New Delhi, April 29 -- In June last year, Vikram Pawah, the then-president of BMW India, made a declaration in an interview with Mint: "I no longer use buttons in my car-when I'm feeling hot, I simply tell my car that I'm feeling hot, and it does its thing."

This statement isn't exclusive to the tech found in BMW-these days, multiple carmakers offer voice assistants that can do basic tasks such as closing sun blinds and adjusting the air conditioner. Technology, therefore, may no longer be a differentiator for cars in India, at least in the luxury segment. Case in point, the Mahindra XEV-9e electric SUV comes with three screens up front, much like Mercedes-Benz's flagship, the EQS 450.

But, for India's top luxury cars, the key different...