Chinese CMOS image sensor (CIS) maker SmartSens completed a CNY3.2 billion (approx. US$478 million) capital increase in September 2026 to expand into automotive electronics and AI vision. The investment targets high-performance imaging, intelligent driving and on-device AI computing, extending its sensing technology into image processing and edge applications as demand for environmental perception grows in vehicles and robots.
As plans for the Terafab project begin to take shape, the emergence of a scaled chipmaking initiative increasingly reflects Elon Musk's broader ambition to push vertical AI integration across his expanding industrial stack.
As the push toward smarter vehicle systems and full electrification intensifies alongside China's strengthening position in the EV market, these trends are increasingly prompting overseas automakers to enter a new phase of operational restructuring.
China proposed tighter vehicle design and safety requirements that would restrict fully hidden door handles, virtual controls for critical functions and several interior features in new vehicles. The draft rules, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other government departments, are intended to reduce safety risks associated with rapidly developed vehicle models and would affect automakers seeking approvals in China.
Aker Technology said AI and electric vehicle demand are driving faster shipments, with automotive products accounting for 51.88% of sales in the first half of 2026. The quartz component maker also said its 312.5MHz product is scheduled to sample in the fourth quarter of 2026.
LED lens manufacturer Ledlink Optics reported record monthly and quarterly revenue in September and the third quarter of 2026, respectively, driven by sustained demand for automotive optical lenses and steadily increasing shipments of precision structural components for AI servers.
LG Group is preparing to test five commercial components developed by LG Electronics, LG Innotek, and LG Energy Solution (LGES), including cameras and batteries, aboard a CubeSat carried as a secondary payload on South Korea's fifth Nuri rocket launch. The mission aims to assess whether commercially available components can operate reliably in space.
Samsung Electronics' System LSI division is reportedly planning a retreat from the automotive application processor (AP) business and launching a major restructuring, with a future focus on high-margin areas such as image sensors and mobile system-on-chip (SoC) products. Analysts say Samsung is seeking to improve profitability in its non-memory businesses through a selection and concentration strategy after years of losses at System LSI and its foundry operations.
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) and European automakers are pressing the European Commission to delay localization rules for EV batteries under the draft Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), warning that Europe's homegrown battery supply chain is still too weak to support the plan. The push comes as ACEA warns that local battery production may fall short of demand, potentially leaving some EVs ineligible for incentives under a rushed law.
Chinese automakers are expanding rapidly in the UK, with their growing presence beginning to influence government policy as well as market competition. Chery's Jaecoo 7 was the UK's best-selling model in September, while Chinese brands' share of the market rose from 15.8% in August to about 23% in September.
Samsung SDI is simultaneously expanding its lower-cost LFP supply chain and advancing its next-generation all-solid-state battery roadmap, signing separate agreements with POSCO Future M and EcoPro BM as it broadens its battery chemistry portfolio.
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