Varroc, Uno Minda, Tenneco and Lumax were among the key winners at the ETAuto Tech Awards 2026, earning recognition for technological innovations that address critical challenges in vehicle safety, efficiency, ride quality and digital product development. The awards celebrate excellence across the automotive value chain and honour organisations driving advancements in engineering, software, electronics, manufacturing and future mobility.
Varroc Recognised for Adaptive Driving Beam Technology
Varroc received the award in the In-Cabin Infotainment and Connected Technology category for its Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) Projector, an intelligent lighting solution designed to enhance road safety and driver visibility.
The system leverages Pixel LED technology and advanced imaging optics to selectively mask portions of the high beam, preventing glare for oncoming and preceding vehicles while maintaining optimal illumination of the road ahead. Unlike conventional headlamp systems, the compact solution enables highly precise beam control without the need for mechanical shutters, representing a significant step towards ADAS-ready smart lighting technologies.
Lumax Wins for Digital Lighting Engineering Platform
Lumax secured the Lightweighting and Material Innovation Award for its iLEDX Platform (Intelligent Lighting Engineering & Digital Execution Platform), a comprehensive digital ecosystem aimed at transforming automotive lighting development.
The platform integrates LED engineering, digital twin-based simulation, validation tools and real-time collaboration capabilities within a unified environment. By creating a continuous digital thread linking design, simulation, tooling and manufacturing processes, iLEDX accelerates product development, reduces physical prototyping requirements and supports first-time-right engineering outcomes.
Moving beyond traditional product-centric development methods, the platform enables simultaneous engineering and seamless collaboration among design teams, suppliers and manufacturing operations.
In addition, C S Singh of Lumax was honoured with the CTO of the Year Award for his contributions to technology innovation and engineering leadership.
Tenneco Recognised for Advanced Suspension Innovation
Tenneco won the Innovative Ride Technology Award for its DaVinci Valving DCx technology, an advanced passive damping solution engineered to improve both ride comfort and vehicle handling.
Traditional suspension systems often require manufacturers to balance comfort and stability through compromise. DaVinci DCx addresses this challenge with an innovative fluid-control architecture that independently optimises damping performance across varying driving conditions.
The system delivers lower damping forces during routine driving to enhance ride comfort and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics, while rapidly increasing damping during sudden load changes to improve stability and vehicle control. Notably, the technology achieves these benefits without relying on sensors, software or electronic controls, offering performance levels comparable to more sophisticated semi-active suspension systems.
Uno Minda Honoured for Lightweight Bus Seating Technology
Uno Minda received the Seating and Occupant Comfort Systems Innovation Award for its lightweight bus passenger seat frame technology, developed to improve vehicle efficiency and reduce emissions.
The company redesigned conventional steel seat structures using optimised high-strength steel and advanced material engineering techniques while maintaining durability, fatigue resistance and safety standards.
The innovation reduced seat frame weight from 19.42 kg to 15.91 kg per unit, resulting in a weight reduction of nearly 18-22 percent. In a typical bus application, the technology can lower overall vehicle weight by approximately 70 kg, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions throughout the vehicle’s operational lifecycle.
Recognising Excellence Across the Automotive Ecosystem
The ETAuto Tech Awards are among India’s most prestigious recognitions for automotive innovation, celebrating technological excellence across automotive engineering, software-defined vehicles, electronics, powertrains, artificial intelligence, manufacturing and future mobility solutions.
The winners were selected through a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process conducted by an independent jury comprising respected industry leaders, including CV Raman, Vinnie Mehta, IV Rao, Latha Chembrakalam and Seshu Bhagavathula, along with other prominent experts from the automotive and technology sectors.
The awards continue to highlight breakthrough innovations that are shaping the future of mobility while promoting technological leadership within India’s automotive industry.
