"Weekly car news " is a recap of some of the major stories in Taiwan car market last week.

Most mainstream autonomous driving and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) architectures today rely on a “modular sensor fusion” approach, in which multiple cameras, radars, and LiDAR sensors collect data that are processed through several algorithmic layers for object recognition and environmental modeling, followed by decision-making and control. While this structure offers high controllability, it also entails lengthy development processes, high labeling costs, and accumulated errors between modules that often lead to less natural and consistent driving responses. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. recently announced an additional investment in California-based AI startup Helm.ai, aiming to shift its autonomous driving and ADAS development strategy from “sensor-oriented” to a new era of “AI End-to-End (E2E)” learning architecture.

"Weekly car news " is a recap of some of the major stories in Taiwan car market last week.

The electrification of mobility is undeniably one of the most crucial elements in achieving net-zero emissions, serving as a central pillar of the automotive industry’s current transformation. Yet, after driving itself becomes carbon-free, a key question remains: can the act of charging also become part of sustainable transformation? Recently, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the ELF (Experimental-Lade-Fahrzeug) experimental charging vehicle—an integrated research platform that combines ultra-fast, bidirectional, solar, inductive, and conductive charging technologies. Acting as a mobile charging laboratory, ELF explores how “sustainability” can evolve from a conceptual goal into a tangible, testable, and applicable technological reality.

"Weekly car news " is a recap of some of the major stories in Taiwan car market last week.

Although demand for electric vehicles in the U.S. has recently cooled, battery technology development has not slowed down. Recently, Cambridge-based startup 24M Technologies unveiled a new battery architecture called “SemiSolid” and ETOP (Electrode-to-Pack). Originating from laboratory research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), this design claims to increase energy density within the same space, shorten charging times, and even reduce battery production costs. If successfully commercialized, it could become the next major breakthrough after Cell-to-Pack (CTP).

Market Overview: In September, total market registrations reached 32,227 units, representing a 9.4% increase from August but an 11.8% decline compared to September last year. Most major brands posted growth this month, with Mercedes-Benz recording the highest surge at 65%. The steepest decline came from Lexus, whose core model NX faced a model-year transition, resulting in a 37.3% drop in deliveries. As of the end of September, cumulative registrations for the year stood at 296,137 units, a 13.9% decrease compared to last year. While the market continued to be affected by tariff and commodity tax issues, September also coincided with the Ghost Month, typically a sales lull. However, the government’s new policy granting up to NT$50,000 in commodity tax rebates for newly purchased passenger cars under 2.0L displacement boosted buying momentum. As the market enters the final quarter of 2025, automakers are pushing hard to secure orders, though some brands have declared they will not lower prices—an approach whose impact on sales remains to be seen. For the full year, our forecast suggests that, even in the most optimistic scenario, the market will still end about 10% lower than last year.

At this year’s IAA International Auto Show in Munich, Germany, six exhibition halls were almost entirely occupied by technology companies and startups, with cars themselves seemingly relegated to the background. This arrangement reflects the fact that the automotive industry is gradually transforming into a “mobile technology industry,” where electrical engineering, semiconductors, and display technologies are becoming deeply integrated with vehicles. Two technologies in particular deserve attention: the iBEE motor jointly developed by Valeo and Mahle, and Samsung’s new OLED smart cockpit display concepts.

Motorists often find themselves trapped in traffic during daily commutes or weekend peak hours, resulting not only in wasted time but also in energy consumption and safety risks. Recently, Nissan, through its Advanced Technology Center in Silicon Valley (NATC-SV), partnered with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the University of California, Berkeley, to jointly advance the Cooperative Congestion Management (CCM) program. Real-world road testing has been conducted to verify its potential to improve traffic efficiency, enhance fuel economy, and strengthen driver safety.

Gartner recently released its 2025 Digital Automaker Index, revealing that legacy automakers such as Renault, Jaguar Land Rover, and Ford continue to fall behind in software capabilities, struggling to catch up with “digital native” brands such as Tesla, Nio, and Xiaomi. Gartner refers to automakers with leading software strength as “new incumbents.” These companies improved their combined score across eight software-focused criteria from 60.6% in 2024 to 61.6% in 2025. In contrast, the score for traditional automakers fell to 33.8% this year, down from 34.1% last year.

Most mainstream autonomous driving and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) architectures today rely on a “modular sensor fusion” approach, in which multiple cameras, radars, and LiDAR sensors collect data that are processed through several algorithmic layers for object recognition and environmental modeling, followed by decision-making and control. While this structure offers high controllability, it also entails lengthy development processes, high labeling costs, and accumulated errors between modules that often lead to less natural and consistent driving responses. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. recently announced an additional investment in California-based AI startup Helm.ai, aiming to shift its autonomous driving and ADAS development strategy from “sensor-oriented” to a new era of “AI End-to-End (E2E)” learning architecture.

The electrification of mobility is undeniably one of the most crucial elements in achieving net-zero emissions, serving as a central pillar of the automotive industry’s current transformation. Yet, after driving itself becomes carbon-free, a key question remains: can the act of charging also become part of sustainable transformation? Recently, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the ELF (Experimental-Lade-Fahrzeug) experimental charging vehicle—an integrated research platform that combines ultra-fast, bidirectional, solar, inductive, and conductive charging technologies. Acting as a mobile charging laboratory, ELF explores how “sustainability” can evolve from a conceptual goal into a tangible, testable, and applicable technological reality.

Although demand for electric vehicles in the U.S. has recently cooled, battery technology development has not slowed down. Recently, Cambridge-based startup 24M Technologies unveiled a new battery architecture called “SemiSolid” and ETOP (Electrode-to-Pack). Originating from laboratory research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), this design claims to increase energy density within the same space, shorten charging times, and even reduce battery production costs. If successfully commercialized, it could become the next major breakthrough after Cell-to-Pack (CTP).

Following the earlier discussion of how the 2025 IAA Munich Auto Show reflects the auto industry’s transition toward becoming part of the broader mobility technology sector, it is also clear that batteries were another highlight worth paying close attention to. Several battery makers and automakers chose this stage to showcase their latest achievements. Rimac, in collaboration with ProLogium, introduced a prototype of its next-generation solid-state battery, while China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) presented an ultra-long-life LFP battery designed for the European market, as well as a “dual-chemistry” concept. These innovations target different aspects of performance, cost-efficiency, and flexible applications.