As end-to-end (E2E) autonomous driving architectures gradually become mainstream, the inference demands of physical AI are driving radical transformations in automotive system-on-chip (SoC) design. DIGITIMES Intelligence analyst Jasper Jiang notes that neural processing units (NPUs), or dedicated AI accelerators, are becoming the core processing engines of next-generation automotive SoCs to satisfy three stringent demands of AI inference in autonomous driving: ultra-low latency, reduced system power consumption, and minimized memory bottlenecks.

Xiaomi Auto has formally begun laying the groundwork for its overseas expansion. Xiaomi Group partner and CEO William Lu said on September 4 that the automaker had signed agreements with eight major German dealership groups during IFA 2026 in Berlin, establishing an initial sales and service network ahead of its planned entry into Europe.

Acer used its next@acer global press conference at IFA 2026 in Berlin, Germany, to unveil non-PC products as part of its strategy to enhance resilience. At the event, the company introduced an e-paper display, a foldable screen, an e-scooter, and its latest gaming handheld, with chairman and CEO Jason Chen noting that Acer will continue making new products to wow consumers.

The global auto industry is being jolted by "China speed," as Chinese regulators move to slow an extreme race to launch vehicles that has crossed quality and safety red lines. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and other watchdogs have launched special enforcement actions and tightened rules to prevent carmakers from sacrificing safety in the rush for speed.

The 2026 Global Automotive and Technology Expo (GATE 2026), held August 26-28 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur, was ostensibly about the future of mobility. But the stronger message from the three-day event was about something more fundamental: Malaysia wants foreign automakers to build an industrial ecosystem, not simply sell cars.

The autonomous driving industry is gaining momentum as advances in AI, sensing and semiconductor technologies expand opportunities in vehicle computing, machine vision and Physical AI. At Taiwan-based Turing Drive's eighth-anniversary press event, longtime partners Vecow and oToBrite shared their perspectives on the evolution of autonomous vehicles, in-vehicle computing and robotics.

BYD sold more abroad than at home in the first half of 2026, a threshold the company crossed for the first time and the clearest signal yet that the center of gravity of its car business has moved offshore. Overseas revenue reached CNY181.3 billion (US$26.88 billion), compared with CNY163.5 billion in China, according to the geographic breakdown in the interim report released on 28 August. A year earlier, the split ran the other way, by a wide margin.

BYD and Geely Auto were nearly neck and neck in vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2026, raising expectations of a close contest between China's two leading new-energy vehicle makers. The gap widened sharply in the second quarter, however, largely because BYD sold more vehicles overseas. Even so, stronger international sales have yet to reverse the company's profit decline.

LG Energy Solution has signed a long-term supply agreement with Smackover Lithium for battery-grade lithium carbonate, a move that could strengthen supply chains for energy storage systems and electric vehicles at a time when global demand for critical minerals remains tight.

The global battery space has long been characterized by China's overwhelming dominance, leaving other established players subdued and struggling to establish a foothold in the industry for years.

The 2026 Global Automotive and Technology Expo (GATE 2026) closed on August 28 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. It highlighted Malaysia's contradictory but pragmatic stance toward China in the auto sector. Over the three-day event, the main story for ASEAN's auto industry was not a new car or new technology. It was Malaysia's balancing act around the "China factor."