The global auto industry is entering an unusual phase of expansion—one driven less by strategic ambition than by the need to survive. China's automakers have unleashed a surge of exports that, at first glance, looks like an aggressive push into overseas markets. Beneath the surface, however, lies a harsher reality: cutthroat competition at home and a deepening structural overcapacity that is leaving many firms with few viable alternatives.
China's push to dominate the future of intelligent transport reached a milestone this week as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granted its first approvals for the mass production of "Level 3" (L3) autonomous vehicles.
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).
