Mahindra Auto has been a leader in autonomous driving technology since it launched XUV700. Now, we get ADAS in Thar Roxx, XEV 9e, BE 6 and even in XUV3XO. We have come across spy shots of an XUV3XO test mule with a lot of new elements that are not part of the equipment list that Mahindra offers with this sub 4m SUV. Let’s take a closer look.
Mahindra Next Gen ADAS
One look at this test mule is enough to say that it is not the upcoming XUV3XO EV as there is a big fat exhaust at the back. This test mule is completely missing its front and rear bumpers for some reason. We can see a custom roof rack at the top that houses what looks like a camera used by Tech Mahindra for Apple Inc.’s Mapping system.
Looking at the condition of this particular test mule, one might think that Tech Mahindra ran out of vehicles and is using old ICE XUV3XO test mules for Apple Maps. Jokes aside, there is more to this test mule than what meets the eye. Looking at it closely, we can see that this XUV3XO test mule has five radar modules and the element on top is actually a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit.
There’s a camera stuck to rear windshield with a suction mount too. Also, this particular test mule was spotted around Bidadi, near Bengaluru, Karnataka. That is where Bosch operates from. There are multiple rumours since 2023 about Bosch and Mahindra aiming to democratize ADAS tech by developing India-specific systems and algorithms.
What to expect?
While we can’t say for sure, one could speculate that Mahindra is working on a next-generation autonomous driving technology that will work much better than their current system. We can see 5 radars on this XUV3XO test mule – one in the middle of the front fascia along with one module below each headlight and taillight.
This will cover the front and rear extensively and could unlock more advanced ADAS features and make them work more reliably. When launched, Mahindra is likely to package the LiDAR module within the front camera unit beside the IRVM and the rear camera that is stuck on the windshield, is likely to be concealed somewhere.
With this Next Gen ADAS, we can expect more reliability and algorithms tailor-made for Indian road conditions. Mahindra is known to push boundaries where vehicular safety is concerned and this recent development is no different.
