Radhakrishnan Kodakkal has taken charge as managing director and CEO of Daimler Truck Innovation Centre India (DTICI), the company’s Bengaluru-based global hub for product engineering and digital capabilities. As commercial vehicles rapidly evolve into software-defined, connected machines, DTICI is playing a central role in shaping Daimler Truck’s technology roadmap – from AI-led development and advanced safety systems to decarbonisation strategies.
In this interview with Sudhir Chowdhary, Kodakkal outlines his priorities for scaling India’s role in the global ecosystem, building future-ready talent, and navigating the complex shift toward zero-emission transport. He also shares insights on how software, data, and collaboration are redefining the very DNA of the commercial vehicle industry. Excerpts:
What will be your top priorities in strengthening DTICI’s position as Daimler Truck’s global innovation and engineering hub?
My primary focus will be to further strengthen India’s role across engineering, software, digital platforms, and IT operations, reinforcing DTICI’s role as a strategic innovation and delivery hub within the global Daimler Truck ecosystem. We have a strong foundation to build on, and the next phase will be about scaling impact, deepening collaboration, and accelerating technology-led transformation. I firmly believe our people are our greatest asset, so nurturing talent and fostering a culture that supports continuous learning and innovation will be another key strategic priority.
As trucks become more software-driven, how is DTICI building capabilities in areas like AI, and advanced safety?
We are building the workforce for the future to support software-defined vehicle (SDV) technologies as trucks become increasingly software- and AI-driven. AI is being embedded across the end-to-end truck and bus development lifecycle, from software and vehicle development to manufacturing operations and supply chains.
With the increasing availability of data, AI and advanced analytics have emerged as transformative forces in garnering meaningful actionable insights. We are leveraging AI not just as a technological capability, but as a strategic enabler to deliver measurable business value and we are doing this by elevating connected vehicles through remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance initiatives.
DTICI plays a significant role in vehicle software development and testing across key domains such as active safety, driver experience, propulsion, vehicle controls, and connectivity. Teams are actively contributing to next-generation SDV architectures in close collaboration with global counterparts and our joint venture partner, Coretura. In advanced safety, this includes the transition from standalone advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) features like automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (ACC), and lane keeping assist (LKA) to integrated ADAS platforms, enabling scalable, updateable safety systems.
Decarbonisation remains the top challenge for the commercial vehicle industry. How are you addressing this?
Decarbonising commercial transport is one of the hardest challenges our industry faces today. Unlike passenger vehicles, trucks have to move heavy payloads across long distances, and that means there is no single technology that can solve the problem on its own. Battery-electric trucks make sense for urban and regional applications, but for long-haul and heavy-duty transport, hydrogen will be essential. The real constraints lie in infrastructure availability and achieving cost parity with diesel.
Decarbonisation is not just about switching fuels; it is equally about software, collaboration and building the right ecosystem.
Software-defined vehicles, digital engineering and intelligent energy management will play a decisive role in improving efficiency across the entire vehicle lifecycle. This transition cannot be achieved in silos. Collaboration across OEMs, energy providers, governments, and technology partners is the need of the hour. India has a particularly important role to play in this journey. With our engineering talent and rapidly expanding renewable energy landscape, we are well positioned to contribute at a global level and can adopt zero-emission commercial mobility at a rapid pace.
How is DTICI bridging the industry-academia gap for skilling talent in the autotech space?
A collaborative effort involving academia, industry, and regulatory bodies is crucial to ensure the workforce of tomorrow has the skill sets and is prepared for future challenges. We work in collaboration with various academia, filling the gap often found in traditional college curricula but is highly sought after by the industry. We collaborate with various reputed academic institutions for pursuing various research & innovation and product orientation initiatives.
Some of our notable collaborations include our Tear down facility at Christ University where students, faculties & our engineers gain hands-on experience – assembling and dismantling our products and working on complex automotive systems. We also work with IISc Bengaluru, IIT Delhi, and IIT Bombay on deep-tech research in eMotors, cell chemistry, digital twins of lithium-ion batteries, and new thermal battery technologies.
Through our ‘School of Expertise’ initiative, we identify focused talent cohorts from academia and build niche capabilities in areas like cybersecurity and other emerging automotive technologies. We build early-career talent through our unique ‘Step Up’ initiative focusing on technical & professional skill development initiatives curated jointly by our inhouse subject matter experts and industry professionals. Together, these initiatives blend hands-on learning, deep-tech collaboration, and focused capability building – shaping a strong, future-ready talent ecosystem for the next era of commercial vehicle innovation.
What are the upcoming trends redefining the commercial vehicle industry?
The commercial vehicle industry stands on the cusp of a profound transformation, ushering in a new era of automotive and digital innovation. We are at a pivotal inflection point where truck manufacturers are reimagining their very DNA by harnessing the power of digital technologies. From next-generation safety systems and intelligent connectivity to tangible advances in autonomous driving, innovation is accelerating at unprecedented speed.
Logistics paradigms themselves are being redefined, giving rise to differentiated offerings built around zero-emission platforms and software-first innovation. Autonomous mobility, smart connectivity, big data and advanced analytics, and electrification are emerging as the foundational pillars of this future. DTICI, with its deep, cross-domain expertise, is playing a leading role in shaping and driving this transformative journey. As the industry transitions from mechanical dominance to digital intelligence, vehicle leadership is no longer measured in horsepower but in computing power and data-driven capabilities. The electrification journey in the CV segment has already commenced, and its impact is set to scale exponentially, redefining mobility, sustainability, and the future of transportation.