CHENNAI: The Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani), through its Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP), has inaugurated India’s first Automotive Competency Centre (ACC) in Chennai, marking a significant step towards strengthening industry–academia collaboration in mobility innovation.
Conceived as an integrated ecosystem, the Centre is designed to combine experiential learning, organisational problem-solving, applied research, faculty development and industry engagement under one roof. The initiative aims to enable working professionals, students and faculty members to work on real-world engineering challenges, thereby advancing India’s capabilities in next-generation mobility and smart manufacturing.
The ACC is the first in a planned series of Competency Centres that BITS Pilani intends to establish in 2026. These centres will focus on emerging technology domains aligned with national priorities and evolving industry requirements, creating a network of excellence that bridges academic learning with industry practice across sectors.
Cutting-edge infrastructure
The Automotive Competency Centre in Chennai offers hands-on exposure to advanced automotive technologies through structured immersions, industry-linked projects and capability development programmes. The facility is equipped with laboratories and simulation environments that support software-defined vehicle development, e-mobility systems, embedded systems in automobiles, diagnostics, functional safety and automotive security.
By fostering applied research, rapid prototyping and collaborative problem-solving, the Centre seeks to serve as a hub for innovation and talent development. As it evolves, it also aims to support the problem-solving needs of MSMEs and contribute to the capability development of aspiring engineers.
Chennai was selected as the first location owing to its well-established automotive ecosystem and the presence of leading mobility companies, making it conducive to industry–academia engagement and knowledge exchange.
Leadership speaks
Speaking to Edexlive V Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said the Centre marks a transformative step in the institution’s mission to align academic excellence with industry needs.
“Through this Centre, our working professionals, students and faculty will engage with real-world challenges in next-generation mobility, advancing India’s capabilities in smart automotive systems and manufacturing. By fostering experiential learning, industry collaboration and applied research, ACC Chennai will nurture globally competitive talent and support innovation that addresses the pressing needs of industry and MSMEs,” he said.
Prof. G. Sundar, Director, WILP Division, noted that Chennai is the first city in a series of Competency Centres planned this year. “ACC Chennai has been designed to nurture both intellectual curiosity and practical capability. It will enable learners to engage with real-world automotive and mobility problems, develop implementable solutions and contribute to India’s journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in advanced manufacturing,” he said.
Industry participation
The Centre was inaugurated in the presence of BITS Pilani leadership and faculty, along with industry representatives including Mr. Ganesh Mani S, CEO of Switch Mobility; Mr. Shankar Venugopal, Vice President – Technology Innovation at Mahindra & Mahindra; Mr. Marcel Fernandes, Head – Capability Building & Skill Development at Tata Motors; Mr. Saurabh Chaudhary, CEO of Ohm Mobility; and Mr. Mahesh Rajendran, Head of Testing & Validation at Valeo India.
Their presence underscored the Centre’s strategic intent — to advance innovation, strengthen industry–academia collaboration and build future-ready competencies in the automotive and mobility sector.
