Chinese energy storage players are going all in on the AI data center market, as intense domestic competition has caused falling profit margins from traditional storage projects. The booming token economy is changing the role of AI data center energy storage from simply backup power to a core element of computing power.
Compal Electronics has officially registered its Sylux brand in the US, marking a key milestone in accelerating its automotive business, as the company aims to grow non-PC revenue to 40% in 2026, with automotive components forming a major focus in this strategic shift.
Innolux subsidiary CarUX completed its merger with Pioneer on December 1, 2025, combining their visual and acoustic expertise to accelerate next-generation in-car innovation. The combined entity has unveiled a deeply integrated smart cockpit simulation system at Touch Taiwan 2026 (April 8-10, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center), positioning it as a blueprint for future in-car user experiences.
Ai.R, a robotaxi service jointly launched by Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide and Southeast Asian super-app Grab, has began public operations in Punggol, Singapore. The launch offers global observers an example of urban autonomous mobility scaling from trials to community service, with implications for regulation, workforce transition, and regional deployment strategies.
The global adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, and autonomous vehicles is expected to rise from 66 percent in 2025 to 94 percent by 2035. Within that growth, Level 2 systems are projected to reach a 65 percent penetration rate. But the technological path toward higher levels of autonomy is beginning to diverge.
Recently, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has made a series of unusually high-profile appearances at promotional events for US automakers such as Jeep and Ford. The rare visibility has drawn intense attention from both industry insiders and market observers alike — and for good reason. With the first quarter of 2026 marking the official conclusion of automotive tariff negotiations under the Taiwan–US trade agreement, these diplomatic gestures now carry significance far beyond simple brand endorsement. They signal a new era of "structural transformation" in Taiwan–US automotive cooperation.
China's auto market is undergoing a structural shift in the first quarter of 2026. While joint-venture giants such as Volkswagen and Toyota have posted strong sales, a deeper divergence is emerging. Domestic manufacturers, adopting a development model closer to consumer electronics and emphasizing vertical integration, are charting a path fundamentally different from the traditional, foreign-led automotive system.
China's auto market showed a notable shift in the first quarter of 2026, with Volkswagen, Geely, and Toyota returning to the top of the sales rankings in the first two months of the year. BYD, long the market leader, slipped to fourth place, drawing widespread attention.
Acer's smart mobility strategy is beginning to show results. The company expects the overall industry to rebound in 2026 and anticipates its smart mobility to expand, with full-year growth likely reaching double digits. Key growth markets will be the US and Canada, while opportunities in electric motorcycles and e-bikes are also promising in the Asia-Pacific region. However, despite being a large e-bike market, China is not a current target due to intense competition.
In January 2026, Canada reached an agreement with China to allow the annual import of 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), replacing tariffs that had previously reached as high as 100%. The policy shift has fueled consumer speculation about the prospect of "half-price" cars. In practice, however, industry executives say such expectations are unlikely to materialize.
The trade environment for US businesses operating in or trading with China deteriorated sharply between 2025 and 2026, according to a comparative analysis of the latest National Trade Estimate (NTE) Reports, underscoring a widening gap between high-level diplomacy and on-the-ground economic realities.
More coverage
