and population, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-viral-video-of-realistic-ameca-robot-2021-12">Engineered Arts</a> CEO Will Jackson told BI.<div type="image" title="Human-shaped robot Ameca of Engineered Arts interacts with visitors on July 6, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland." height="3456" width="5184" msid="108900711" hostid="261" sizebytes="159842"></div>"If you could manufacture your population, suddenly you've got all of these kinds of digital citizens, or you can raise the importance of your country. They don't complain, go on strike and don't ask for workers rights," he said.But Jackson warned that we're at the peak of what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-emerging-tech-from-gartners-hype-cycle-2015-8">management consultant firm Gartner calls a "hype cycle," </a>characterized by five phases: technology trigger, the peak of inflation expectations, the trough of disillusionment, the slope of enlightenment, and the plateau of productivity.Humanoids are in the inflated expectations stage of the cycle, according to Jackson, with lots of talk on what the technology could do."They are not deployed," he said. "It's not a technology that's actually being used. Most of the humanoid robot companies out there now haven't ever even shipped the robot. There's a lot of optimism that is probably not very well founded."Even so, the industry is expected to be boosted by Nvidia's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-humanoid-robots-jensen-huang-2024-3">recently unveiled Project GR00T</a>, according to Jackson and Agility Robotics' CTO Melonee Wise.It could help the sector reach a point of inflection by building a general-purpose foundation model for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/humanoid-robots-talk-carry-items-and-even-run-a-company-2023-11">humanoid robots</a>, they said, which would help them learn from past interactions and perform everyday tasks.<div type="image" title="A robot appears on stage as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote address during the Nvidia GTC Artificial Intelligence Conference at SAP Center on March 18, 2024 in San Jose, California." height="711" width="1024" msid="108900714" hostid="261" sizebytes="35384"></div><h2>Saudi Arabia won't give up</h2>While the competition to unleash humanoid robots on the world looks like a two-horse race between the US and China, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/saudi-arabia">Saudi Arabia</a> refuses to be sidelined.Metri, of QSS, said: "We have all the capabilities, we have the brains, we have the resources, we have a very huge market. Saudi Arabia today is competing with Europe, it's competing with the US. It's between the biggest markets globally."The Saudi market, fueled by significant investments, is projected to have revenues nearing $120 million this year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/robotics/saudi-arabia">according to Statista. </a>The markets in China and the US have already surpassed the billion-dollar mark.But Metri remains undeterred by the global competition: "Why are we doing this from Saudi Arabia? Because why not?"

A global scramble to make humanoid robots is gearing up to be the 21st century's space race

<ul><li>Our focus is on aluminium forged components as the vehicles are going to get light weighted across segments because of the emissions norms, said B R Preetham, group chief executive officer at <keyword id="1734451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sansera-engineering" source="Orion">Sansera Engineering</keyword> in an interview with Business Insider.</li><li><keyword id="12014102" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sansera-engineering-ipo" source="Orion">Sansera Engineering IPO</keyword> is opening from today and closes on September 16.</li><li>The company has already mopped up ₹382 crore from anchor investors ahead of the IPO while it is looking to raise ₹1,282 crore from an offer for sale of 1.72 crore shares. </li><li>Check out the latest news and updates on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/">Business Insider</a>. </li></ul>Just like Audi, BMW, Nissan and Porsche, are now making the switch from steel to aluminum for lightweight batteries in electric cars, r<a href="https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=20395">eportedly</a>, influenced by Tesla’s aluminum based design, an Indian auto parts maker opening its initial public offering today is hoping that Indian customers like Maruti, Bajaj Auto and Honda will also do the same. “One of our focused areas is aluminium forged components as you are aware the industry is going to get light weighted both in passenger vehicles and two-wheelers whether it is electric or not. Lightweighting is going to happen because of the emissions norms,” said B R Preetham, group chief executive officer at Sansera Engineering in an interview with Business Insider. Aluminium is lighter than steel, better for recycling and reduces emissions. Due to its upcoming IPO compliance requirements, Preetham did not reveal their overall investment towards this segment but mentioned, “we have invested a lot in the aluminium forgings and thereby expect increasing revenue from it further,” said Preetham. Sansera Engineering’s IPO opens today and closes on September 16 The company is looking to raise ₹1,282 crore from an offer for sale of 1.72 crore shares at a price band ₹734-744. Ahead of the IPO, the company had mopped up ₹382 crore from anchor investors. Government of Singapore, Abhu Dhabi Investment Authority, Axis MF, ICICI Prudential MF are some of the anchor investors who bought the IPO. The allotment of the shares will be revealed on September 21 and the shares will be listed on September 24. The verdict from analysts has been a mixed one. Ventura Securities argues that the IPO is overpriced and that the return on investment may be the worst in the sector. Whereas, those at BP Wealth rated the IPO as ‘subscribe’ citing “the strong product portfolio, advanced manufacturing capabilities and robust track record.” <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Existing shareholders selling via IPO </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Current stake </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stake to be sold via IPO </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Client Ebene </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">33.85% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">86.35 lakh shares </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">CVCIGP II Employees EBENE </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">18.96% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">48.36 lakh shares </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">S Sekhar Vasan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">22.90% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">20.58 lakh shares </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Unni Rajagopal K </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.36% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5.71 lakh shares </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">D Devaraj </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5.11% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5.71 lakh shares </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">FR Singhvi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.27% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5.71 lakh shares </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> This is Sansera Engineering’s second attempt to go public. Earlier, it had filed for an IPO with the market regulator in August 2018. Reportedly, it had received a nod to float the public issue, but it did not go ahead with the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/ipos/fpos/sansera-engineering-gets-sebis-go-ahead-to-launch-ipo/articleshow/85190914.cms">launch</a>. Sansera wants a share in the electric vehicles pie Meanwhile, the company is also expanding its component services to the electric vehicle segment. “Only 6% of our business is under that (electrification). But having said that we have already started our journey into electrification, we have secured orders from new age startups who are setting up huge facilities for electric two wheelers. We are going to supply about 8 components to them,” added the company management in an interview. On being asked if the new customer was Ola, Preetham refused to disclose the name of the customer but said that it was, indeed, a well-known startup. <div type="image" title="sansera chart" height="900" width="1200" msid="86188995" hostid="261"></div> As of July 31, 2021, Sansera Engineering has 16 manufacturing facilities, of which 15 are in India in the states of Karnataka, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, and one facility is in Trollhättan, Sweden Within the automotive sector, the company manufactures and supplies a range of precision forged and machined components and assemblies, such as connecting rod, rocker arm, crankshaft, gear shifter fork, stem comp, and aluminium forged parts. Within the non-automotive sector, it manufactures and supplies a range of precision components for the aerospace, off-road, agriculture and other segments, including engineering and capital goods. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/online-pharmacy-startup-pharmeasy-is-looking-to-hire-200-engineers-in-hyderabad-pune-and-delhi-before-the-ipo/articleshow/86168091.cms">Online pharmacy Startup PharmEasy is looking to hire 200 engineers in Hyderabad, Pune and Delhi before the IPO</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ami-organics-zee-entertainment-infosys-and-other-top-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-september-14/slidelist/86188036.cms">Zee Entertainment, Infosys, Ami Organics, and other top stocks to watch out for on September 14</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ami-organics-zee-entertainment-infosys-and-other-top-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-september-14/slidelist/86188036.cms"></a>

INTERVIEW:  An auto parts maker for Maruti, Bajaj and Honda is betting that Indian car makers will take a leaf out of Tesla’s playbook

September was not a great month for the Indian 4-wheeler sector. There was degrowth in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Strangely-Auto-Sales-Have-Dropped-Before-Diwali-And-TheFestive-Season-In-September/articleshow/44800723.cms">India auto industry</a> in September when compared to the same month last year. Till now, 2014 has not been a great year for the auto giants in India. 
 
Everyone would want to get sales up in the last two quarters of the fiscal year 2014-15 to post a result at the end of the year. However, looking at the way things are moving currently, the Indian 4-wheeler segment is not doing that great. One has to be a little more aggressive and probably try out new things to get stuff rolling. 
 Here are some tips the <keyword id="609646" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-auto-industry">Indian auto industry</keyword> might want to pick to get back on track and also smoothen the way for a better 2015-16. 
 
Offers and discounts We have seen it in the past that giving good offers and discounts boost <keyword id="47168" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Car-sales">car sales</keyword>. Some companies are already doing it. However, they need to make it more attractive for the customer and start giving better deals, if they want the car lots to move faster. Greater discounts combined with better accessories and longer after sales support should work wonders. 
 
World class cars 
Most cars that are produced in India are way behind the Europe and American car standards, as far as the safety and features are concerned. This is seen mostly in low to mid-end range of 4-wheelers in India. The car companies need to wake up and start thinking about what they or their competitor is doing globally. Better safety is the need of the hour. If one can ramp up the in-car entertainment as well as infotainment features in current pricing, they should be able to sell more. 
 
Make in India 
Many mid-to-high-end cars are expensive to buy. If the car companies start producing within India, these vehicles can be sold at a lesser price. They will also reap better profits as labour and allied resources are cheaper here. Yes, there is one time initial cost of setting up, but in the long run this will help everyone. Instead of importing cars in parts and assembling in India, some international makers can think of just building the cars here from scratch itself. 
 
BMW and Mercedes are already doing this with their low-end range. They might want to follow the same procedure with the other variants as well. 
 
Alternate <keyword id="2560255" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fuel-cars">fuel cars</keyword> 
Petrol and Diesel is getting more expensive by the day. Cars that use alternate fuels like CNG will solve a huge problem. Maruti Suzuki is probably the only manufacturer in the country that gives CNG variants for passenger cars. For rest, the consumer needs to get a CNG kit fitted. Carmakers should consider this option as company-fitted CNG cars might give some boost to sales, at least in some of the metros where CNG is easily available. 
 
Image: indiatimes

4 Rules That The Indian Auto Industry Should Follow To Bounce Back

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-business-insider-interview"></a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Mike Nudelman/Business Insider/Volvo CarsVolvo US CEO Lex Kerssemakers</div></div></div>For generations, Swedish automaker Volvo has enjoyed a cult-like following in the US. Its offbeat design has appealed to affluent, outdoorsy suburbanites who have loved its reputation for safety. Volvo owners have been more like an extended family than just customers.A small but mighty force, Volvo - like the rest of the global auto industry - was hit hard in the Great Recession of 2007-09. Ford, which purchased Volvo Cars in 1999, sold the hobbled brand in 2010 to China's Geely Holding Group.Unlike now defunct nameplates such as Saab and Saturn, Volvo would <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/volvo-cars-in-the-us-2015-11">maneuver out of the slump</a>. A multibillion-dollar cash infusion, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/volvo-xc90-business-insider-2015-car-of-the-year-2015-12">and one blockbuster new vehicle</a>, helped make 2015 a record-breaking year for Volvo. It sold more than a half-million cars worldwide for the first time in its 89-year history. And this past summer it announced a $300 million strategic partnership with Uber to develop driverless cars.Business Insider caught up with Volvo's US CEO Lex Kerssemakers to talk about this remarkable transformation.This interview has been edited for clarity and length.Bryan Logan: Everyone is talking about Volvo's self-driving-car project with Uber. How did the companies get together?Lex Kerssemakers: One of the reasons we have the cooperation with Uber is that we share the same interest. We both have the vision to bring, as soon as possible, autonomous cars on the road. We have a lot of knowledge, they have a lot of knowledge. We develop it for Volvo, but at the end we will leverage our knowledge and also sell it to others.Logan: A lot of automakers are developing autonomous-driving technology. One objective, among others, is to reduce the likelihood of traffic accidents. So it sounds like the Volvo-Uber partnership furthers your "Vision 2020" plan, your goal to eliminate traffic-accident deaths by 2020.Kerssemakers: We believe it's the only way to get to our target. [Uber CEO Travis Kalanick] believes it's the only way to fulfill their business model, but it fits very well, because we use similar technologies.Logan: Why Uber?Kerssemakers: We need miles. We need to find out how the technology operates in an automotive environment. They have elected Volvo because we have the electrical infrastructure to facilitate their system. And at the end, we need experience, and by this we gain experience together. It's a perfect setup - and also for Uber, because they get a very nice, good-looking car in which they can just plant in their system.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Samantha Lee/Business Insider</div></div></div>Logan: How did Volvo and Uber end up in the same room together?Kerssemakers: We met a year ago. My CEO and I were there, and Travis, the team, the engineers were all there. They talk the same language. Uber is very good, they are very far. And our engineers love to talk to them and do things together. My CEO has the same vision as Travis. That's why it went so fast, and everything goes fast here in San Francisco.Logan: General Motors is also making a play in this space with its partnership with Lyft. And there are a number of investor-backed startups all trying to carve out a corner in this market. Some of them are moving to redefine the idea of car ownership.Kerssemakers: Everybody is doing their thing. Our business model is providing mobility, and there will be all sorts of mobility and ways of transport. People will own a car, people will share a car. At the end, it's part of the mix, and if the mix is 10% here or 20% there, we are going into this very open-minded.Logan: Tesla CEO Elon Musk often calls Teslas some of the safest cars out there because of the company's Autopilot self-driving feature. Does that rattle you, knowing that Volvo is traditionally known as the safest car on the road?Kerssemakers: In the end, we need to create a society where 33,000 people aren't killed [in auto accidents] every year. So I can only encourage him in making safe cars. I know which is the safest car company, and we're not going to give that up. This is a long-term journey and not "we've got to win this year and that year." It's a long-term journey. We collect data from real-world accidents, and we've got a really good idea how cars react in different accident scenarios. Our whole team are data-driven. They can model all that real-world information back in digital and replicate it in our crash-test safety center.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Volvo Car Group</div></div></div>Logan: The current XC90 SUV, the new S90 full-size sedan, and eventually all new Volvos will be plug-in hybrids with four-cylinder turbocharged engines. What plans do you have for fully electric cars?Kerssemakers: We started to talk about electrification in 2008 when we took the decision to go for four cylinders. Fuel efficiency is huge, that's why we went for the four-cylinder turbos and electrification first. After that, we move to full electric, in 2018 or 2019. It is the future, let's face it. The era of big cylinders is over - people want to have big cars, but they still should be efficient.Logan: Tesla is leading the way there. They more or less broke the stigma of range anxiety and the notion that electric cars weren't stylish or practical.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image">Samantha Lee/Business Insider</div></div></div>Kerssemakers: They definitely broke up the perception. They did a good job.Logan: You just launched the S90, the first new full-size luxury sedan from Volvo in a decade, and the second brand-new model since the acquisition. What kind of response are you seeing from the market?Kerssemakers: The demand globally - you can imagine - everybody wants to have the car. I hope to sell 3,000 of them this year, if we get enough cars to do so.Logan: What kind of long-term sales expectations do you have for the S90 considering SUVs are consistently outselling sedans?Kerssemakers: You get fewer people, but the people who come to the showroom, they're very dedicated to buying one. It's a different type of market with different customers.Logan: The XC60 - which is actually a bit older than the XC90 - is still selling like crazy too.Kerssemakers: They're both doing well. We just launched a new four-cylinder with all-wheel-drive in the XC60, so now we have our new Drive-E engine there also. The XC60 and XC90 are our best-selling cars, and it tells you something about the SUV boom that is going on right now.Logan: You're looking to compete with BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which, to be fair, have larger model lines than Volvo.Kerssemakers: We have a small SUV coming, the XC40. All our new compact cars - built on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform - will come to the US. Every car we make will be global.Logan: So before all of Volvo's progress over the past few years, the company was on the rocks for a bit. And then a Chinese auto company, Geely, stepped in. What's the state of that relationship today?Kerssemakers: Under Geely, Volvo operates as a standalone company. [Geely founder Li Shufu] gave Volvo full authority, time, and patience. He bought Volvo in 2010. The XC90, which represented everything we presented to him, was only introduced in 2015, so five years later. So he has been listening to me and to a few others for five years in a row. Each time we showed him our progress, he said very good, sign it off, and he has opinions, but he trusted Volvo. He gave us the authority to do what we've done because he has a long-term vision.Logan: Early on, some Volvo fans were concerned that the company would lose its Swedish identity under Chinese ownership. What's your response?Kerssemakers: I've had many meetings with the CEO of Geely. We share a lot. We try to combine things, because that's efficient from a corporate perspective, but at the end, Volvo is Volvo, Geely is Geely. It has worked extremely well.Logan: People had similar concerns about Jaguar Land Rover when India's Tata Motors bought the company from Ford in 2008, but the company seems to be thriving now.Kerssemakers: It's too early to celebrate victory, because we are still on the journey. But it's those from India who took over Jaguar-Land Rover, it's those from China who took over Volvo, who have shown the Western world how it should be done. We have seen many takeovers in the past, and they haven't all been so successful. Both Tata and Geely were very clever, and it's a very interesting story. Again, it's too early to call it a victory, but Jaguar-Land Rover is doing very well and we are getting better year after year. That's food for thought in the future.<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image">Samantha Lee/Business Insider</div></div>Logan: You're building your first US-based assembly plant in South Carolina. How is that coming along?Kerssemakers: We are still on track. End of 2018, we should be producing the new S60 there. It's very exciting. Building a factory, to me, is so cool. And the governor, the local authorities there are so supportive. It's not always about money - it's also about attitude, the money you can get, support, and incentives in every state. It's about how they approach things, how entrepreneurial they are.Logan: That puts Volvo right in BMW's and Mercedes-Benz's backyards.Kerssemakers: The South is strategically a good place to be. We needed to be close to the sea, so we could import and export cars and parts. At the end, it's about human beings. Is there a click, is there a connection? Do we feel comfortable that we are going to make the journey? We found that in South Carolina.Logan: Bringing it back to California, a bunch of carmakers have set up research-and-development hubs in Silicon Valley. What is Volvo planning?Kerssemakers: We're already in Camarillo, in the Los Angeles area, where we have the concept and design center. We developed, together with Apple, CarPlay from our office in Camarillo. We worked with Apple, and of course Uber, we do some things with Microsoft [HoloLens]. We've had such good experiences that we have decided we want people from the Bay Area working for us. So we will open an office - they're putting in the furniture now. We will have about 70 engineers. We call it Volvo California. It's one organization with two offices. The new one is in Mountain View.That office will focus on autonomous driving, connectivity, infotainment, everything that's happening here. We're a small company with short communication lines, which makes a big difference. We don't have 25,000 layers, so we can do things very fast. We're leveraging on that now, because otherwise we could have never built all those new platforms, new factories, new engines, electrification, new infotainment. We did it all in five years with 6,000 engineers, so it's pretty strong. And we're selling cars. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-self-driving-taxis-test-drive-2016-9">We got a ride in a self-driving Uber - here's what it was like</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="l4bjh2NTE6wNgV21PA-L2La3Bl-jWw39" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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