During his US presidential campaign trail, President-Elect Donald Trump vowed to overturn key Biden administration policies. Now, with his election victory, the tech sector awaits significant policy shifts that could reshape multiple industries.

With US restrictions on China's semiconductor sector affecting its intelligent vehicle development, Huawei has emerged as a crucial player in advancing the nation's autonomous driving capabilities and technological self-sufficiency. The company's extensive experience in telecom and smartphones has positioned it well for this role.

Dekra, the world's largest independent testing, inspection, and certification organization, officially opened its new Taiwan headquarters in Linkou, New Taipei City, on October 23, along with expanded laboratory facilities. This strategic expansion aims to strengthen Taiwan's position in key sectors including ICT, vehicle connectivity, IoT, and intelligent automotive systems.

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.

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.

The US opened a federal investigation into whether Tesla Inc.'s partial-automation system marketed as Full Self-Driving is defective after multiple crashes, one of which resulted in a fatality.

Through new fundraising, Japan-Taiwan electrical vehicle (EV) manufacturing company Lean Mobility has achieved a cumulative funding of JPY4.6 billion (US$30.8 million), allowing it to reach a crucial milestone towards the mass production of its urban compact EV RideRoid "Lean3."

This year's Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD24) not only showcased Foxconn's latest technological developments and plans to partners, investment institutions, and the media, but it was also open to the general public for the first time. Noteworthy technology and applications have been summarized as follows.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs' Industrial Development Administration (IDA) published guidelines for recognizing localized supply chain cooperation value ratios for Chinese vehicle models on October 14. Different required localization ratios will apply based on the vehicle's launch date, with the highest requirement exceeding 35%, effective immediately upon release.

The global autonomous vehicle market is rapidly evolving, with companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Zoox leading innovation in technologies and services. As Chinese firms join the competition, this dynamic landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for South Korea's automotive sector, particularly Hyundai Motor Group.

Tesla, positioned at the intersection of energy and AI, showcases its advanced self-driving vehicles, Cybercab and Robovan. These vehicles, which eliminate steering wheels and pedals, signal a clear intent to transition into "driverless" technology. This development indirectly highlights the ongoing competition in high-level autonomous driving between the East and West, revealing operational inefficiencies within European and US governments that are increasingly challenged by China's advancements.

Tesla's self-driving ambitions are facing a critical test as it seeks to penetrate China's intelligent vehicle market, where the rules of the game are already being reshaped.

China has been at the forefront of self-driving technology development, with around 20 cities conducting extensive trials. Beyond major metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, Hong Kong is also making significant strides in the field. The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) is set to launch pilot trials of autonomous buses on public roads in the first quarter of 2025, marking a significant milestone in the city's smart mobility initiatives.

Yulon Motor subsidiary Luxgen officially launched its first electric SUV, the N7 Long Range (LR), on October 3. The vehicle made its debut at the 2024 Hon Hai Technology Day (HHTD24).

Beyond the recent unveiling of the latest Model electric vehicle at the 2024 Hon Hai Technology Day (HHTD24), there is keen interest in which additional models are approaching mass production and retail sales. Among them, the highly anticipated Model B electric crossover SUV is certainly the focus.

Elon Musk unveiled long-awaited prototypes of a Tesla Inc. robotaxi called Cybercab, saying production may start in 2026 and that the vehicle could cost less than $30,000.

Foxconn extended HHTD24 to a two-day event, showcasing major advancements in autonomous driving technology and semiconductor developments. The company emphasized AI's crucial role in enabling self-driving capabilities, establishing it as a key driver of progress in the autonomous vehicle sector.

The European Union (EU) has unleashed a powerful economic tool on China by imposing tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs), a move that increases the risk of retaliatory measures and could potentially backfire on EU consumers and companies.

Tesla's upcoming "We, Robot" announcement event on October 10 has fueled heightened anticipation for its autonomous robotaxi service. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that the robotaxi will have all operations controlled by software. Despite the excitement, the commercialization of autonomous driving remains uncertain.

European electric vehicle (EV) sales suffered a weak performance in 2024. Automakers are facing great pressure from Chinese EVs and potential emission penalties.

At Maserati's launch event for the GranCabrio Trofeo in Taichung, John Huang, chairman of Modena Motori Taiwan, stated that Taiwan's economic boom in recent years can be seen from its luxury car delivery performance. Modena Motori Taiwan has also played an important role in expanding local market share for Ferrari and Maserati.

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) recently proposed a ban on automotive software and hardware technology and equipment from China and Russia entering the US market. Sino Auto Insights commented that the Biden administration's move could close a significant loophole in previous tariff measures on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

With China's electric vehicles (EVs) gaining a strong foothold and automotive sales in the European Union (EU) slowing down, traditional large Germany-based automotive manufacturers are facing an increasingly bleak business outlook. Their sales and competitive power are being eroded by local China-based EV manufacturers in their main markets.

The Biden Administration announced in May that it would be increasing tariff rates on China-based products including semiconductors and electric vehicles (EVs). USTR claimed that the increased tariff rate on EVs would become effective on September 27, which would impose a 100% increase on tariffs for China-based EVs.