When Bengaluru Traffic is the Ultimate Tech Test
Elektrobit’s India head explains why solving gridlock requires not just smarter cars, but an entire connected ecosystem.
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In Bengaluru, innovation often makes headlines, but one question consistently overshadows the excitement: can it ease the city’s crippling traffic? For entrepreneurs and industry leaders alike, this challenge is more than an urban inconvenience—it is a litmus test of whether technology can address systemic problems that affect millions daily.
This time, the spotlight is on Elektrobit, a 100% subsidiary of Aumovio, a company that builds the software foundations for the next generation of cars. In conversation with MIT SMR India, Sai Sridhar, Managing Director of Elektrobit India, tackled the Bengaluru traffic question head-on.
“There is no quick fix to that. Honestly, because I think that is a place where we need a larger ecosystem to come into play. We are continuously doing our part, together with our other company. Connectivity is close to our hearts and most of the work we do is in that space. Robust and quick connectivity to pass on information that is crucial to help solve a problem is something that we can seamlessly do. But visualizing that information and acting on it is something we need the larger ecosystem for.”
Era of Intelligent Maps
Sridhar recalled how India began speaking about intelligent transportation systems almost a decade ago.
“About a decade ago, intelligent transportation systems were mostly about a vehicle being detected based on where it was on the map and the toll being charged based on its movement across the map. But even today, we need a FASTag. As much as we have wanted to solve these larger problems and have the tech to do it, we still need a larger ecosystem like more public-private partnerships in solving these problems.”
That’s where Elektrobit’s work comes in—pioneering predictive systems that blend mapping with real-time data.
To illustrate, Sridhar explained their innovation, the EB robinos Predictor.
“Imagine you are building autonomous features for a vehicle. You have multiple sensors that provide data to the ECU (electronic control unit), which calculates and pushes the actuator based on the need. Similarly, we have another sensor, which is basically your map, because the map has a horizon to look beyond any of these three.”
By fusing map data with real-time inputs, Elektrobit envisions cars that can warn drivers about craters, construction, or even waterlogging ahead of time.
“All it takes is a solution like the robinos Predictor. Fuse it on the map and you have advanced information that tells you if there is construction work happening up ahead, or there is a big crater or obstruction on the way and intuiting the user to act accordingly.”
In India, with patchy EV infrastructure, such systems could even optimize energy usage by calculating elevation, distance to the next charging station, and battery management on the go.
Beyond the Obvious is AI
Elektrobit isn’t just solving traffic woes, it’s also reimagining in-car experiences.
“One of our demonstrators at the Consumer Electronics Show was an AI-powered digital cockpit solution. So, all you had to do was walk closer to the cockpit and say, you know what, I’m heading to this Halloween party—and the theme changes completely,” he said.
Sridhar noted that such personalized, agentic AI-powered experiences are the future of in-car software, transforming vehicles into interactive, adaptable spaces.
India Advantage, and Challenge
Elaborating on the difference between innovating in India versus other markets, Sridhar said, “The positives are very clear: this is one of the largest automotive markets. And one of the privileges of having to work in this market with such consumers is that you are forced to commoditize your high tech and make it affordable.”
However, challenges remain.
He explained that one of the biggest challenges lies in meeting crucial milestones, as projects planned for three years often end up extending to five or six.
What’s Next
For Bengaluru commuters stuck in endless jams, Elektrobit may have no silver bullet. But with AI, predictive mapping, and connected systems, companies such as these are slowly laying the foundations of smarter, safer, and possibly faster roads.
Zooming out, the India connected car market tells an equally exciting story. Valued at USD 20.88 billion in 2024, it’s projected to more than double to USD 50.29 billion by 2030, racing ahead at a CAGR of 19.22% (2025–2030).
Powering this surge is a potent mix of automotive tech breakthroughs, consumer appetite for smart mobility, and faster internet connectivity.
Connected cars are no longer futuristic concepts, they’re rolling IoT hubs. From real-time navigation and V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication to remote diagnostics and ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), these features are transforming the humble drive into a data-rich, tech-augmented experience.
