The 2025 Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition concluded on Nov. 30, offering one of the clearest snapshots yet of where China's auto market is headed. After an on-site review of the show, DIGITIMES identified three defining trends for China's 2025 model-year vehicles: the rise of 800V high-voltage architectures, the rapid adoption of roof-mounted front LiDAR, and the emergence of multi-screen cabins. Together, these features are becoming essential for any carmaker hoping to compete in the world's largest auto market.
Tesla and BYD are both facing increasing sales pressure, with the two electric vehicle (EV) giants showing signs of fatigue in their key markets. Tesla's decline across Europe continues without signs of slowing, while BYD faces rising competition at home, recording its third straight monthly decline in November and putting its full-year goal at risk.
At Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD25), Ankit Khaitan, Head of International Business for Uber AI Solutions, said that last month's announcement of a three-way partnership among Nvidia, Foxconn, and Stellantis marks the beginning of a new chapter in global autonomous-driving development.
DIGITIMES' latest analysis predicts that the global electric vehicle (EV) market will enter a phase of slower growth in 2026, with an annual growth rate of roughly 15.2%—down from the double-digit surges exceeding 20% seen through 2025. After a period of rapid expansion, the industry is showing signs of saturation, prompting automakers to shift their strategic focus toward advanced autonomous-driving technologies to maintain competitiveness.
Luxgen, the homegrown automotive brand under Taiwan's Yulon Motor, holds a unique place in the island's industrial history. Recent reports that Foxtron—a subsidiary of Foxconn—may acquire Luxgen have stirred significant discussion in Taiwan's automotive circles.
As one of the most demanding testing grounds for AI, autonomous driving technology has become a high-security laboratory where next-generation AI applications are forged. Analysts note that as much as 50 to 70 percent of the algorithms used in self-driving systems can be efficiently transferred to non-automotive fields, giving established players a distinct "spillover advantage" over newcomers. From Tesla to Chinese automakers and established brands in Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, automotive AI is now extending into adjacent industries such as smart manufacturing, robotics, and unmanned aerial systems (UAVs).
Long seen as a global automaker struggling to yield meaningful results from its massive investments in vehicle electronics and electrification, Volkswagen is now entering its most important market: China. It is preparing to launch development of its first system-on-chip (SoC) designed entirely in China, a key component that will power Level 3 driver-assistance systems and future fully autonomous driving functions.
