Mexico is overhauling its trade barriers, and Taiwanese manufacturers with operations there are only beginning to understand what that means for their bottom line.
General Motors (GM) agreed to pay US$12.75 million to California prosecutors and to delete most collected driving data within 180 days after state authorities found the automaker illegally collected and sold customer driving information, the California Department of Justice announced. The settlement caps a multi-year regulatory backlash that has also included a five-year data-sharing ban imposed by the US Federal Trade Commission in January 2025 and the termination of GM's Smart Driver program in 2024.
As Waymo in the US and Baidu's Apollo Go in China expand robotaxi services on public roads, South Korea's autonomous-driving industry is under pressure to find a viable route of its own.
Whetron Electronics, a Taiwanese automotive electronics supplier specializing in vehicle sensing systems, said it is positioning itself for the next wave of growth by expanding into AI-powered driver assistance technologies, smart cockpit sensing, and advanced radar applications.
Ilitek, a Taiwan-based DDI maker, said its first-quarter 2026 results were hit by seasonal softness and rising memory prices, which prompted Chinese smartphone brands to become more cautious on inventory. General manager Tai-Yuan Chen said business will recover broadly in the second quarter of 2026, with smart mobile, IT equipment, industrial control, and automotive all set to grow sequentially, while order visibility now extends into the third quarter of 2026.
As American battery startups continue working to commercialize next-generation silicon-carbon batteries, Chinese manufacturers are already deploying the technology at scale and now pushing it into aviation-grade territory.
Everlight Electronics said it will invest an additional US$56.5 million in its Thai subsidiary to buy land, build a plant, and add equipment, as the LED packaging firm moves to strengthen its presence in the automotive supply chain. The company also reported that first-quarter 2026 profit fell to NT$403 million (US$12.83 million), down 30.99% year on year, as higher raw material costs weighed on margins.
In a move that underscores both the desperation of legacy luxury brands and the growing confidence of China's electric-vehicle (EV) industry, Huawei is reportedly in advanced talks with Maserati and JAC Motors to jointly develop a new generation of high-end EVs aimed at Europe's premium auto market.
At a state dinner on the evening of May 14 during the China-US summit, Chinese and global tech leaders mingled on stage, with Xiaomi chairman and CEO Lei Jun photographed taking a selfie with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Despite persistent uncertainty in the global economy, volatility in energy markets is accelerating a structural shift in the auto industry. New data released May 13 by the consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence shows that surging gasoline prices — driven in large part by turmoil in the Middle East — pushed global electric-vehicle demand higher for a second consecutive month in April 2026, as consumers increasingly turn away from conventional combustion-engine cars.
Taiwan scooter-sharing leader WeMo on May 12 announced a major service upgrade that introduced a new white-license model, dubbed WeMo Go, and signaled plans to integrate its platform with multiple mobility and payment services by the end of 2026. The company said the move launches a dual electric-scooter era designed to expand user choice and scale shared mobility across Taiwan.
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