Innovation
Overview
An increasingly complex and demanding business environment means innovation is today a vital function at Mahindra, and as a Group, we work hard to create a culture where everyone is encouraged to think like a ‘micro innovator’ with a driving belief that ‘innovation begins with ‘I’’.
Our spirit of innovation manifests itself in the 18 industries in which we operate, including our mature businesses of Automobile and IT. Research and development, two cornerstones of innovation, come to life at the Mahindra Research Valley, our key research wing housed on 125 acres at the Mahindra World City in Chennai, and home to over 1,500 engineers and designers. We also operate an in-house Innovation Centre of Excellence, with a three-fold objective to seed a culture of innovation, cross-share best practices and processes, and create and deploy the tools of disruptive innovation.
Currently, over 4,000 highly skilled engineers and technologists redefine what’s possible every day at Mahindra. Our thrust on innovation, technology and R&D is core to who we are, because we believe that it will define not only the Group’s future, but what the world will look like tomorrow.
Our Philosophy
Aligned to our core purpose of empowering people everywhere to Rise, making superior, advanced technolgy as accessible as as possible is at the heart of all our innovative endeavours at Mahindra.
Our 5 S Framework to Innovation
Our 5 S framework details our approach in how we bring our innovation philosophy to life within the Group. The first two S’s refer to the context in which innovation takes place, and the latter three S’s to the its construct.
- Space — for innovative ideas to flow, we need both mental and physical space to ponder over solutions to critical problems. We understand and encourage this non-linear approach, one where you disconnect from the world to focus on the problem at hand, be it listening to music or walking alone on a beach.
- Self-indulgent creativity — this involves solving problems that you are passionate about and indulge in, but which may not be directly linked to your day-to-day work.
- Simplicity — is always a virtue when trying to solve any problem, and we view finding simple solutions to complex problems as a true hallmak of an innovative genius.
- Sans (‘without’ in French)—is something that we at Mahindra thrive at. We pride ourselves in overcoming complex challenges ‘without’ enough capital, technology, or skilled human resources. Our ability to deliver more with less is fundamental to who we are.
- Sustained experimenting — they say genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Unless we experiment with ideas, pilot them, and learn from our experiences, we will never make bold decisions. The learning loops formed by sustained experimentation are critical to innovation.
We believe that innovation has to be at the core of our business. Our aspiration to become one of the 50 most admired brands in the world demands such an outlook, and requires the collaboration of everyone across the organization. We believe everyone needs to think like an innovator, act like an innovator, and be an innovator in all that (s)he does. Because when we’re on the lookout for how we can do our jobs better, it leads to a Mahindra that is innovative across the board, which in turn positively impacts our business performance. It is no surprise that the most innovative companies are often also the most admired ones.
Our R&D
At Mahindra, building a global brand is our defining aspiration. And we recognise that we cannot achieve this goal without rapidly moving up the technology curve, developing innovative products and services that will attract and retain customers the world over.
From our humble beginning as an automotive and tractor manufacturer, we made rapid strides in product development through the late 1990s and the early 2000s. In our ambition to be a technology and innovation-led brand, we began serious investments in technology and innovation capabilities in the mid-2000s.
Today, several group companies — across our Automotive, Electric vehicles, Two-wheelers, Tractors and Information Technology businesses — work to develop next-gen technologies and innovations in centres across India, USA, South Korea and Europe, with a focus on vehicle safety, eco-friendliness, superior vehicle performance, and on network solutions, cloud computing and mobility in IT.
Our Facilities
Our facilities are not just about men in lab coats and state-of-the-art facilities. They’re global hubs of discovery, and part of our neural network of innovation that powers us forward.
- Mahindra Research Valley (MRV)
o Three thousand passionate employees and domain knowledge experts work to find the automotive industry’s next major breakthrough.
- Mahindra North American Technical Centre (MNATC)
o More than 75 engineers develop and prototype our engineering capabilities for global markets.
- European Technical Base
o From our base in in Besozzo, northern Italy, we push the boundaries of speed by creating motorcycle-racing technology that breaks new barriers year after year.
- Mahindra Reva
o Over a 100 engineers and technologists work to create tomorrow’s car by developing new battery technologies, Electric Drivetrains and connected cars.
- SsangYong
o By connecting automobiles to smartphones and working on intelligent safety driving technology, over 750 engineers are developing creative ways to interact with your car.
- Mahindra Two Wheelers
o More than 200 engineers and experts innovate everyday to collaborate design, prototype and validate new vehicle concepts.
Our Technological Focus
We’re hard at work on a host of innovations, and here’s a selection that showcase our curretn capabilities.
- The Cloud
o You’re up in the air but never alone with the Cloud Experience Centre (CEC), a co-innovation hub that powers new partnerships and deepens existing ones. Internal salespeople are busy on it leveraging cross-pollinating relationship opportunities.
- Connected Cars
o The game-changing e2o is a car you have conversations with. Its app allows you to lock your car from any location, turn on its AC before you step into it, and comes preloaded with maps and intelligent trackers that display its battery condition and performance. No matter where you are, the e2o is the clever little car that’s always connected to you.
- SsangYong Motor Company
o With our pursuit of emotional technology that delights as much as it advances, we put the “I” in innovation. Our three-pronged approach entails maintaining and enhancing our strengths, focusing on select innovations, and developing high value-added products driven by technology.
Our Output
- sZenseEYE by CanvasM — Inclusive, Impactful Innovation
o sZenseEYE is a revolutionary pair of goggles that empower the blind to interact with their surroundings by helping them navigate without any external aid. It uses a smartphone’s camera to identity obstacles, and then relays the information to the goggles that vibrate to warn its wearer. Key innovations that power it include cutting-edge computer vision algorithms, haptic sensors, and cloud computing. A perfect example of inclusive innovation, sZenseEYE is targeted for users in emerging markets, and was developed at a cost of under $40,000.
- Fuel Smart in the Maxximo Plus — Fuel Economy meets Maximum Performance
o Fuel Smart automotive technology in the Mahindra Maxximo Plus provides best-in-class vehicle performance and fuel economy
- Mahindra Centuro — Tough meets Tech
o The Centuro’s features stem from deep insights gleaned from the problems faced by Indian motorcyclists. Which is why it’s a two-wheeler with the features and convenience of a four-wheeler. Some of its key innovations include:
1. Mci-5 Engine — The MCi-5 (Micro Chip ignited-5 curve) engine smartly balances power and fuel economy, so you don’t have to worry about either.
2. Remote Flip Key With Key Light — The Centuro is the only Indian motorbike that comes with a Remote Flip Key. Its LED Key Light lets you locate your bike’s ignition in the dark.
3. Anti-Theft Alarm — Also a first in India, the Centuro has a built-in Anti Theft system, which sounds an alarm and locks down the engine if tampering of any kind is detected.
4. Find Me Lamps — These lamps allow you to locate your motorcycle in crowded or unlit parking areas.
5. Guide Lamps — These lamps enable you to find your way in the dark even after the ignition is switched off.
- mCRD by Mahindra USA — Green is Power
o The new mCRD (Mahindra Common Rail Diesel) technology is the result of a $30 million investment to redesign and reinvigorate our Tier IV engines. It reduces gas emissions by over 360 tonnes a year, requires lower maintenance than comparable engines, and allows you to push, pull, and lift more.
Our Programmes
World Class From India
What will it take to make the phrase, ‘World Class from India’ a reality? Can ‘Made in India’ mean ‘Best in the World’? Can India be the next innovation superpower? And where do you fit into this story? These are the questions we seek to answer with World Class From India, a first-of-its-kind Google Hangout series that features some of India’s top thinkers and practitioners of the art of innovation, part of our mission to Spark the Rise of India and its latent innovative capabilities.
Rise Prize
As India’s biggest ever innovation challenge, the USD 1 Million Rise Prize aims to spur breakthrough innovations from India which capture the mainstream imagination. It is an enabler of disruptive change, and a catalyst to bring about world beating ideas from India. The Prize’s ultimate goal is to change the way we live, work and play.
Baja SAEINDIA
Baja SAEINDIA (Society of Automotive Engineers, India) is an event organized for undergraduate engineering students under the guidance of the Society of Automotive Engineers, USA. It is an intercollegiate design competition in which teams from universities the world over design, build, and race all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) against each other, providing students with real-world engineering application opportunities and the excitement that comes with off-road racing. SAEINDIA was formed in 1994–95 with Pawan Goenka of Mahindra as its principal advisor. In 2015, Baja SAEINDIA will features a special focus on eBaja (all electric e-buggies), a reflection of Mahindra’s commitment to electric mobility.
Our Partners
At Mahindra, innovation isn’t just limited to us. It’s an all-inclusive culture that involves and embraces people and organizations around the world.
- SyangYong partners with educational institutes and corporations the world over. Recently, an MOU was signed with POSCO to develop lightweight trucks, and another with the Korean Automotive Technology Institute to develop intelligent solutions.
- Mahindra Reva works with the Central Electrochemical Research Institute in India, focusing on developing lithium ion batteries.
- Mahindra Research Valley partners with India’s leading engineering colleges and management institutes to foster a culture of innovation and engage young, vibrant minds.
Mahindra Innovation Awards
One of the various initiatives focused of building a culture of innovation within the Group is the Mahindra Innovation Awards (MIA). Instituted in 2003, MIA has, over the past decade, been a successful channel for a pathbreaking and disruptive body of work. From 46 entries in the Automobile and Design Sector in 2003 to 900+ entries in 2014 from all Sectors in the Group and worldwide business locations, MIA is an institution in itself. We award in four major categories — process, product, business model and failed innovation. The unconventional but highly successful Failed Innovation category was introduced a few years ago to promote the powerful idea that it is better to try and innovate that to not try at all.
In 2012, we also introduced the Mahindra Innovation Mela (festival) for our employees to showcase key innovations. The purpose of the Mela was to create a platform to spotlight innovative work done by teams, to inspire fellow employees to innovate, and most importantly, to offer a forum for conversations between businesses to discover synergies and develop game-changing concepts that add business value to the entire Group.
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Our Thinking (downloads)
Work for Us
Innovation Stories (link)
Innovation Blog (link)
