Today, ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM), to collaborate on the ‘Mobility and Intelligent Transportation’ (MInT) initiative. This initiative aims to develop the Bharat Multi-Modal Mobility Stack (BM3S), a revolutionary digital mobility infrastructure facilitating the creation of comprehensive system solutions for sustainable and intelligent transportation globally.

“At ZF, we are committed to shaping the future of mobility with innovative solutions that are technologically advanced and create connected, safe, smart, and sustainable mobility,” says P. Kaniappan, MD, ZF Commercial Vehicles Solutions India Limited. “This collaboration with IITM is a definitive step towards addressing challenges of modern mobility. BM3S has the potential to revolutionise how we approach transportation, in India and the world, and we are excited to be a part of this ground-breaking initiative and in the overall greater digital mobility.”

Dr Christian Brenneke, Head- R&D & System Solutions – Sr VP, Engineering Solutions, ZF CVS stated, “Modern India’s mobility challenges are also reflective of the issues faced worldwide. ZF is at the forefront of driving cutting edge mobility technologies and solutions that most effectively address these issues, with the potential to transform and scale up for global needs. The MInT collaborative is a testament to this vision and will give a greater impetus to the initiative. Through continued collaboration between industry leaders like the ZF Group, forward thinking government agencies, and globally recognized academic institutions like IIT Madras, the industry will be better positioned to accelerate the development of cutting-edge mobility technologies.” 

Manu Santhanam, Dean Industrial Consulting & Sponsored Research, IIT Madras stated: “IIT Madras is committed to bringing about technological innovations through translational research. We have multiple centres working in the area of mobility and digital technologies. The MInT collaborative and this partnership with ZF, a global leader in mobility products and solutions, will help accelerate mobility research to practice.

The BM3S initiative, with its focus on safety, sustainability, and equity, aims to catalyze advancements in electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and intelligent transportation systems. It seeks to integrate data streams, payment systems, vehicle technologies, and digital twin models seamlessly.

This collaboration aims to co-create a digital platform aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on sustainable transport, accident prevention, and energy efficiency.

A Ganesamoorthy, Head- Engineering, CVS R&D, Region India, is the lead for this collaborative from ZF and will facilitate co-creating system solutions that enable Mobility and Intelligent Transport with digital infrastructure as the innovation engine.

Dr Ramakrishna Srinivasan, CEO, MInT Collaborative, IIT Madras stated, “By bringing together industry, government, and academia, the MInT consortium will co-create BM3S, laying the foundation for a safer, more sustainable, and equitable mobility ecosystem. We are happy to anchor the MInT Collaborative with world-leading technological and human resources in numerous fields. This initiative is the beginning of the exciting technology journey to bring to life the ‘Mobility Dreams for a Billion’. Mobility - safe and efficient movement of people and goods - is the backbone of the modern economy. Digital infrastructure complements and optimizes the physical infrastructure and is an innovation engine to advance future mobility.”

Gitakrishnan Ramadurai, Faculty In-charge, MInT Collaborative, IIT Madras said: “The Bharat Multi-Modal Mobility Stack is a digital platform to foster the “Build for India, Solve for the World” Goals. It defines mobility as a digital public good and serves as a benchmark for standardizing, developing and deploying mobility tools and services for a billion and more. “