India has its first test agency able to run the whole vehicle cybersecurity chain under one roof. The Automotive Research Association of India, based in Pune and affiliated with the Ministry of Heavy Industries, now offers testing, verification and validation, research, and homologation from a single facility.
The service exists to serve two national standards. AIS-189 governs Cyber Security Management Systems; AIS-190 covers Software Update Management Systems. ARAI’s scope takes in whole vehicles, electronic control units, connected systems and other automotive electronics.
Beyond compliance paperwork, the lab runs vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, checks Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment reports, develops hardware and software security modules, and handles XiL-based evaluation plus V2X testing. It also tracks CVE records for the components it assesses.
The build-out lands as connected and software-defined vehicles widen the attack surface that type-approval bodies must police. ARAI holds ISO 27001 among other certifications, and positions itself as a single access point for manufacturers working through approval.
