Mahindra’s Revolutionary iMAXX Telematics Connected Vehicle Tech Set To Transform Indian Vehicle Fleet Management

 * Mahindra’s iMAXX offers unprecedented predictability & control over the transporter’s fleet, leading to higher profits and a hassle-free ownership experience

* Featured as Standard Equipment in the BS6 compliant range of BLAZO X HCVs, FURIO ICVs & LCVs and CRUZIO Buses with free subscription package

* New Telematics platform deploys cutting-edge telemetry technology to provide powerful insights on vehicle health and performance

Mahindra Truck and Bus (MTB), a part of the USD 19.4 billion Mahindra Group, today announced the launch of its revolutionary connected vehicle technology, Mahindra iMAXX. This new Telematics platform is fitted into Mahindra’s BS6 emission norms compliant CV range, including the BLAZO X range of HCVs, FURIO range of ICVs & LCVs and CRUZIO range of buses. This new technology promises to further strengthen the value proposition of the MTB range for the company’s discerning customers.

The new Mahindra iMAXX technology, coupled with the tried & tested BS6 engines (mPOWER and MDI Tech) with FUELSMART technology and robust aggregates, retaining over 90% of the parts of the erstwhile BS4 vehicles, will help fleet owners and transporters transition to the BS6 ownership experience smoothly and efficiently. 

Speaking on the occasion, Jalaj Gupta, Business Head, Commercial Vehicles, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “At Mahindra we are the pioneers in Connected Vehicle technology, which has become even more important in the new BS6 era, given the increase in electronics based vehicle controls.”

Mr. Gupta added, “The Mahindra iMAXX Telematics solution, is based on next generation telematics technology and is at the heart of our brand promise -HAR CHEEZ GUARANTEE KE SAATH, for our BS6 vehicles. It is an intelligent fleet telematics solution which deploys cutting-edge telemetry technology like Dual CAN (Controller Area Network), 4G and other leading digital technologies, including Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, to provide powerful insights on vehicle health and performance. This helps in maximizing returns for Fleet Owners.”

With the right telematics platform, like Mahindra iMAXX, enhanced fleet operations efficiency leads to higher asset productivity/ fleet utilization, lower costs of operations and higher fleet safety. Mahindra iMAXX, is an intelligent platform and a differentiated solution compared to other offerings in the market that focus mainly on location tracking based services and basic vehicle electronic data.

Today, Mahindra is seeing an unprecedented number of success stories from its BS4 fleet customers who are achieving upwards of 10% fuel economy improvements across their fleet.  In fact some customers are even achieving 100% asset productivity improvements in terms of kilometers driven per vehicle per day, thanks to the intelligent insights provided by the Mahindra iMAXX platform that was soft launched and co-created with customers in the earlier BS4 era.

Unique Benefits of Mahindra iMAXX Telematics Platform:

As against the regular telematics solutions that focus mainly on location tracking based services and basic vehicle performance analysis, the intelligent and revolutionary Mahindra iMAXX is in a different league due to the following:

Embedded Device Capability – The core capability of the Mahindra iMAXX embedded device is to absorb large scale, high frequency engine and allied system data securely, and transmit on a real-time basis over 4G airwaves for server processing. To put this in perspective, the amount of data transmitted through the Mahindra iMAXX device from the vehicle is on an average 600% higher than the previous generation telematics systems available in the market.

Digital Twin Platform – Once such a large amount of data comes into Mahindra iMAXX cloud servers, the machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence models put in place at the Mahindra iMAXX digital twin platform level helps provide accurate, reliable and predictive business and engineering insights. While most telematics solutions fetch and show vehicle data to customers without any further intelligence or analysis built-in, Mahindra iMAXX has the unique and unparalleled capability to add machine intelligence to normal data for enhanced credibility, efficacy and reliability – a First in Indian CV industry.

To appreciate the power and uniqueness of this solution, and how this technology powers our service guarantees for customers, consider this actual case that occurred on one of the customer’s vehicle during Lockdown 1.0. The artificial intelligence built into the system which monitors multiple correlated vehicle parameters was able to predict an engine cooling system issue, 33 hours prior to it actually occurring on the vehicle i.e. vehicle sending a high coolant temperature fault code through its ECU. With the predictive alert available at the right time to our NOW 24X7 helpline and Uptime monitoring team and to the customer, coupled with the agility and timely action of the customer support team, a possible major vehicle breakdown was averted and the driver continued on the trip after minor repairs provided by our mobile service van.

For more details on the features of Mahindra iMAXX, please click on:

https://www.mahindratruckandbus.com/imaxx.aspx

Mahindra Unveils All-New Thar: The 4x4 Icon is Now a Contemporary, World-Class SUV

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., a part of the $19.4 billion Mahindra Group, today unveiled the All-New Thar, the most eagerly awaited and legendary SUV, on the occasion of India’s 74th Independence Day. In its all-new avatar, the Thar is a quantum leap in terms of performance, everyday comfort & convenience, technology and safety, as it stays true to its core promise of unmatched off-roading capability and builds on its iconic design.

Unveiling the All-New Thar, Dr. Pawan Goenka, MD & CEO, M&M Ltd said, “Today, with the unveil of the All-New Thar, we rewrite history once again. The All-New Thar is firmly rooted in our rich automotive heritage and upholds the Mahindra DNA in its purest form. We are proud of our authentic SUV legacy that has been guarding the freedom of this nation by serving the armed forces since the 1950s, while simultaneously becoming the spirit of adventure and a lifestyle icon. The All-New Thar is a dynamic expression of fun, freedom and independence, and is geared up for its next adventure”.

The All-New Thar will not only attract die-hard Thar enthusiasts, but also appeal to all those people who have always dreamt of owning an iconic vehicle, with all the bells and whistles of a contemporary SUV. 

The All-New Thar has the following exciting features:

·         All-new BS-6 compliant Engine options: The 2.0 litre mStallion TGDi Petrol engine and the 2.2 litre mHawk Diesel engine

·         New Gearbox options: 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission & 6-speed manual transmission mated to an authentic manual shift-on-the-fly 4x4 transfer case

·         All-new Roof options: A Hard Top, a first-in-class Convertible Top and an optional Soft Top

·         All-new Seating options: 4 front-facing seats & 2+4 side-facing seats

·         All-new Technology Features: Drizzle resistant 17.8 cm touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, adventure statistics display and a whole lot more

·         All-new Comfort and Convenience Features: Sporty front seats, roof-mounted speakers and lots more

·         New Safety Features: ABS + EBD, Dual airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, Hill-hold and hill descent control and a whole lot more

According to Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, Auto & Farm Sectors, M&M Ltd., “The All-New Thar will enhance the appeal of a brand that is already a cult, to a wider set of consumers. It will target people who seek extraordinary journeys and wish to Explore the Impossible. The All-new Thar will be launched on 2nd October, 2020 which is also our Founders Day”

Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, “The Thar has represented the spirit of freedom, thrill and fun-to-drive character that few other vehicles can match. With the All-New Thar, we aim to protect this legacy with superior performance both on and off the tarmac, advanced technology features, excellent safety and everyday ride comfort, all adding to the unadulterated driving pleasure of a true-blue modern SUV.”

Ever since India became a free nation, ‘The Mahindra Classics’ have enabled Indians to explore new worlds and conquer even the most challenging terrains. For over seven decades now, The Mahindra Classics have shared a close bond with India’s story and the unveil of the All-New Thar on the momentous occasion of our country’s Independence Day is a significant milestone in taking this journey ahead.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson, the renowned poet said, “Do not go where the path may lead; Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” The All-New Thar allows you to do just that.

Designed and engineered in India and manufactured out of Mahindra’s Nashik Plant, the All-New Thar will be available in 6 exciting colours, Red Rage, Mystic Copper, Napoli Black, Aquamarine, Galaxy Grey and Rocky Beige.

Mahindra University Outlines a New Paradigm for Higher Education

Higher Education 

* To develop multi-skilled Leaders capable of Reflection, Innovation, and a commitment to Inclusive and Sustainable progress.

* Focus on both IQ and EQ, combined with the power of Emerging Technologies to educate Future Citizens for and of a Better World.

The Mahindra Group today launched Mahindra University (MU), which is focussed on offering a world-class, futuristic education in India. Its mission is to develop multi-skilled leaders, capable of reflection as well as innovation, and ones who are ethical and empathetic. To drive a meaningful shift in the way that higher education is imparted in the country, MU will drive interdisciplinary academic excellence, integrating the study of science and technology with the Humanities, Ethics & Philosophy, and Design.

It will operate as an autonomous University, with its contemporary, new-age curricula being curated to fully leverage emerging technologies like Data Science, Blockchain and Data Analytics. MU will uniquely enable the holistic development of its students, combining the Emotional Intelligence (Right Brain) and Artificial Intelligence (Left Brain) paradigms.

Mahindra University is part of the Mahindra Educational Institutions (MEI), a not-for-profit subsidiary of Tech Mahindra. It reflects the standards and reputation of the entire Mahindra Group, mirroring its core purpose of Driving Positive Change in the lives of both peoples and communities, enabling them to Rise.

The university will also be a platform to balance education with real world experience through entrepreneurial projects to solve complex challenges facing society. This, combined with the provision of extra-curricular activities like sports and music, will help revolutionize higher education for millennials and help build a hyper-skilled, future-ready talent pool.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group and Chancellor, Mahindra University, said, “High quality education has transformative powers for individuals and nations, alike. Mahindra University will strive to deliver a more balanced education, combining the latest technology with Liberal Arts, to create next generation leaders that have a holistic world view.”

The sprawling 130-acre, multi-disciplinary campus in Hyderabad will offer undergraduate, post graduate and PhD courses. MU includes the Ecole Centrale School of Engineering that was set up in 2014.

Vineet Nayyar, Board of Management, Mahindra University, said, “With the education landscape continuously evolving, there is a need for a dynamic and empowering approach to education that goes beyond business and is at par with the technological demands of the industry globally. In line with this, the Mahindra University will be a key enabler in providing a holistic educational and learning experience that involves analytical and design-led thinking, quantitative and creative problem-solving skills and a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.”

CP Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra and Board of Management, Mahindra University, said, “The Mahindra University is a testimony of our commitment towards bridging the skill gap and creating global leaders that are willing to change, adapt and transform according to dynamic market needs and business environment. The university will also provide access to multi-disciplinary learning focused on leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence. This will help the students to develop new-age competencies and inculcate entrepreneurial thinking to enable them solve complex challenges faced by the society.”

As a part of the immediate roadmap, the University will launch the School of Management (2021-22), School of Law (2021-22), Indira Mahindra School of Education (2021-22), School of Media & Liberal Arts (2022-23) and School of Design (2023-24).

An estimated 4,000 Students and over 300+ Faculty members will be in place across the various Schools at Mahindra University over the next five years.

The Minerva Fund - Mahindra University Scholarship Program is available to ensure that deserving students have access to a quality education. Efforts are also being made to drive inclusion in awarding scholarships across geographies, gender, and academic excellence, among others, to create a stronger society and a wider talent pool for industry and academia, alike.

Prof Yajulu Medury, Vice-Chancellor, Mahindra University, said, “Mahindra University aims to revolutionise the educating environment for the future workforce of our country through necessary industry-academia collaborations to prepare the students for present challenges and future industry needs. The university will bring together expertise of international faculty and will provide access to innovation and research hubs with top academic partners. We plan to be a holistic learning platform for the students, providing access to studies related to Engineering, Law, Management, Education, Media & Liberal Arts, Design and others.”

MU will also to bring the Corporate and Industrial ecosystems together through its Centres of Excellence. Students will have access to the Mahindra Group’s expertise through a Centre of Excellence, visiting faculty and other strategic engagements. Students will be provided opportunities to interact with CEOs, CXOs of organizations across the country.

MU already has a Supercomputer Lab with an advanced NVidia GPU-based supercomputer, the DGX-1. It also has a Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI), a Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) and a Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure and Systems (CSIS).

Additional CoEs being considered include, the Centre for Computational and Experimental Mechanics (CCEM), the Centre for Research in Optics and Photonics (CROP) and a Centre for Executive Education (CEE).

About Mahindra University:

Mahindra University marks a significant milestone in the Mahindra Group’s journey in the higher education sector since its entry in 2014, with the Mahindra Ecole Centrale (MEC) College of Engineering. Aimed at educating and developing ‘Global Thinkers and Engaged Leaders,’ the Mahindra University is headquartered in Hyderabad, India. It is supported by the Mahindra Educational Institutions (MEI), a subsidiary of Tech Mahindra, the flagship IT company of the US$ 19.4 billion Mahindra Group. The. Mahindra University was notified by the Government of Telangana vide Ordinance No.1 dated 20th May 2020. Mahindra University has already received 100+ admissions till date.

3 Mahindra Financial Services Companies Recognised as India’s Best Workplaces 2020 by Great Place to Work Institute

Three companies from the Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services sector, a leading provider of diversified financial solutions in rural and semi-urban India, have been recognized among India’s Best Companies to Work 2020 by Great Place to Work®️ Institute (GPTW).

Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd. ranked 10th, Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd. ranked 19th and Mahindra Finance ranked 25th in the largest workplace study in India, representing the voice of more than 2.1 million employees across 21+ industries. According to GPTW, the companies earned this recognition for creating a Great Place to Work for all and excelling on the 5 dimensions of building a High-Trust, High-Performance CultureTM – Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride and Camaraderie.

Ramesh Iyer, VC & MD, Mahindra Finance and President, Mahindra Financial Services Sector said, “We are extremely delighted that three of our companies feature among India’s Best Workplaces 2020. We have always laid great emphasis on creating a high trust and high performance culture. Engaging with employees, respecting them, encouraging collaboration and inspiring them to go the extra mile to contribute to business, is what makes us a great place to work.”

Mahindra Finance was also ranked the 6th Best Large Workplace in Asia 2020 by Great Place to Work® Institute earlier this year.

Great Place to Work®️ Institute, is the ‘Global Authority’ for creating, sustaining and identifying High-Trust, High-Performance CultureTM. Considered the ‘Gold Standard’ in Workplace Culture Assessment, Great Place to Work®️ identifies Best Workplaces solely on the basis of Employee Feedback and quality of People Practices in an organization. No jury or individual can influence the results of the assessment.

About Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited (Mahindra Finance), part of the Mahindra Group, is one of India’s leading non-banking finance companies. Focused on the rural and semi-urban sector, the Company has over 6.8 Million customers and has an AUM of over USD 10 Billion. The Company is a leading vehicle and tractor financier, provides loans to SMEs and also offers fixed deposits. The Company has over 1,300 MMFSL offices and reaches out to customers spread over 3,70,000 villages and 7,000 towns across the country.

Mahindra Finance is the only Financial Institution from India to be listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in the Emerging Market Category 2019. Mahindra Finance has been ranked 25th on the list of India’s Best Companies to work for 2020 and ranked 6th on the list of Best Large Workplaces in Asia 2020 by Great Place to Work® Institute.

The Company's Insurance Broking subsidiary, Mahindra Insurance Brokers Limited (MIBL), is a licensed Composite Broker providing Direct and Reinsurance broking services.

Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Limited (MRHFL) a subsidiary of Mahindra Finance provides loans for purchase, renovation, construction of houses to individuals in the rural and semi-urban areas of the country.

Mahindra Asset Management Company Private Limited (MAMCPL) acts as the Investment Manager of Mahindra Mutual Fund. On 29th April 2020 Mahindra Finance divested 49% stake in its wholly-owned subsidiary, MAMCPL to Manulife Investment Management Singapore Pte Ltd to form a 51:49 joint venture.

The Company has a Joint Venture in the US, Mahindra Finance USA LLC, in partnership with De Lage Landen, a subsidiary of Rabo Bank, for financing Mahindra vehicle’s in the US.

The Company has recently formed a Joint Venture in Sri Lanka, by acquiring a 38.2% stake in Ideal Finance Ltd. This JV will focus on providing a diversified suite of financial services to the Sri Lankan market.

Mahindra, Cisco Systems enter into a strategic alliance

MUMBAI: Mahindra Group on Tuesday signed a strategic alliance with Cisco Systems . The joint venture will collaborate on global platform and provide cloud computing services.

Cisco said that the partnership with Mahindra will work on areas including connecting communities. The JV has an ambitious target market at $5 billion in 5 years.

Mahindra & Mahindra, Vice Chairman, Anand Mahindra said: "The JV will provide cloud computing services and will involve M&M group across geographies."

The partnership will also involve many contracts.

Mahindra said, "This is about a partnership and it is a partnership not just of one contract but involving many contracts between Mahindra and Cisco, not just in India but across the world. This is about an Indian company moving from simply looking at itself as a service provider to partnering Cisco in joint go-to-market initiatives."

At 12:19 Tech Mahindra was up 7.7% at Rs 729.40. It touched a high of Rs 727.20 and low of Rs 676.40 in trade so far. Around 1.50 lakh shares were traded in the counter. Mahindra Satyam was up 4.48% at Rs Rs 65.35.

With this joint venture M&M and Cisco will focus on the Internet. The two companies believe that the web will dramatically change the way in which businesses function and in the way that services are provided to customers.

"The second belief that we share with Cisco is that companies that are able to harness innovation in providing services to their customers are the ones that are going to be left standing and in fact standing on the victory podium. I believe that Cisco does truly understand that India can be a game changer in leveraging innovation," added Mahindra.

When asked about what has the JV got for Cisco, Mahindra said, "I have already mentioned one very important thing that they are going to be able to get even more traction in India, more reach in penetration through us. Cisco can also leverage us as a game changer for innovation through the internet as a way of reaching customers throughout the globe and therefore in essence they are going to leapfrog."

"For Mahindra the joint venture would help in becoming a brand that epitomise customer centricity and innovation that is very critical for us and we want to be known for this around the world. We believe that we can bring value to them and we believe that by tying up with them we will strengthen and enhance our capabilities to be more customer centric and innovative." said Mahindra.

GM's Hummer now a likely target of Chinese

General Motors may sign an agreement for the sale of the Hummer sport-utility vehicle business to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co based in Chengdu, China this week, said two people familiar with negotiations.

The China firm's executives are expected to arrive in Detroit early this week for more negotiations with GM. Meanwhile GM's advisers are recommending the board consider spurning a German-backed sale of its Opel unit to retain a bigger presence in Europe and Russia.

Agencies

iGATE Pulls Out of Race to Acquire Satyam

With Satyam's financial statement still not available and government yet to cap its liabilities, iGATE has all but given up its interest in Satyam.

With Satyam's financial statement still not available and government yet to cap its liabilities, iGATE has all but given up its interest in buying stake in Satyam. The new Satyam board has recently appointed a new CEO and CFO.

The company had earlier said it was waiting for the new financial statement before deciding its next step, as the Satyam board had ruled out any part buy option.

Talking to CXOtoday, Phaneesh Murthy. CEO of iGATE, said, "Our interest in Satyam is weaning now. If a portion of the company is not being sold, then it does not attract me."

Over the last few weeks, reports indicate that Satyam has lost several of its top employees and many clients are also moving away, thereby making the value proposition no longer interesting for iGATE. "I believe that delay in decisions will erode the value of the company because of migration of customers and employees," said Murthy.

It is believed that iGATE was keenly looking at acquiring the manufacturing and EPR verticals of Satyam that were dominant over the years. But with the board not likely to issue Satyam's financial restatement in the near future, many of the other suitors are likely to pull out as well.

iGATE was among the early prospects, along with Larson & Turbo (L&T) and Essar, to express interest in acquiring the fourth largest software service provider. Since then the board has received three Expressions of Interest (EoI) from Mahindra Group, Hindujas and Spice Communications.

CXOtoday.com

General Motors calls on UK Govt to rescue it

General Motors, which employs 5,500 people around the UK, is in talks with the British government to secure cash to allow it to continue operating in what the car maker admits are "critical" conditions.

A report in The Telegraph says that the talks follow a decision by the US Congress to vote down a 14 billion dollar loan package to support the American automotive industry on Friday.

The future of British workers at GM plants in Luton and on Merseyside is unclear, as does that of up to a further 5,500 people employed by parts suppliers.

The Gordon Brown Government is likely to take a cautious approach to requests to bail out the UK car industry. It is thought more likely to consider offering bridging loans.

GM said it was "very disappointed" with the US loan package's failure, but continued to "look at options to restructure and stabilize the business in this exceptionally difficult economic period." It claimed to be operating "as usual".

The car maker, which owns brands including Vauxhall, Saab and Opel, said it was in talks with unions and European governments in countries where it has big operations to "provide liquidity for sustaining operations".

Underlining the urgency of the situation, GM said it would seek liquidity "while the US team pursues its options".

GM is also in talks with the German government, where it has Opel production facilities, in a bid to secure a credit guarantee.

The Swedish government yesterday announced a 28 billion Kronor support package to help the car industry. The plan offers credit guarantees, emergency loans and research funds to companies from Volvo to Saab.

Volvo is owned by Ford, which faces similar problems as does GM and Chrsyler.

According to The Telegraph, the Spanish region of Aragon, where GM has an Opel plant, has offered its own 200 million Euros credit guarantee.


Source; Agencies

Slowing economy forces Tata Motors, M&M to shut plants

Indian auto makers Tata Motors Ltd and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd are closing plants for up to 6 days in December as demand for vehicles is hit by tight financing in a slowing economy.

The country's top vehicle maker Tata Motors plans to shut its heavy vehicle plant in east India for six days, a spokesman said. It said earlier this week it would to shut a commercial vehicle plant in west India for three days.

Tata Motors', India's top bus and truck maker, November vehicle sales dropped 30 percent to 32,696 units. The country's biggest utility vehicle and tractor maker Mahindra said most of its automotive plants will be shut for up to 6 days in December due to easing demand.

"Taking into account the slowdown in demand for the company's products it has been decided to align the company's production plan with the expected demand for the month of December," Mahindra said in a statement.

Mahindra, which also makes the Logan sedan in a venture with Renault, earlier this week said vehicle sales in November fell 39 percent to 11,273 units. Carmakers in India have cut prices and are offering freebies to woo back buyers as sales slide after nearly five years of rapid growth.

Source: Agencies