Daimler's India centre to set up Advanced Research Lab in BITS Pilani's Goa campus

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) and Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTICI) have entered into a strategic partnership to establish the Software, Product, AI Research and Knowledge (SPARK) lab at the BITS Pilani, Krishna Kumar Birla (K K Birla) Goa campus. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on August 10, 2026, at the BITS Pilani Goa campus. The initiative will boost the collaboration between academia and industry and support research focused on the evolving needs of the commercial vehicle sector. The collaboration will extend beyond research, aiming to foster an environment that connects innovation, talent development and industry needs.

Speaking on the collaboration, Radhakrishnan Kodakkal, managing director and chief executive officer, DTICI, said, “The future of trucks will be defined as much by software and AI as by engineering excellence. Through this partnership, we are creating a platform where academia and industry can come together to accelerate innovation and shape the next generation of intelligent, connected, and sustainable commercial vehicles.”

V Ramgopal Rao, group vice chancellor, BITS Pilani added that the partnership would help translate academic research into real-world applications. He added that the SPARK Lab would promote innovation, interdisciplinary research and technology development for future mobility.

SPARK Lab: Strengthen AI, software, mobility research

The SPARK lab is expected to serve as a platform where students, faculty members and industry professionals can work together on emerging technological challenges. It will focus on areas linked to software, artificial intelligence, product development and knowledge creation, with applications in commercial vehicle engineering and mobility.

Suman Kundu, director at BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa campus, commented that the collaboration would provide BITS Pilani students and faculty with opportunities to work alongside industry experts on campus. He described the initiative as a significant milestone for the institute and highlighted the role of such partnerships in taking innovative ideas towards practical applications.

The partnership is also expected to support talent development by giving students greater exposure to industry-led research and technology development. Faculty members can simultaneously benefit from opportunities to engage with industry experts and explore collaborative research areas.