India’s automotive industry has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, with growing investments, evolving regulations, and an increasing push towards electric mobility. While EV adoption remains slower than expected, the automotive industry is advancing new technologies to meet growing consumer demands for safety, comfort, and convenience. Gestamp Automotive India (GAI) is one of the key players driving advancements in vehicle safety.
Speaking to Mobility Outlook, Glyn Jones, Country Manager and President – India, GAI, said the company, present since 2006, has introduced hot stampings. Over the years, market uncertainties, government policy shifts, and fluctuating OEM confidence created an unpredictable environment. However, post-pandemic trends indicate a new era of growth.
“The personal mobility space has changed significantly after COVID. Consumers now demand more personalized solutions, whether it’s two-wheelers, four-wheelers, or MPVs. The Make in India initiative, rising exports, and regulatory standardization—including safety norms such as GNCAP, besides making six airbags mandatory—have strengthened market confidence,” he noted.
With projections indicating a 6.5% year-on-year growth, India has already become the third-largest automotive market globally. By 2030, the country is expected to have a vehicle production capacity of 7 million, with Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) playing a major role in both domestic sales and exports, Jones observed.
Bridging Innovation, Regulation, Consumer Expectations
The transition to EVs presents unique challenges for suppliers, who must balance evolving regulations, changing consumer demands, and the rise of new competitors. Managing this complexity while ensuring seamless product development is a huge challenge. However, Jones stated that “It comes down to early collaboration. Our innovation team plays a crucial role in working with both OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers. By engaging at an early stage, we help our partners anticipate industry shifts and develop cost-effective, scalable solutions.”
A notable example is the recent BEV launch, which required an exceptionally compressed development cycle of just three years. The industry initially questioned whether such an aggressive timeline was feasible, but strong collaboration across the supply chain ensured that milestones were met, setting a precedent for future projects.
Driving Innovation Through Early Collaboration
“One of our biggest strengths in India lies in our commitment to innovation and early engagement with clients. Many OEMs and suppliers are still navigating the complexities of new technologies, and our role goes beyond just providing solutions—we act as partners in their journey,” he said.
For some clients, understanding and implementing advanced technologies can be a challenge. That’s where “our expertise comes in. We guide, educate, and collaborate to help them fully grasp the benefits of emerging technologies, ensuring they can leverage the best solutions for their products. By involving ourselves early in the development process, we not only provide technical expertise but also help streamline integration, efficiency, and long-term cost-effectiveness. This proactive approach is what sets us apart, making us a trusted partner in India’s evolving automotive and industrial landscape,” he added.
Many OEMs lack deep expertise in certain new technologies, requiring suppliers to step in as both educators and partners. “Some clients have extensive experience, while others are entering uncharted territory. Our role extends beyond supplying materials—we guide them on the benefits of technology, optimization strategies, and solutions that enhance safety and efficiency,” he said.
“We're here to provide integrated solutions, delivering the latest technology while simultaneously optimising design for efficiency and performance,” Jones added.
Streamlining BIW Design For Efficiency
One major advantage has been reducing vehicle complexity. By implementing hot stamping and lightweighting strategies, the company has helped OEMs minimize the number of parts, assembly time, and costs, ultimately delivering more robust and efficient vehicle structures.
Opportunities In EV Design, Lightweighting
As OEMs shift from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) platforms to dedicated EV architectures, the focus on lightweighting, structural integrity, and crash performance has intensified. Unlike retrofitting existing ICE models, ground-up EV designs offer opportunities for optimization.
“The key advantage is adaptability. Our Body-in-White (BIW) technology, including safety cockpit systems, is easily transferable across ICE, hybrid, and BEV platforms. The real challenge is adjusting structural elements to meet crash-test regulations, which differ between ICE and EV models,” he explained.
European and American automakers have strict slow-speed impact regulations, particularly for bumper systems. However, in India, such regulations remain absent, influencing local design priorities. Indian manufacturers, though, are increasingly focusing on weight reduction and cost efficiency, aligning with global trends.
Discussing the innovative transformation in India's automotive sector, Sachin Bhoutkar, Director R&D, Gestamp BIW India, highlighted that one of the most significant advancements is the move towards single-piece solutions. “OEMs are looking to replace multiple steel structures with single-piece, hot-stamped components, reducing weight while maintaining strength. In 2017, an average vehicle in India used just 7% of BIW with hot stamping. Today that number has jumped to over 22% in EV, a threefold increase, indicating the industry's commitment to structural safety, he pointed out.
Additionally, hydroformed high-strength steel tubes are redefining vehicle crash performance. By increasing material strength from 400 MPa to 800 MPa, manufacturers can reduce thickness without compromising safety. For a passenger car application, the company optimized material thickness, reducing it from 4.5mm to 3.5mm, which resulted in a 2.5 kg weight reduction while maintaining the same performance and structural integrity, Bhoutkar said.
NVH - A New Focus For EVs
With ICE vehicles, engine noise masked many NVH issues. However, BEVs, which operate silently, make even the smallest vibrations more noticeable. Reducing NVH has become a critical design factor.
To address this, advanced stamping technologies have significantly reduced the number of connection points in vehicle structures, minimizing vibration sources.
“We’ve moved towards Giga Stamping, eliminating multiple small components and replacing them with large, single-piece panels. For example, where a double-door ring once had 10 joints, today it has just one. This naturally reduces creaks, vibrations, and structural noises,” Jones clarified.
Additionally, collaboration with chassis and trim suppliers ensures a holistic approach to NVH reduction. Strategies include optimized body mount bushes, mass dampers to counter resonance issues and flush-fitting body panels for better aerodynamics and wind noise reduction.
Smart Engineering
The Indian automotive industry is at a tipping point, transitioning from a cost-sensitive market to one that embraces technology-driven efficiency. To keep pace, suppliers must shift from being product providers to strategic partners, working closely with OEMs from concept to production.
“The sooner we engage in the design process, the more effective our solutions can be. What may not be cost-effective for an A-segment car might be ideal for B- or C-segment vehicles, and by collaborating early, we can tailor the right innovations to the right markets,” he highlighted.
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