The Smart Mobility Summit (SMS) 2026 organised by Kumaraguru Institutions in association with the Society for Smart E-Mobility (SSEM) commenced on Friday, positioning Coimbatore as a key hub in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) and smart mobility ecosystem.

The two-day summit brings together industry leaders, academicians and students to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world industry demands, with a focus on accelerating innovation in intelligent and sustainable mobility.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Kurichi Kumar, Chief Innovation and Research Officer at Kumaraguru Institutions, said that smart mobility marks a complete reinvention of transportation. He highlighted the shift from traditional vehicle ownership to “access as a service” and noted that data-driven infrastructure will play a central role in future mobility systems. He also emphasised the need for indigenous technologies to strengthen India’s global competitiveness.

Dr.Ramesh Babu, Director of the Kumaraguru School of Electrical Sciences, outlined the summit agenda, which includes the “Evolve” Industry Conclave featuring four panel discussions with over 20 experts focusing on EV charging and battery ecosystems.

A major highlight of the summit is the India E-Bike Challenge, where 96 students are competing to design and assemble functional e-bikes. The event also features an international research conference with 55 shortlisted papers and a virtual Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) design challenge conducted in collaboration with MathWorks.

Addressing the academic-industry gap, Dr. S. Raghupathy, Director of Strategic Planning and Review, stressed that engineers must move beyond problem-solving to problem-framing, stating that real-world challenges require identifying and defining problems independently.

Dr.M.Ezhilarasi,Principal of Kumaraguru College of Technology, underscored the importance of ethical responsibility in innovation, cautioning that rapid technological advancement must be balanced with environmental and social awareness.

The international research segment of the summit received 178 paper submissions,of which 55 were selected after a rigorous review process. The research presentations are categorised under key areas including sustainable mobility ecosystems, connected mobility networks, intelligent vehicle controls and circular economy.

The outcomes of the summit will be compiled into a comprehensive report aimed at supporting policymakers in shaping future EV infrastructure and regulatory frameworks in India.
The summit continues with technical sessions and product showcases from over 10 industries.