While self-driving cars have been capturing imaginations, it’s the industrial vehicles—the unsung heroes of factory floors—that are next in line for an autonomous makeover. Maini Group, India’s pioneer in electric vehicles, is leading this shift by bringing autonomous technology to material-handling vehicles through a partnership with SiMa.ai, a frontrunner in AI-powered embedded systems. SiMa.ai’s ONE Platform for Edge AI will power Maini Group’s autonomous solutions under its subsidiary, Virya Autonomous Technologies, which specialises in autonomous vehicle platforms.
Maini Group, known for launching India’s first EV in the 1990s, has long been committed to electrifying in-plant machinery, particularly within the Class 3 segment of the material handling industry. This segment includes equipment like tow trucks, stackers, and reach trucks used within factory settings, where Maini Group holds a commanding 35% market share in organised, in-plant handling solutions.
“When we started in 1984, we were committed to being fully electric, focusing exclusively on in-plant material handling and not venturing into diesel forklifts,” said Sandeep Maini, Chairman of Maini Group. “Today, we produce close to 2,000 machines annually in this category, with additional contributions from unorganised players bringing the total market size to approximately 7,000 units.”
The partnership will initially focus on material handling applications and plan to roll out by April 2025. The deployment of the technology will streamline logistics and industrial applications, offering safer, cost-effective, and intelligent mobility solutions. Virya’s focus on developing these applications highlights Maini Group's broader commitment to creating scalable, efficient, and sustainable autonomous mobility solutions within India’s manufacturing ecosystem.
Harald Kroeger, Board Member and President - Automotive Business, SiMa.ai, said, “The rapid advancement of AI is transforming the landscape of autonomous mobility. SiMa.ai’s powerful MLSoC technology and flexible software, combined with Maini Group's deep expertise in sustainable and autonomous vehicle solutions, will pave the way for the next generation of intelligent mobility. Together, we are setting a new benchmark for AI mobility solutions that address real-world challenges and propel the industry forward.”
AI-driven solutions
Virya Autonomous Technologies is developing advanced autonomous systems to meet the evolving needs of industries, where AI-driven decision-making and real-time sensing provide operational advantages. By using SiMa.ai’s MLSoC technology, Virya’s systems promise to enhance both performance and power efficiency, allowing companies to achieve faster, safer, and more cost-effective logistics solutions. With Virya’s AI-enabled solutions, Maini Group is paving the way for a new generation of smart, adaptable, and efficient mobility solutions that can meet high-demand operational environments.
“Partnering with SiMa.ai is an exciting step for us as we look to shape the future of autonomous mobility. We chose SiMa.ai as our AI partner because we see a strong alignment between our expertise and their leadership in AI, making this collaboration a natural fit for driving innovation across our products,” Maini stated.
Setting new standards
Saba Gurusubramanian, CTO of Virya Autonomous Technologies, remarked, “AI is set to reshape the future of robotics, and at Virya, we are committed to leveraging its full potential to deliver solutions that create real value for our customers. This partnership empowers us to offer faster, smarter, safer, and scalable solutions that can evolve with our clients' needs across diverse industries.”
Autonomous material handling is just the start for Maini Group, as it looks to expand into autonomous passenger transport solutions. Maini remarked, “The sky’s the limit... We are already working with airports, ports, and institutions to create autonomous transportation for campus tours and more.”
The Maini Group and SiMa.ai collaboration is significant in India’s autonomous mobility journey, illustrating how AI can unlock new efficiencies and set a sustainable path forward for industries requiring adaptable, high-performance solutions.
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