When MG Motor entered India, it positioned itself not simply as an automaker, but as a technology-first mobility brand designed for the digital age. Over the years, the company has pushed that vision consistently, and if there is one department that has shaped this ambition from the inside out, it is IT. “IT has been the nervous system of MG since day one,” says Sudhir Kataria, Head of IT, JSW MG Motor India, in a recent interaction with Express Computer. “We were not only building cars. We were building a digital ecosystem around mobility.”
That mindset has guided every major decision. MG didn’t think of connectivity as an optional add-on; it made it a foundational pillar. “We wanted the car to be more than a vehicle that goes from point A to point B,” Kataria explains. “The real value lies in the ownership experience before, during, and after the drive.”
The result is a technology stack that most traditional OEMs are only starting to attempt now. The company built its connected car platform from the ground up, integrating hardware, software, the telematics cloud, and a seamless in-car digital layer. The voice assistant, available in six regional languages, has become one of the most distinctive touchpoints. “We wanted technology to feel natural, not complicated. The car should feel like it understands the customer,” he notes.
Beyond the dashboard, MG built centralised Customer 360 and Vehicle 360 systems that connect the OEM, dealers, and customers. “Everyone is on the same data engine,” Kataria says. “That’s what allows us to personalise engagement and make ownership frictionless.”
Data management for effective AI
Kataria is quick to point out that AI became effective at MG because the company first made the right investments in data. “People talk about AI, but the hard work is really in fixing the plumbing of data management,” he says. “It’s not glamorous, but without it, AI is meaningless.”
MG set up its data lake and governance framework early, standardising data across functions and touchpoints. The same analytics platform is today used by everyone, from ground-level sales teams to the MD, and even by dealer partners. “There is one source of truth,” he emphasises. “Only the visibility changes based on your role.”
With that foundation in place, AI now runs across the business. Kataria shared that MG uses AI chatbots and voice virtual assistants in its contact centres, GenAI models for personalised communication, ML-based alerts for predictive vehicle maintenance, and AI-driven allocation and dispatch planning across its dealer network.
“We don’t deploy AI because it is fashionable,” Kataria stresses. “We use AI to solve problems that matter to the customer, to the dealer, and to the organisation.”
Contrary to the common organisational fear that AI automation threatens jobs, Kataria sees the opposite. “I have never faced internal resistance,” he says. “People come to us and say, ‘This process is repetitive, automate it.’ They want to use their time more meaningfully.”
Industry 4.0: Manufacturing meets intelligence
Inside the plant, MG is now gearing up for a new wave of modernisation. “Industry 4.0 is about connectivity, data, and intelligence,” Kataria says. “But the biggest challenge is legacy machinery. Not every industrial robot or system was built to stream real-time data.”
The company’s first milestone is predictive and preventive maintenance for critical shop-floor equipment. “A breakdown in the middle of a production cycle has a domino effect, not only on output, but on customer commitments,” he explains. “If you can predict failure, you can protect the business.”
Digital twins are next. “It will take 18–24 months, but it is definitely in the plan,” Kataria confirms. “Digital twins are what will take us from automation to true smart manufacturing.”
The cloud as a launchpad
Kataria mentioned that scalability remains central to MG’s digital architecture, and cloud computing is the enabler. The company works with all three major hyperscalers and has migrated most applications from traditional data centres to the cloud. “If there is a major new launch and we expect a spike in bookings, we scale instantly,” Kataria says. “And once the event is over, we scale back. It gives us flexibility without waste.”
With 4G and 5G networks now enabling real-time IoT data, Kataria sees cloud as the foundation for the next decade of industrial transformation. “Without cloud and connectivity, Industry 4.0 is a PowerPoint dream,” he says bluntly.
The era of the software-defined vehicle
Kataria believes that the biggest shift in the automotive industry is cultural rather than technological. “We are moving from a mechanical vehicle to a software-defined vehicle,” he says. “And that demands a complete rethink of how R&D works.”
Traditional automotive engineering is linear. Software development is iterative. “For SDVs, mechanical and software teams will have to work hand in hand,” he explains. “A software update for the powertrain can affect the infotainment stack. We can’t live in silos anymore.”
The challenge is workforce transformation. “Mechanical engineers will have to understand software, and software engineers will have to understand mechanical architecture,” he says. “This is the new automotive skill set.”
Cybersecurity is built into the design
As connectivity rises, cyber risk rises with it. Kataria is frank about the stakes. “With the amount of data generated by modern vehicles, cybersecurity and privacy must be built into the design of the car, not added later.”
MG has already begun implementing the cybersecurity frameworks required under the upcoming AIS 189 and 190 regulations for connected and ADAS-enabled vehicles. The company is also deploying a Cyber Security Management System and plans to integrate in-vehicle Intrusion Detection Systems. “We want to catch intrusion attempts before they become damaged,” he says.
Data privacy is receiving equal attention as India prepares for full implementation of the DPDP Act. “Customers should know what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we store it, and they should have the right to withdraw consent,” Kataria emphasises. “Privacy has to become part of engineering.”
Global incidents in the past year have accelerated momentum. “The Volkswagen and JLR breaches were a wake-up call for the entire industry,” he says. “OEMs were already aware, now we are acting like we should have from day one: on a war footing.”
Following the conversation, it can be said that MG’s digital vision is bold, yet grounded in responsibility. Customer experience is the headline, but cybersecurity and ethics are the silent foundation. “Technology is no longer an accessory in a car,” Kataria reflects. “It is the soul of the vehicle.”
As MG strengthens its connected ecosystem, scales AI across operations, builds smart factories, and moves toward software-defined mobility, the company’s direction is clear: a future where cars learn, predict, personalise, and protect.
“We’re not improving the driving experience,” Kataria says in closing. “We’re redefining what ownership means, and earning the customer’s trust every single day.”