Malaysia's mobility industry is welcoming a larger role for Chinese automakers, with investment, technology exchange and supplier development emerging as key themes at GATE 2026. Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) chairman Aminar Rashid bin Salleh said the growing presence of Chinese car brands is adding new momentum to the country's mobility sector.
European automakers have been increasing collaboration with their Chinese counterparts in recent years, as they seek to break through the vicious cycle of weak demand, rising costs, and low capacity utilization, as well as difficulties in their transition to electric vehicles (EVs). However, the fact that Europe is utilizing subsidies and collaborative efforts to expand production with Chinese carmakers while confronting overcapacity issues on its home turf is, in the eyes of the US, an absurd situation, and Washington has not ruled out the possibility of further tariffs or import restrictions on European cars.
As competition in artificial intelligence shifts from model development toward real-world deployment, Xiaomi is betting that its advantage will come not only from building foundation models, but from integrating those models across a broad hardware ecosystem spanning smartphones, smart homes, and electric vehicles.
Merida said its full-year 2026 business was still set to grow, supported by stable currency conditions, near-complete inventory reduction, and a stronger-than-expected rebound in lower-end bicycle demand in China. The bicycle maker outlined the outlook as the first-half pretax profit margin improved and product mix conditions became more balanced across key segments.
Global auto sales in the first half of 2026 show Toyota still firmly in first place, while the gap between No. 2 Volkswagen and No. 3 Hyundai Motor Group has narrowed sharply. Volkswagen's heavy dependence on China has dragged sales lower, while Hyundai Motor Group has held up through diversified geopolitical exposure, local production, and a flexible product mix. Market attention is now turning to whether Hyundai Motor Group is on the verge of overtaking Volkswagen for the No. 2 spot.
Mitsubishi Motors will launch its new all-electric SUV, the ASX VR-e, in Australia and New Zealand in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the model supplied through contract manufacturing by Foxconn-backed Foxtron Vehicle Technologies. The move marks the first time a Taiwan-made EV will enter the sales channel of a global legacy automaker under a white-label arrangement.
Sales of hybrid vehicles have surged in Taiwan due to range anxiety and still-inadequate charging infrastructure, and carmakers are leaning into this trend by stepping up efforts in this market segment.
Giant said rising raw material prices and price hikes for components from Japanese supplier Shimano, starting from August 2026, will add cost pressure, prompting the bike maker to raise prices on new products to offset the impact. Even so, the company said short-term gross margins are unlikely to hold at prior levels.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has entered a critical stage in seeking European Union (EU) market approval, but the review has shifted from a technical issue into a broader European policy debate.
