Smarter, Safer, Greener: This Week in Auto Tech
Top Highlights
Made in India, Rare-Earth Free!
VNIT's Game-Changer for EVs
Nagpur's VNIT researchers have developed rare earth-free tech for
electric vehicles
—marking a major step in reducing India's reliance on Chinese imports.
Why it matters:
Rare-earth magnets are expensive and geopolitically sensitive. This innovation could change the EV cost equation.
Read Full Story
Smart Tech Trends
India 2030: Self-Driving Boom?
NITI Aayog's Big Forecast
By 2030, the Indian auto landscape will be dominated by self-driving, smart, and safe tech features. Expect AI, ADAS, and automation to rule the road.
Get the Insights
Cloud Cars Are Coming
Wipro Showcases AI-Powered SDV in Bengaluru
Wipro's CEO Srini Pallia unveiled a cloud-connected car prototype built on AI-driven software-defined vehicle (SDV) architecture.
See What's Inside
ADAS on the Road
NueGo Brings Driver Assistance to Electric Buses
Electric bus operator NueGo equips its fleet with
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
(ADAS) to boost safety on highways.
Explore More
Global Moves
Flying Taxis in NYC?
Archer & United Team Up
Archer plans to launch an air-taxi network in New York City with United Airlines. Think Uber for the skies.
Catch the Flight Plan
China vs. Buzzwords
Ban on 'Smart' & 'Autonomous' in Ads
China clamps down on misleading vehicle ads using terms like 'smart' or 'autonomous' unless fully validated.
Read the Policy Shift
Japan Talks Safety Amid Trade Tensions
Car Safety Takes Center Stage in Tariff Talks
Japan to raise auto safety standards as a bargaining chip in upcoming tariff discussions with the US.
Inside the Talks
EV Disruptions
Tesla Faces Heat
Robotaxis & Budget EVs in the Spotlight
Tesla scrambles to refocus on affordable EVs and its long-promised robotaxi rollout amid backlash and sliding demand.
Full Story
Volkswagen's China Strategy
In-House Autonomous Driving for China
VW doubles down on local R&D, building its own automated driving tech tailored to Chinese roads.
View Development Plans
Startup Spotlight
Garuda Aerospace Lifts Off
Raises ₹100 Cr in Series B
Drone-tech startup Garuda Aerospace secures big funding from Venture Catalysts to expand into precision agri and smart delivery.
Read the Funding Update
Looking Ahead
Nissan Sets 2027 Target
Next-Gen Autonomy by FY27
Nissan to roll out next-generation autonomous driving technology with real-time hazard perception by fiscal year 2027.
Future Drive Tech
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India.com
26 minutes ago
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33,17,82,137 Cr Dispute: Cricket Board Terminates Kings Franchise, Heres Why
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has suspended the Chittagong Kings franchise of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) after terminating its agreement with the former owners, SQ Sports Enterprise Ltd., due to persistent financial violations. The BCB revealed that the franchise owes over 46 crore taka,which includes unpaid dues from the 2012 and 2013 BPL seasons, outstanding payments from the 2025 season, and accumulated interest spanning 12 years. 46 Crore Taka in Indian Rupees = 33,17,82,137.60 Indian Rupee SQ Sports consistently failed to fulfill its financial and contractual responsibilities, including franchise fees, taxes, and player and staff salaries. Despite numerous reminders and legal actions since 2013, payments were not made. A settlement agreement signed in September 2024 also went unfulfilled, leading the board to cancel the deal on July 22, 2025, and pursue further legal measures. During the 2025 BPL season, the Kings failed to pay head coach Shaun Tait's full salary, as well as the wages of players and support personnel. Even former brand ambassador Shahid Afridi was not paid the entire amount owed, which SQ Sports' Samir Quader Chowdhury described as a private issue. The franchise also faced payment disputes with host Yasha Sagar, resulting in legal notices and counter-statements during the tournament. 2025 Season Despite off-field troubles, the Chittagong Kings had a successful 2025 BPL season, finishing second in the league stage with eight wins and four losses, earning 16 points and a strong net run rate of +1.395. A highlight came on January 16, when Graham Clark's explosive 101 off 50 balls led to a 45-run victory over the Khulna Tigers. After an early defeat in the league, the Kings hit their stride and carried momentum into the playoffs. They lost Qualifier 1 to Fortune Barishal by nine wickets but bounced back thrillingly in Qualifier 2, with Al Islam's last-ball four clinching a nail-biting 164-run chase against Khulna's 163. The Kings reached the final and posted an imposing 194/3, but Barishal chased down the target with three wickets remaining, denying Chittagong their first title. Chittagong Kings have seen various international cricketers like Moen Ali, Chris Gayle, Angelo Matthews etc dawning their jersey.
Mint
26 minutes ago
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Enterprises see AIs main value in better decision-making rather than as an automation tool: Survey
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
China's planned Turkish EV factories have yet to power up
WHEN BYD, China's biggest electric carmaker, offered a $1bn investment in the summer of 2024, Turkey rolled out the red carpet. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country's president, attended the signing ceremony. Officials in Manisa, where the company plans to open a new factory, mused about a future 'Chinatown' to house BYD workers. Yet a year down the line, despite reports the company would accelerate work on the plant at the expense of one in Hungary, things have not progressed much. The factory is supposed to open next year, but there are no signs of construction save for a few containers and the occasional dump truck. Turkey's location and relatively low labour costs make it a big draw for Chinese EV makers. So does its customs-union agreement with the European Union, which allows cars built in Turkey to be exported to the bloc tariff-free. Last year the EU slapped tariffs of up to 35%, on top of an existing 10% duty, on Chinese EVs. Other Chinese auto makers looking to Turkey as a way to avoid the tariffs include Chery, said to be eyeing a $1bn investment. China is also keen to grab a slice of Turkey's booming domestic EV market. High fuel prices and an extortionate consumption tax of up to 220% for conventional vehicles have driven up demand for EVs. Over 100,000 fully electric cars were sold in Turkey in the seven months to July, an increase of 147% on the same period in 2024. Desperate for foreign investment but hoping to stem the tide of cheap Chinese EVs—which threaten its own electric carmaker, TOGG—Turkey has sought to solve both problems in one go. Last year the country raised tariffs on Chinese cars to 50%. But it made BYD and other carmakers who pledge to invest in Turkey exempt. Sales of BYD cars have surged. On paper TOGG, one of Mr Erdogan's flagship projects, has fared well. Since its launch in 2023, it has outsold every other EV brand at home, partly thanks to government support. But competition from foreign EVs and the prospect of 150,000 BYD cars per year from the plant in Manisa could spell trouble. 'They may not survive in such a market,' says Cagdas Ungor of Marmara University. Chinese investments in Turkey amount to only some $5bn, lower than in Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Iraq. Politics is no longer the main obstacle. Turkey has toned down its criticism of China's treatment of its Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group. The biggest brake is instead Turkey's rule-of-law record. Mr Erdogan and his inner circle enjoy nearly unchecked power. 'Regulations and tariff decisions are made overnight without any consultations with the key actors,' says Ceren Ergenc of the Centre for European Policy Studies, a Brussels think-tank. 'China perceives that as a high risk.' China's EV operations in Turkey have not escaped scrutiny by EU bureaucrats. Earlier this year the European Commission warned that it would go after countries and companies that engage in tariff circumvention. EU anti-dumping rules mean that cars made in Turkey could face punitive tariffs if imported parts account for 60% or more of their value, unless assembly adds over 25% to manufacturing costs. To have unfettered access to the EU market, companies like BYD will need to source at least some parts from Turkey. Fear of pushback from the EU may explain why work in Manisa has slowed. Firms like BYD are hedging their bets, says Ms Ergenc, and waiting for the EU and China to settle their EV tariff dispute. Local officials and other analysts say BYD will finish the factory, though perhaps not on time. Turkey may be a convenient backdoor to the EU, but the Chinese have not yet prised it open. To stay on top of the biggest European stories, sign up to Café Europa, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter.
