AirConsole has launched in India for the first time through the Tata Sierra.ev, making the electric SUV the first vehicle in the country to offer the in-car gaming platform. N-Dream, the company behind AirConsole, is partnering with Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and KPIT. The platform is available as a premium feature in Tata’s connected services pack and sits inside the Sierra.ev’s Arcade app.
AirConsole is being added to the car’s digital cockpit so passengers can play games on the vehicle’s built-in screens.
“India is one of the fastest-growing automotive markets in the world. Experiencing the Sierra.ev’s launch event in Mumbai where AirConsole was so prominently featured, made our team proud. To see our gaming platform in the vehicle alongside other premium offerings, was a clear testament of how entertainment and passenger experiences are becoming paramount for consumer choice. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles is moving at a pace that few in this market can match right now, and this partnership with AirConsole will enable gaming to be part of that momentum.” Anthony Cliquot, CEO, N-Dream / AirConsole
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How it works
Passengers scan a QR code on the car’s screen, connect their smartphones, and use them as controllers. AirConsole is built natively into Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles’s connected services pack and uses Sierra.ev’s screens, audio and interior layout to create the gaming environment. The company says this avoids the extra hardware and setup that usually comes with other in-car entertainment options.
At launch, AirConsole offers around 15 games across casual categories such as trivia, action and party games. One of the headline titles is Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
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What it means
Automakers are turning the digital cockpit into a software system, not just an infotainment screen. The idea is to make time spent inside the vehicle more useful or engaging, especially for families and passengers during parked time or charging stops. AirConsole is designed around shared play, which fits the way passengers actually use a car when it is not moving.
It also shows the direction of connected vehicles in India. Tata Motors is using a native in-car platform that works with the vehicle’s own hardware and interface. That is a meaningful difference from casting-based systems that mirror a phone onto the screen.
Traditional infotainment systems usually focus on navigation, music and media playback. AirConsole adds gaming, which requires multi-user input, screen coordination and phone-based controls.
AirConsole became part of the KPIT family in November 2023 and has since expanded beyond Europe into Asia and the United States. The company also says AirConsole is already available with premium OEM partners including BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Škoda. In India, the Sierra.ev launch is being positioned as the first step in a wider rollout of cockpit entertainment features.
