Epson, a global leader in SCARA robot manufacturing, has unveiled its next-generation industrial robotics portfolio at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026. The newly introduced lineup features the high-end CX-A Series 6-axis robots, the LS-C Series SCARA robots, the RC+ 8.0 programming software and the advanced SafeSense safety technology, all designed to address diverse manufacturing applications such as pick-and-place, precision assembly, parts transfer and material handling.

The new offerings significantly expand Epson’s existing industrial robotics family, which already includes the 6-axis C-Series and SCARA T-Series and LS-Series models with payloads ranging from 3 to 20 kilogrammes. With the addition of the CX-A and LS-C Series, manufacturers across various sectors can achieve heightened productivity, flexibility and operational efficiency. The CX-A Series is engineered for complex tasks with a payload capacity of up to seven kilogrammes and a reach of 900 millimetres, available in IP67, cleanroom and ESD variants, while the LS-C Series provides a compact SCARA platform with a 50-kilogramme payload, a 1,000-millimetre reach and cycle times as fast as 0.298 seconds.

Complementing the hardware, the RC+ 8.0 software offers an integrated environment for programming, simulation and system management, facilitating faster automation deployment with support for Visual Studio and C++ development. Additional efficiency features include enhanced diagnostics, OPC UA, GUI builder and safety functions, alongside co-creation tools like Library Builder and RC+ Extension. Meanwhile, the SafeSense technology promotes safer human-robot collaboration by incorporating Safety Limited Speed and Safety Limited Position functions, which can potentially reduce the need for extensive safety fencing and thereby increase operational flexibility.

With over four decades of industrial robotics expertise and more than 200,000 robotic arms deployed globally, Epson continues to drive operational excellence for businesses. Attendees at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026 have the opportunity to view live demonstrations of these solutions and consult with Epson specialists about transforming their manufacturing operations.

Siva Kumar, Sr General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Epson India, said, "India is rapidly emerging as a global manufacturing hub, and automation will play a pivotal role in shaping its future. With our new industrial robot lineup and RC+ 8.0 platform, Epson is delivering the speed, precision and intelligence manufacturers need to compete in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. We remain committed to enabling businesses to accelerate automation adoption and build smarter, more agile and globally competitive manufacturing operations."

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SYMX.AI, a developer of artificial intelligence technology for mobile industrial equipment, has raised USD 6 million in Series A financing led by Ascent Capital Partners and agreed a global technology and commercial partnership with Yokohama Off-Highway Tires.

The Canadian company develops software and hardware for mining, construction and forestry operations. Its platform provides connectivity in areas without network coverage, integrates data from equipment made by different manufacturers and supports fleet optimisation.

Its products cover dispatch, fleet management, enterprise asset management and tyre life management, as well as equipment health, fuel consumption, haul road intelligence, inventory and operator performance. The company also holds patents covering its internet of things and AI technologies, including a patent for its “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data Collection and Cross-Validation System”, granted in 2026.

SYMX.AI has also launched an AI-powered inspection platform and a chatbot for industrial operations.

“Physical AI has been struggling in mining for simple reasons. The machines are mobile, mixed-fleet data is vendor-locked, and most of the industry has limited to no network coverage. Intelligence needs a body and a nervous system before we deploy a model. Even today, assembling that foundation takes seven or eight vendors and up to twelve months. We deliver it in a week. We built the hardware and the connectivity first, which is why our AI layer delivers real results. I am glad that capital is finally flowing to atoms again, and mining will finally get what it has long deserved,” said Ash Agarwal, CEO of SYMX.AI.

Technology tested in mining operations

SYMX.AI said it had validated its technology through projects across the mining value chain. At Glencore's Onaping Depth project in Ontario, Canada, the company demonstrated battery monitoring, short-interval control and fleet optimisation for battery-electric vehicles.

“The problem SYMX.AI solves is foundational,” said Peter Xavier, Chief Operating Officer of Canada Metals, a Glencore company. “Connectivity and cross-OEM data integration at the point of work are infrastructure gaps the mining industry has struggled with for decades, but SYMX.AI changes the paradigm. Our proof-of-concept validation of the SYMX.AI platform on our OEM BEV equipment successfully supports underground short-interval control, battery monitoring and fleet optimization. This level of integration and insight is exactly what the industry needs to move forward.”

Global partnership with Yokohama

Under the partnership, Yokohama Off-Highway Tires will offer the integrated hardware and software platform to customers through its international commercial network. SYMX.AI will supply the internet of things hardware, connectivity, cloud platform and intelligence capabilities.

Customers will be able to adopt the technology as a standalone tyre intelligence solution or as part of a broader fleet optimisation platform.

“The tyre technology market is crowded with TPMS providers, but most systems monitor pressure and temperature while offering little insight beyond those measurements. Operators are asking a more important question: can the same system help us increase production, protect valuable assets such as tires and reduce fuel consumption? SYMX.AI has built a complete platform that addresses this market need by connecting tire condition with equipment performance, haul road conditions and operator behavior. This helps sites reduce costs, extend tire life and improve overall fleet performance,” said Loïc Ravasio, President of Yokohama Off-Highway Tires. “By working with SYMX.AI and offering flexible business models, Yokohama OTR is becoming a true digital partner to the industry, helping customers optimize their operations.”

Expansion and investment

SYMX.AI is expanding its product range with an AI-driven dispatch and fleet management system and an enterprise asset management platform based on live machine sensor data and fault codes.

The asset management system combines equipment health monitoring, diagnostic alarm management, oil analysis and work order management. The company says the system is designed to reduce reliance on fixed maintenance schedules and manual data entry.

Its products integrate with AVEVA Connect, SAP, Oracle and existing data historians, allowing operators to add the technology without replacing their existing systems.

The company said it supported open-pit and underground operations in Kazakhstan, the US, Mexico, Europe and Asia.

“We have watched this team for three years demonstrating grit, perseverance, and commitment. They build things that work in places most software never reaches, and the customers keep renewing worldwide. That is rare in this industry. The comprehensive IoT, connectivity, and AI app layer is deployed at difficult sites, and I’m glad that the market is finally catching up,” said Jonathan Loeffler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Ascent Capital Partners.

The financing will support international deployment, development of the AI platform and a broader range of wireless communication products, SYMX.AI said.

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Anyline, a global leader in mobile AI and intelligent data capture technology, has rolled out version 1.9 of TireBuddy, featuring a redesigned inspection report that aims to help customers more easily understand the condition of their tyres and place greater trust in technician recommendations. The updated report is intended to make the information gathered during an inspection simpler for customers to digest.

The report presents tread depth, tyre age and estimated braking distance to convey overall tyre health, while make, model, size and seasonal markings identify exactly which tyres are mounted on the vehicle. The new version also allows technicians to attach images of sidewall and rim damage to the report, transparently documenting issues that require attention so customers can have confidence in the recommended work.

Technicians can now record rim and tyre damage, such as scratches on rims and bulges on sidewalls, during the inspection workflow and display it in the report. Photo evidence of rim and sidewall damage can be attached to technician notes and added to the report. A not-roadworthy flag can also be set for a tyre with healthy tread depth but other serious defects, showing in the report as recommended for immediate replacement. All existing and new elements continue to fit on a single page, which can be saved as an image or PDF for sharing with the customer.

The TireBuddy report addresses a critical issue for workshops by ensuring customers fully understand inspection findings. Verbally conveying such information is not always easy, and traditional inspection forms tend to be dense and text-heavy. Everything a technician finds in the bay needs to be detailed in the report the customer sees, which should serve as visual support for service recommendations. With version 1.9, evidence appears alongside the recommendation, and photos of tyre or rim damage are inserted with other tyre information so customers can recognise findings without entering the bay.

Damages are categorised alongside visual evidence, so a bulge is recorded consistently regardless of technician, location or shift, turning individual reports into a comparable record that still captures the state of every tyre on the inspection day. From version 1.9, every report can carry damage, roadworthiness and photo evidence alongside the tread reading. Smaller changes include an optional pair replacement setting that automatically marks the paired tyre on the same axle for replacement when one tyre is not OK, up to 10 custom fields per account in the vehicle identification step for work order or storage numbers and a redesigned vehicle identification screen consistent with the tyre identification screen.

Lukas Kinigadner, CRO, Anyline, “Every replacement recommendation is a request for trust. With 1.9, the technician doesn't have to ask for it. The damage is on the report, photographed, next to the tyre it belongs to.”

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As commercial vehicle operators face mounting pressure from regulations, rising costs and the shift to electric power, Webfleet, a subsidiary of Bridgestone, is focusing on turning ever-growing volumes of vehicle data into practical recommendations that improve performance and ease the daily burden on fleet managers.

Founded in Leipzig in 1999 as one of the world’s first web-based fleet management platforms, Webfleet has grown from a pioneering software-as-a-service (SaaS) start-up to Europe’s leading solution and a core part of Bridgestone’s global offering. Today it serves drivers across more than 180 countries with AI-powered insights, electric-vehicle tools and sustainability data that turn complex operations into clearer, more efficient decisions.

In an exclusive interaction with Tyre Trends, Marc Notenboom, Director of Product Management at Webfleet, shares how the company has watched the fleet-management sector evolve over more than a quarter of a century. Interestingly, it was just last year the company marked its 25th anniversary.

From its inception, Webfleet has seen the volume of available data explode, yet the real challenge remains converting that information into meaningful guidance.

“Fleets give you more data but not more insights, which continues to be a challenge. Because of new regulations, new sensors, increasing competition and customer demands, we end up generating more data. We also have access to more data, which is growing exponentially. And then comes the real question, how do you make sense of that data?” Notenboom observed.

Marc Notenboom, Director of Product Management, Webfleet

Webfleet obtains its information through black-box devices installed in vehicles, sensors or direct connections to original-equipment manufacturers. This includes telematics, GPS, video, driver behaviour and vehicle diagnostics, among others. The company then processes that stream to deliver fleet-management services.

The next step, he explained, is moving beyond retrospective analysis. “Insights tell you what happened and why it happened, perhaps, but not what you need to do to improve your performance. That is what we are doing now with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). For example, we analyse data, see if patterns are different or you have anomalies in your data to predict what is happening or what is going wrong. And then we also use AI to analyse our data to see how you are performing, for instance, against competition. And then give customers suggestions on how to improve on certain topics like fuel consumption or driver safety,” he said.

The industry, in Webfleet’s view, is therefore evolving from raw data collection towards insights, recommendations and concrete actions.

SHARED PRESSURES ACROSS DIVERSE FLEETS

Webfleet serves a wide spectrum of customers, from large transport and logistics operators to small fleets of one or two vehicles, service-and-maintenance businesses and last-mile delivery companies.

Each customer faces distinct operational issues, yet common themes emerge. “What they all have in common is that the amount of data and the pressure to enhance their performance is increasing a lot. And then there is the regulatory compliance pressures as well,” said Notenboom.

Performance, in this context, covers delivery times, cost per kilometre, driver wages, safety and fuel consumption – metrics that matter differently according to the sector, but all that demand continuous improvement.

One of Europe’s most persistent difficulties is the shortage of skilled drivers, which has led to greater reliance on migrant workers whose experience of road conditions may vary widely between countries.

Webfleet addresses part of this challenge through tools such as OptiDrive, which shows fleet managers how individual drivers perform on fuel use and safety. Language barriers are tackled with automatic translation features built into the driver’s work app or tablet.

“They can interact with their fleet manager in their own language, and the fleet manager can also interact back in their own language,” explained Notenboom. The same interface delivers active coaching: if a driver exceeds the speed limit, for example, an immediate warning appears. These software-based interventions help maintain standards without requiring constant direct supervision.

MEASURABLE GAINS AND EV TRANSITION

Notenboom agrees that customers understandably scrutinise the return on any additional technology cost. He reported that Webfleet users typically achieve efficiency improvements of up to 15 percent, though results depend heavily on the starting point. This ranges from fuel savings, faster turnaround, downtime reduction or improved driver behaviour, among others.

“If a company is already really good at saving fuel, then adding tools and driver coaching and technology might not change a lot. At the same time, even if it’s a small improvement, especially with the high fuel prices today, it could already translate to a lot of savings,” averred Notenboom.

The arrival of electric trucks introduces a fresh set of complexities. Research indicates that driver behaviour exerts an even greater influence on energy consumption in electric vehicles than in conventional combustion models. Smooth operation becomes critical to range, while decisions about when and where to charge add further layers of planning. Webfleet supports the transition by helping managers determine the right vehicle for each duty cycle.

“If you do long-distance transport, electric trucks are perhaps not the best option. But if you do inner-city deliveries, then electric trucks become an interesting option. And trying to find out where the optimum is, when to use Internal Combustion Engine-vehicles, where to use electric vehicles, that is also a part where we can help the fleet manager to make that decision,” he said.

On the technology package itself, every Webfleet customer receives the software platform. Hardware can be selected according to need, or in some cases, dispensed with entirely through the OEM.connect service (access vehicle data directly from OEMs via APIs), without installing extra hardware that draws data directly from the vehicle manufacturer.

“A number of customers are preferring to use OEM.connect. So that is a solution where we don’t install hardware but take the data directly from the OEM offerings,” he explained. On the other hand, where original-equipment data fall short, Webfleet’s own devices remain available.

PRIVACY, BENCHMARKING AND THE ROAD AHEAD

Growing data volumes inevitably raise questions of privacy and regulatory compliance. Webfleet adheres strictly to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – a strict European Union (EU) law that protects information privacy and data rights for individuals in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) – requirements.

Certain categories of information can be processed only with explicit customer permission, and for benchmarking purposes, the company anonymises data so that individual vehicles or fleets cannot be identified.

A recent example is Webfleet’s Commercial Trip Monitor, which aggregates anonymised information across the entire customer base to generate comparative insights.

Looking three to five years ahead, Notenboom identified three principal challenges for the commercial-vehicle industry: the practical difficulties of electrification, the continuing shortage of drivers (with autonomous vehicles potentially addressing certain use cases over a longer horizon) and relentless competitive pressure to deliver higher quality service at lower cost.

He regards these same pressures as sources of opportunity for those able to convert them into advantage.

Interestingly, he shared that Webfleet itself continues to evaluate new markets beyond its established presence in Europe, South Africa, South America and Australia. Bridgestone’s ownership of the US-focused Azuga platform complements the portfolio, while Asia-Pacific, including India, remains under active review even if no immediate plans have been confirmed.

As Notenboom puts it, the goal is not to simply collect more information but to translate that information into clearer decisions that keep vehicles productive, drivers safer and costs under control – regardless of whether the powertrain is diesel or electric.

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Vaculug has released VMS Pro Max, the next generation of its fleet management application. The product, developed over a three-year period, pairs a redesigned interface with AI-enhanced software intended to make commercial fleet management faster and more intelligent. The app is now available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The upgraded platform offers clear, real-time access to tyre and vehicle data, accelerates background report uploads to reduce driver time and allows measuring tools to be connected for automatic tread depth capture. It also incorporates an embedded VAN Driver Guide and can instantly flag vehicles left uninspected across 30, 60 or 90 days. Existing users must sync all pending inspections and confirm cloud upload before updating to prevent data loss.

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