Automotive Testing Expo India 2025 Explores the Future of Intelligent Vehicle Validation
Automotive Leadership Summit in association with SAEINDIA held in Chennai highlights India’s readiness for the software-defined vehicle era.
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The Automotive Testing Expo India 2025 commenced with the high-impact Automotive Leadership Summit, held in association with SAEINDIA, bringing together leading voices from government testing agencies, OEMs, and technology providers to discuss the future of automotive validation.
Themed “Automotive Leadership Summit in association with SAEINDIA”, the panel spotlighted how India is gearing up to meet the demands of a new automotive paradigm—where vehicles are increasingly software-defined, connected, and autonomous.
The expert panel featured:
- Dr. Manish Jaiswal, Director, NATRAX, who shared insights into the role of infrastructure and test facilities in enabling next-gen vehicle technologies.
- Ujjwala Karle, Senior Deputy Director and Head – Technology Group, ARAI, who emphasized the regulatory and R&D frameworks required to support advanced validation.
- Dr. Shankar Venugopal, Vice President, Mahindra & Mahindra, who discussed the OEM perspective on validation cycles, embedded intelligence, and the importance of virtual testing.
- Ramanathan Srinivasan, Managing Director, Automotive Test Systems, who highlighted the need for collaborative innovation between solution providers and manufacturers.
The session was moderated by Nilesh Wadhwa, Assistant Editor at Motoring Trends and Tire Trends.
A key insight from the discussion was the clear shift in validation priorities. “The move from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs) was hardware-to-hardware,” noted one panelist, “but now we are transitioning to a software-first environment, where vehicle behavior is defined by lines of code.”
The panel emphasized India’s value as a proving ground for global automotive technologies. “If ADAS systems can be tested and perform reliably in Indian conditions, they can be implemented anywhere in the world because India presents the full spectrum of real-world driving scenarios,” remarked a panelist. This underscores India’s unique position in enabling comprehensive validation across varying terrains, traffic patterns, and user behaviors.
Panelists also discussed the integration of simulation tools, digital twins, and data-driven analytics to create agile and robust validation workflows, especially as testing protocols must now account for over-the-air (OTA) updates, cybersecurity, and AI-driven features.
The summit underscored the importance of ecosystem collaboration. With growing complexity in vehicle architecture, stakeholders highlighted the need for OEMs, suppliers, academia, and testing bodies to work in synergy to co-develop forward-looking solutions.
Running from April 8–10 at the Chennai Trade Centre, Automotive Testing Expo India 2025 continues to draw professionals and stakeholders from across the mobility value chain. The expo features state-of-the-art solutions in ADAS, NVH, battery testing, emissions analysis, telematics, and beyond—positioning itself as a definitive platform for driving innovation in automotive validation and development.
Contributed by Lekshman Ramdas
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