Mahindra Group and Ford signed agreements for the development of powertrain technology and new connected car solutions in India.

Under the definitive agreement on powertrain sharing, Mahindra Group will develop and supply a low-displacement petrol engine to Ford India for use in its present and future vehicles, starting in 2020, according to a release from Ford. The companies also revealed the joint development of a telematics control unit following the intent to co-develop a suite of connected car solutions. Once developed, the connected vehicle solution will be deployed across both Mahindra and Ford vehicles.

Regarding the powertrain development, Mahindra is working on the BS-VI compliant powertrain, which is designed to help Ford extend and strengthen its existing offering of petrol engines, that currently includes the all-new 3-cylinder TiVCT family, Ford said in a release. The signing continues a strategic alliance between the two companies in the country, which was established in September 2017, followed up with five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in March 2018.

The strategic alliance between the two companies aims to focus on leveraging the benefits of Ford’s global reach and expertise and Mahindra’s scale in India and its operating model.