WHEN HEAVY VEHICLES GET SMARTER

Aptiv’s Gen 6 ADAS enters India’s commercial roads

Gen 6 ADAS platform will scale across the broad commercial vehicle lineup, covering 14 models and more than 30 variants

As India prepares for tighter safety norms, a global commercial vehicle manufacturer turns to advanced intelligence to navigate one of the world’s most complex driving environments.

India’s commercial vehicle landscape is on the cusp of a significant shift. With 2027 safety regulations on the horizon, demanding features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings and pedestrian detection, technology choices are becoming strategic decisions rather than optional upgrades. Against this backdrop, a leading global commercial vehicle OEM has selected Aptiv’s Gen 6 Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) platform to power its future trucks and buses in India.

The collaboration is notable not only for its scale but for what it represents: Aptiv’s first ADAS partnership with an Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer, and a clear signal that safety technology designed for passenger cars must evolve decisively to meet the realities of heavy-duty transport.

Designed for Indian Roads, Not Just Global Standards

Unlike passenger vehicles, trucks and buses operate longer hours, carry heavier loads and face harsher conditions. Larger blind spots, constant vibration and unpredictable traffic patterns make validation far more demanding. The challenge for OEMs lies in deploying advanced safety systems that are robust, scalable and economically viable across diverse vehicle platforms.

Aptiv’s Gen 6 ADAS platform has been positioned as a response to precisely these constraints. Built on a uni-voltage architecture, it is designed to scale across 14 models and more than 30 variants within the OEM’s commercial vehicle portfolio—simplifying integration while maintaining performance consistency.

 

Seeing What Matters on Indian Roads

At the heart of the system is a new perception stack powered by Aptiv’s Gen 8 radar and Gen 7 smart camera, featuring AI-based vision technology from StradVisiom. Crucially, the system has been tuned for Indian road conditions, enabling detection of three-wheelers, large animals and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and road workers—scenarios that conventional global datasets often overlook.

By combining sensors and software into an integrated, modular architecture, the platform reduces system complexity while delivering high-performance safety functions. Over-the-air updates allow features to evolve over time, supported by Aptiv’s LINC™ Software Platform and Wind River’s VxWorks® real-time operating system.

 

A Market at a Regulatory Turning Point

“We are ready to play a leading role in helping OEMs in India meet demanding real-world conditions by introducing advanced, cost-effective safety solutions tested and tailored to local needs,” said Javed Khan, Executive Vice President and President, Intelligent Systems, Aptiv. “By combining globally proven technologies - already deployed in millions of vehicles across Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific - with intelligent adaptations for the local commercial vehicle segment, we enable OEMs to rapidly deliver advanced safety technology for one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.”

The timing is deliberate. As regulatory expectations rise, OEMs must move quickly to align compliance with commercial viability—especially in a price-sensitive market such as India’s freight and public transport sectors.

Long-Term Commitment Beyond Technology

The partnership also reflects Aptiv’s deeper investment in India’s automotive ecosystem. Recent milestones include the opening of a technical centre in Chennai in 2025 and the expansion of its advanced manufacturing facility in 2024. Today, Aptiv India employs 2,500 engineers and 13,000 employees across seven manufacturing sites, four technical centres and a tooling centre, supporting both passenger and commercial vehicle programmes.

“India’s mobility ecosystem is at a pivotal point as regulatory and consumer expectations evolve rapidly,” said Arun Devaraj, Vice President and Managing Director, Intelligent Systems, Aptiv Asia Pacific (Non-China). "This is yet another example of Aptiv’s commitment to working closely with leading OEMs and industry partners to ensure optimized performance, timely regulatory compliance and a more resilient mobility landscape for India."

As India’s commercial vehicles grow smarter and safer, the road ahead will be shaped not just by regulation, but by how effectively global technology adapts to local reality. In that equation, intelligence—both human and artificial—may prove to be the most critical component of all.