Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd. and Magna International Inc. recently entered into a 50/50 joint venture agreement to provide seating systems to the Indian commercial vehicle (CV) and bus industries. According to a Magna spokesperson, these seats will be newly designed, developed, and manufactured in India for the India market—not current “off-the-shelf” products. "Depending on the wants and needs of the JV’s future customers, it’s possible for new innovations or industry firsts to be included,” the spokesperson shared. The timeline for the JV, which will be headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, is still to be determined, he said, and will be based on customer needs.

“Seating systems in commercial vehicles have not yet evolved in India,” Arvind Goel, President and Chief of Operations and New Technology, Tata AutoComp, said in a statement announcing the JV. “With the rapid increase in infrastructure, we envisage more and more vehicles plying long distances. In such a scenario, the safety and comfort of both driver and passengers is paramount. Through this JV, we intend to address this increasing need of the industry.” The JV in India is an important part of Magna Seating’s global growth strategy, according to Deepak Nagaraja, Vice President of Magna Seating. “We believe this market offers a great deal of opportunity, and we look forward to working together with Tata AutoComp to capitalize on the potential,” he said in the statement.