Autocar Professional Magazine - 1st May 2026

In this issue

This edition of Autocar Professional centres on a structural shift underway in India’s automotive industry, where technological transformation is increasingly intertwined with changes in the nature of work. The latest edition underscores that while electrification, automation and software-defined systems dominate boardroom agendas, the more consequential transition may lie in how human capital is being redefined across the value chain.
The edition explores how automation, currently at 25–30% inside Indian factories, is not eliminating labour but fundamentally redefining it. Workers are transitioning from manual operators to system managers, and companies like Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki are investing in reskilling to meet that shift. Yet outside factory gates, the supplier ecosystem — particularly smaller tiers — faces mounting pressure from rising wage expectations and limited capacity to invest in either training or technology.
This issue of Autocar Professional also examines the new labour codes, noting that while OEMs and suppliers have broadly welcomed the modernisation of archaic laws, trade unions continue to flag contentious issues that remain unresolved.
Beyond the labour theme, the edition broadens its scope considerably. It features the first interview with Paolo Dellachà as the incoming global CEO of Pininfarina, charts automakers' approaches to cleaner mobility through a detailed infographic, and brings perspectives from Renault Group's global and India leadership on its strategic reset. A report on the PTC InnerCircle Dialogue rounds out the coverage by examining digital disruption across the automotive value chain.
The overarching message of this edition is clear: India's automotive future will ultimately be shaped not just by the technologies the industry adopts, but by how inclusively it brings its people along.