Stellantis plans to operate a test fleet of electric vehicles powered with solid-state batteries in two years' time, taking a step toward the potential commercialization of a technology that's aimed at improving EV performance.

As a core component of electric vehicles (EVs), battery technology is crucial for enhancing performance and market competitiveness. During the 2024 Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD24), the company showcased its latest battery innovations, while DIGITIMES Research conducted in-depth interviews to explore six breakthrough advancements in battery technology.

Horizon Robotics, a Chinese autonomous driving technology provider, aims to raise US$696 million through its Hong Kong IPO, potentially providing a boost to the city's listing market after a prolonged downturn. The company will issue 1.36 billion shares, priced between HKD3.73 and HKD3.99 (approx. US$0.48-0.51) each. If successful, the IPO will be the largest in Hong Kong this year, exceeding China Resources Beverage's US$650 million offering launched earlier.

Tesla has demonstrated its high-level autonomous unmanned vehicles, the Cybercab robotaxi and the Robovan passenger/cargo van, at an event. It also unveiled the Optimus robot at the same event held on October 10.

Texas Instruments (TI) announced its third-quarter 2024 financial results on October 22. Revenue for the third quarter totaled US$4.15 billion, down 8.4% compared to the same period last year. Operating profit declined 18% compared to the same period last year to US$1.55 billion, while net income also decreased 18% compared to the same period last year to US$1.33 billion.

The pace of conventional automakers in Europe and the US adopting automotive electronic and electrical architectures (EEA) lags behind that of emerging automakers like Tesla and Chinese manufacturers. This is heaping pressure on their tier-1 suppliers.

Honda has stated that revisions to its electric vehicle (EV) roadmap will be made if the demand for pure EVs continues to dip. This move reflects a growing trend of major automakers slowing down their pace of EV development.

As global semiconductor firms invest in compound semiconductors, Japan-based companies are stepping up their efforts on gallium nitride (GaN) to expand its applications beyond electric vehicles and to produce larger GaN wafers, reports Nikkei, Nikkan, and Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun.

LG Electronics' Business Solutions (BS) division plans to nearly double its revenue in the B2B market to KRW 10 trillion (US$7.4 billion) by 2030, focusing on commercial displays and electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Despite selling LG Display's (LGD) Chinese LCD factory, the company assures that this will not significantly affect its operations, thanks to its supply chain diversification strategy.

At the 2024 Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD24), DIGITIMES Research conducted an insightful interview with Foxconn about the future of software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The discussion explored the impact and potential applications of SDVs in the automotive industry from multiple angles, while Foxconn showcased practical applications demonstrating how these vehicles are reshaping the automotive landscape.

The Chinese automotive supply chain is facing intense competition, with the industry's profitability continuing to decline. Profit margins have dropped below 5%, prompting Hong Li, president of leading power semiconductor manufacturer CR Micro, to call for an end to blind investments in new factories to escape this relentless cycle of competition.