Infosys signs AI deal to modernise Knorr-Bremse IT

Infosys has signed a long-term partnership with Knorr-Bremse to modernise the manufacturer's global enterprise applications with AI and automation. The work forms part of Knorr-Bremse's Tech4Value IT transformation programme.

The agreement covers managed services across Knorr-Bremse's enterprise application estate, including SAP, data, engineering and Product Lifecycle Management systems. It spans the group's Rail and Commercial Vehicle divisions, extending beyond core back-office software into engineering and product-related systems used across the business.

Under the arrangement, Infosys will take end-to-end responsibility for this application landscape as Knorr-Bremse seeks to simplify its IT environment and improve service delivery for staff worldwide. The programme will use generative and agentic AI through Infosys Topaz to automate IT processes and support productivity gains in operations.

The deal points to a broader shift in manufacturing, as companies move from small-scale AI trials to applying the technology in day-to-day enterprise systems. In sectors such as rail and commercial vehicles, where equipment performance and compliance standards are closely monitored, application reliability and issue resolution can have wider operational consequences.

Knorr-Bremse is one of the world's best-known suppliers of braking systems and other safety-critical components for rail and commercial vehicles. That industrial context helps explain why its transformation programme extends beyond conventional ERP systems to include engineering and product lifecycle tools that support design, collaboration and governance.

The work is intended to improve service quality, make IT operations more dependable and reduce incident resolution times. It should also help engineering teams collaborate more effectively by extending modernisation into systems closer to product development.

Wider scope

The inclusion of PLM and engineering applications makes the partnership notable in a market where many outsourcing and AI modernisation deals still focus mainly on finance, procurement and human resources software. By covering both business and engineering systems, the programme reaches functions directly tied to how products are designed, updated and managed through their lifecycle.

It also reflects a growing focus among manufacturers on linking IT efficiency to broader operational resilience. Alongside service quality, the transformation is intended to strengthen compliance and service governance, areas that have become more important as industrial groups manage sprawling software estates across multiple regions and business units.

For Infosys, the agreement adds to a stream of work aimed at embedding AI into managed services rather than treating it as a separate advisory offering. The company is positioning AI as part of the operating model for application support and maintenance, with automation handling repetitive tasks and helping service teams identify and address issues more quickly.

That approach is becoming increasingly common among large IT services providers seeking to show that AI can deliver measurable changes in service operations. Customers, meanwhile, are under pressure to modernise legacy systems without disrupting day-to-day business processes, particularly in industries with complex supply chains and tightly regulated products.

Satheeskaran Navaratnam outlined the programme's role in Knorr-Bremse's wider IT plans. "At Knorr-Bremse, we are building a future-ready technology foundation that supports innovation and long-term value creation. Our Tech4Value program is central to this journey, helping us create a more agile, efficient, and scalable IT environment across the organization. By working with Infosys, we aim to make our technology estate as optimized and reliable as the systems we build for our customers, ensuring that every layer of our infrastructure is equipped to support the pace of change our business demands," said Satheeskaran Navaratnam, Chief Digital Officer & VP Transformation & Governance IT, Knorr-Bremse.

Manufacturing focus

The partnership also underlines the importance technology suppliers attach to manufacturing clients with large and varied application estates. Companies operating in transport, industrial and automotive-adjacent markets often rely on a patchwork of older enterprise systems, specialist engineering software and local processes built up over many years, making simplification and standardisation difficult.

Against that backdrop, long-term service agreements can give providers room to reshape support models over time rather than through a single migration or implementation project. In this case, the emphasis on managed services suggests the companies are targeting steady operational improvements across an existing landscape rather than replacing every system at once.

Jasmeet Singh linked the project to the demands facing industrial groups in safety-critical markets. "For global manufacturers operating in safety-critical industries, resilient, efficient, and high-performing enterprise applications are essential to maintaining business continuity and competitiveness. Infosys will help Knorr-Bremse enhance its application landscape through a combination of deep manufacturing expertise, advanced automation, and AI-enabled service delivery. By improving operational efficiency, accelerating issue resolution, and supporting continuous modernization, we aim to help Knorr-Bremse drive greater business value and maintain the reliability and agility needed in a rapidly evolving market," said Jasmeet Singh, EVP and Global Head of Manufacturing, Infosys.