Congratulations on inauguration of Spark Minda Technical Centre. Can you please tell us more about this centre?

Thank you so much for your warm wishes. SMIT is the first Spark Minda, Ashok Minda Group's Technical centre dedicated to R&D though our all business group companies have their own one also. We have brought in the best of engineers and manufacturing, testing machines from world over for creating a breakthrough tailored solutions for the group and our clients. SMIT is spread across 40,000 square feet with manpower strength of more than 100 people. We foresee a huge pool of talent in SMIT where future will develop and nurture only on electronification of our products. SMIT has attracted world class automotive talent and many of the team members have a rich global experience. SMIT team has already started interacting with prospective customers from world over at various automotive forums and technology shows. Quite a few potential international clients have visited SMIT centre and expressed their wish to explore joint opportunities. This will definitely widen our business horizon to a global level, covering many more customers.

This is one of the first centres opened by the company for R&D purpose. Can you please tell us about importance of R&D for the company?

SMIT is totally and entirely dedicated for research and development services prevailing in the group and market. SMIT is equipped with latest test and measurement equipment, development tool chains and environment and fully operational laboratory for supporting development of embedded software and hardware. Development centre also marks state-of-the-art EMI-EMC (Electromagnetic interference & Electromagnetic compatibility) test facility to cater to complete suite of design and product validation tests.

Looking at the market and industry pace, research and development is an obvious prerogative for Spark Minda Group. We can help our customers expanding leaps and bounds in the market with bigger and better portfolio of consumer products. In order to suffice such crucial technological and mechanical demands it is our prime objective to develop things effectively and timely in the given frame of products and demands. The Centre will nurture innovations to create breakthrough solutions tailored to address the market requirements. It will actively pursue opportunities in the area of new generation technologies like Connected, Autonomous, Electrified Mobility Solutions, Body Control and Multi-function Controllers, Smart Security and Vehicle Access Solutions etc. It would also explore incubation of future technologies like Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Smart Vehicles technologies, Prognosis and Diagnosis, etc.

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