Li Auto's move to open its in-house technologies to outside customers marks a broader shift in the electric vehicle maker's strategy, turning years of internal research into a possible new revenue stream. The company is now seeking external buyers for its Mach intelligent-driving chip, silicon carbide (SiC) power modules, and range-extender system, according to Chinese media reports.
Taiwan's auto industry is watching closely as tariff talks between Taiwan and the US continue to shape the sector's outlook. PG Union CEO Ray Wu said in an interview on September 21 that the two sides are still negotiating the new policy, and the process must clear three hurdles before it can take effect.
Faraday Future used its annual 919 launch event on September 19 to complete what it calls "Robot World 2.0," unveiling nine new embodied AI (EAI) devices and four industry productivity solutions, putting an all-new Futurist humanoid on sale, and pricing a Master Mini from US$9,990. The lineup spans humanoids, quadrupeds, and mobile manipulators in large, medium, and small sizes, which the company claims is the widest range of device forms of any US robotics company.
Thailand is preparing to abandon the subsidy-led policy that made it Southeast Asia's fastest-growing electric vehicle market, replacing it with a tax structure built to penalize carmakers that import rather than build. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the excise tax on fully imported EVs could rise to around 30%, from 10% today — the first time the government has attached a number to the levy.
Xiaomi Corporation's second quarter showed a company being squeezed from both ends of its business at once: a surging memory-chip bill eating into its core smartphone margins, and its smart EV, AI, and other new initiatives segment still reporting a loss even as vehicle deliveries grow. Revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2026, fell 6.1% year-on-year to CNY108.92 billion (US$16.13 billion), and the company's preferred profitability gauge, adjusted net profit, nearly halved, down 42.6% to CNY6.22 billion — a far steeper decline than the top line, signaling that cost pressure, not just demand, is doing the damage.
Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide is considering expansion into Australia, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia as it steps up overseas growth. The move could widen access to driverless transport services for global users, while intensifying competition among Chinese self-driving firms seeking new markets beyond China.
Hyundai Motor Group is accelerating its "Physical AI+" robot strategy, with Saemangeum in North Jeolla Province set to become its main manufacturing base. The plan also includes robot training and learning centers in South Korea, the US, and China, as the group seeks a larger role in global robotics.
AI is moving from infotainment into steering, braking, and other core driving functions, raising safety questions that matter far beyond one market. Traditional testing rules are no longer enough, Irene Chuang, senior business manager for Industrial Services and Information Security at TÜV Rheinland Taiwan, said at a Taiwan industry forum, as regulators and automakers worldwide confront black-box AI risks in vehicles.
China's Momenta has become the first Chinese autonomous-driving company to receive a nationwide Level 4 testing permit from Germany's KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, Federal Motor Transport Authority), a step that could matter well beyond Europe. The approval expands road testing across Germany, tightening competition with US and Chinese rivals and underscoring how quickly robotaxi development is moving globally.
