South Korean battery startup UBATT is targeting aerospace and defense applications such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries, aiming at applications that require 400–500 Wh/kg or more and are difficult for conventional lithium-ion batteries to serve.
As AI server computing power and per-rack power density continue to rise, traditional 54VDC power architectures are hitting bottlenecks such as excessive current, higher copper usage, and greater transmission losses. This is pushing next-generation AI data center power designs toward 800V high-voltage direct current (HVDC).
BYD is extending its global expansion beyond factories and sales networks into ocean transport, building greater control over the car-carrier capacity needed to support rapidly rising overseas electric vehicle exports.
China's intelligent driving market continues to surge, with Black Sesame Technologies and Horizon Robotics both reporting solid top-line revenue growth for the first half of 2026. Highlighting the rapid commercialization curve, Horizon Robotics announced on September 3 that cumulative mass production of its Journey series smart driving processors surpassed 15 million units—signaling that competition in China's automotive IC sector is shifting from raw computing battles to large-scale mass deployment and market penetration.
Rapid advances in China's autonomous-driving technology are increasing pressure on South Korea's auto industry to catch up, and LG Electronics is responding by expanding its push from in-cabin AI experiences and AI agents to an AI-SDV platform as it seeks a foothold in the emerging AI-defined vehicle (AIDV) market.
"Demo is not a product," Jingwei Hirain president Chengjian Fan told DIGITIMES in an interview, arguing that China's new-energy vehicle industry has learned hard lessons as fast-moving startups, deep in-house development, and tougher supplier scrutiny reshape the market. He said software demand has increased more than tenfold compared with the internal combustion engine era, while the fastest mass-production delivery cycle in China has been as short as 12 months.
Taiwan's auto market remains under pressure in 2026, and even as recent months have shown signs of bottoming out, auto parts makers remain cautious or outright pessimistic about the outlook. The gap between the headline recovery and the reality on the ground underscores how slowly and unevenly the industry is healing.
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.
Taiwanese autonomous driving startup Turing Drive marked its eighth anniversary on August 31, with CEO David Shen highlighting at the event the company's efforts in advancing self-developed technologies and overseas expansion starting with Japan.
More coverage