Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Wednesday said that it has launched an initiative in India to work closely with startups to develop the next generation of products and services that will help define the British auto company's future client experiences. The Tata Motors-owned luxury car marque has launched the Open Innovation Hub in Bengaluru, which comes as an expansion of the company's existing initiatives in the UK, US, Israel, and Brazil.

The new hub is the fifth to open since JLR's Open Innovation Programme launched in April 2022. The programme has engaged with over 2,500 startups globally, resulting in 33 formal collaborations so far.

JLR has said in an official statement that the India hub of the automaker will focus on technologies like artificial intelligence, big data and analytics, internet of things, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) and sensors and devices. JLR's Innovation Director Igor Murakami said India's rapidly growing startup sector and the automaker's already established presence and close links to the Tata Group make the country an ideal location for the newest innovation hub. He further added that through global collaborations, the initiative is connecting the automaker to the next generation of talent and technologies.

The car manufacturer further said that this innovation hub will also bring together industry, government, academia, and other parties. The company claimed that through this hub the collaborators will discuss and develop industry-leading solutions for JLR, such as optimising batteries for electric powertrains, identifying optimal locations for charging infrastructure and delivering a more advanced ADAS suite to the customers.

Meanwhile, JLR India's sales jumped 36 per cent in the first half of FY25 as the automaker’s local assembly strategy paid off. JLR sold 3,214 cars in the last six months, recording the best-ever half-yearly sales. The improvement in sales was driven by the localisation of the Range Rover SUV, alongside the strong demand for the Land Rover Defender.

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