EKA Mobility expands production capacity in India for electric vehicle manufacturing

Uber introduced a series of innovations aimed at drivers at the third Uber Pragati event. These initiatives are designed to make the process of earning on the platform simpler, safer, and more profitable. New developments include more flexible ways to earn income, additional earning opportunities, and enhanced safety measures.

During the presentation, the company specifically highlighted the emergency medical assistance feature during critical situations, as well as the use of encrypted video recordings within the app, which helped establish facts in disputed incidents.

Aditya Kapoor, Uber's Director of Supply Operations in India and South Asia, stated that the company's goal is to remain the preferred platform for flexible earning in India. He emphasized that this means providing drivers with the freedom to work on their own terms, confidence in leading industry safety measures, and more ways to earn, striving to set the standard for driver expectations from the platform.

Uber has implemented several improvements based on driver feedback, ensuring greater convenience and flexibility. Among these is 'Flexible Drive Pass,' an innovative solution offering subscription options from six hours to 180 days, suitable for both part-time and full-time employment.

Furthermore, through the Quickstart feature, the first in the ride-sharing sector, drivers can join Uber via WhatsApp, simplifying the registration process. The 'Earn First, Pay Later' feature allows eligible drivers to continue making trips for cash even if their balance is depleted, by using an additional credit limit, thereby reducing downtime during the workday.

Drivers have also gained the ability to communicate with passengers via voice messages in the Uber app chat. The simplified driver app consolidates earnings information, trip details, and important updates for easier access.

In terms of safety, Uber has strengthened its features, focusing on the real impact on the safety of drivers and passengers. The 'Ambulance Assistance' service, a pioneering service in ride-sharing, is available through Uber's 24/7 safety line in partnership with Dial 4242. This service was used 25 times over four months, providing timely medical assistance to passengers and drivers after accidents.

Another innovation is 'Record My Ride,' which uses encrypted video recordings to document events during a trip. This feature has already helped the police establish facts in a disputed case between a passenger and a driver.

Uber also introduced 'Safety Content Flag'—a real-time chat protection feature that recognizes potentially inappropriate language and prompts passengers to reconsider messages before sending. Drivers receiving offensive messages can cancel the relevant rides without penalty to their cancellation statistics. Additionally, the Driver Safety Center in the app consolidates tools and support, allowing drivers to automatically activate selected protective measures, including audio recording and route sharing.

The company is also expanding earning opportunities for drivers beyond traditional rides. 'Bike Intercity' allows motorcycle drivers to undertake shorter trips between neighboring cities and towns, such as on the Delhi-Meerut route. Uber Direct enables them to handle delivery orders for businesses, while Uber Parcel allows for personal package delivery within cities.

Uber Pet provides participating car drivers with an extra way to earn by allowing them to transport passengers traveling with pets. The company's referral and rewards program also encourages drivers to bring new users onto the platform.

A senior executive announced on Tuesday that Amazon's electric vehicle (EV) fleet in India is projected to exceed 20,000 units within the next year, up from the current more than 15,000. As part of this expansion, the company is working to develop electric freight transport and charging infrastructure.

The e-commerce giant is collaborating with vehicle manufacturers and financial partners to make electric vehicles economically viable for its delivery service. Furthermore, the company is improving the utilization efficiency of its existing vehicles by enhancing route planning.

Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations for APAC, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey at Amazon, stated in an interview with Business Standard that the current fleet comprises 15,000 electric vehicles and expects it to be significantly above 20,000 by next year. He emphasized that this is a projection, not an official target. Previously, Amazon had achieved its initial goal of 10,000 electric vehicles by 2024, ahead of the 2025 deadline.

Singh made these statements against the backdrop of Amazon's announcement on Tuesday regarding its intention to deploy 3,000 electric trucks in partnership with Tata Motors over three years. In this arrangement, the vehicles will be owned and operated by Amazon's partners (third-party companies), while Amazon will provide the freight demand and interact with manufacturers and financial companies to support this deployment.

According to Singh, although the initial cost of electric vehicles is 20–25 percent higher than traditional diesel vehicles, their daily operating costs are 10–15 percent lower. He noted that the economic efficiency improves when trucks carry cargo over longer distances instead of making empty runs or idling.

Amazon aims to optimize transport usage by consolidating multiple deliveries and routes. The company has already installed 10 charging stations across India, including locations near major logistics hubs in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and Jaipur. According to Singh, each such station can simultaneously charge 35 trucks.

Charging time ranges from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the battery size and the vehicle itself. Amazon plans to scale up infrastructure according to freight demand rather than following a fixed target for the number of charging stations. Singh explained that the approach to increasing charging capacity depends on where 'mathematical correctness can be achieved,' assessing whether there is enough freight and return cargo demand on routes to make electric trucks viable.

The company is also developing electric trucks specifically designed for e-commerce goods in collaboration with Tata Motors. Singh noted that e-commerce shipments often have large volumes but relatively small weights, making the available space inside the container important. The companies are working on vehicle configurations, battery sizes, and ranges suitable for various transport tasks.

Additionally, Amazon and Tata Motors are creating a larger 32-foot truck variant that includes a dedicated sleeping area for a second driver, separated from the cabin. Singh reported that they are 'inventing a completely different cabin together' to ensure driver safety and provide necessary rest. Amazon is also collaborating with Tata Motors on dual-axle configurations for operations requiring the transport of heavier loads.

Singh specified that Amazon invested approximately 2,800 crore rupees this year in network and operations expansion, in addition to over 2,000 crore rupees in the previous year. Total investments over two years amount to nearly 5,000 crore rupees, and he clarified that this figure includes operational activities of the fleet, not just costs for electric vehicles or charging infrastructure.

Amazon also utilizes railways and biofuels to reduce transportation emissions. According to Singh, rail transport generates about one-third of the carbon emissions per ton compared to road transport. The company began working with Indian Railways in 2019 and now uses over 160 trains or routes, although it declined to disclose the volume of goods transported by rail.

Mobile network coverage in Uzbekistan has reached 99.5% of settlements, and mobile internet covers 95.5% of international highways. These figures were presented by the Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, in response to a parliamentary inquiry regarding the achievement of targets under the 'Digital Uzbekistan 2030' strategy.

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis took note of the minister's response. According to Shermatov, since the beginning of 2026, over 11,000 mobile base stations have been installed across the country, bringing the total stock to 110,500.

Furthermore, the capacity of trunk networks has increased in recent years. Compared to 2020, the regional level increased its capacity from 400 to 600 Gbit/s, and at the district level, it grew from 40 to 60 Gbit/s.

Work is underway to connect social facilities to high-speed internet. Currently, high-speed networks provide access to 10,657 educational institutions in the state education system, 6,988 preschool educational organizations, 5,786 medical institutions, 8,935 local self-government bodies, known as mahalla assemblies, and 5,250 internal affairs support points.

The fiber optic infrastructure has also significantly expanded. The total length of fiber-optic communication lines has increased from 119,500 km in 2020 to the current 397,000 km. These networks cover 98.1% of the country's settlements, and it is expected that this figure will reach 98.2% by the end of 2026.

The Minister noted that Uzbekistan has improved its ranking in the global mobile internet speed rating, rising from 133rd to 72nd place. In the fixed broadband access speed rating, the country advanced from 112th to 73rd place, taking first place among Central Asian countries.

Another goal of the strategy relates to the capacity of connections with international internet networks. In 2020, this capacity was 1,200 Gbit/s. Thanks to the implementation of investment projects and diversification of external internet channels, it has reached 4,400 Gbit/s. It is expected that this figure will grow to 4,500 Gbit/s by the end of 2026, and 5,000 Gbit/s is planned by 2030.

During the discussion, legislators put forward proposals aimed at ensuring an objective assessment of the work being carried out, resolving existing problems, and timely achievement of the goals of the 'Digital Uzbekistan 2030' strategy. After the session, the Legislative Chamber took note of the minister's response to the parliamentary inquiry.