Market Overview: In August, total market registrations reached 29,460 units, representing a sharp 17% decline from July but a slight 0.2% increase compared to August last year. Among major brands, only Lexus and Tesla posted growth over July, while all others experienced declines. Mercedes-Benz suffered the steepest drop at 50.7%, due not only to consumer hesitation caused by tariff and commodity tax uncertainty, but also to sharply reduced deliveries of key models such as the GLA, GLC, and E-Class as they transitioned to new model years. As of the end of August, cumulative registrations for the year stood at 263,910 units, a 14.2% decline compared to last year. Despite aggressive promotional campaigns ahead of the Ghost Month, consumer sentiment remained cautious. With no clarity on adjustments to import tariffs and commodity tax, buyers continued to postpone purchases, leaving automakers with mounting inventory pressure. Our forecast for this year’s total market has been revised downward, with an expected decline of 10–15% compared to last year.

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

Among the hottest topics in today’s industry, the application of AI across various fields is revealing the potential to revolutionize existing practices. In the field of intelligent transportation, AI’s potential is particularly vast. At the ongoing ITS World Congress in Atlanta, USA, Sony Semiconductor Solutions is showcasing two smart city pilot projects that demonstrate how its advanced edge AI sensing technology helps local governments improve traffic safety, enhance roadway efficiency, and support infrastructure decisions with high-precision, long-term data—creating new opportunities for both the automotive and transportation sectors.

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

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.

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

The European Union’s plan to completely ban the sale of carbon-emitting vehicles starting in 2035 has affected automakers’ new product planning and sparked significant controversy. Recently, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius sharply criticized the policy in a media interview, warning that if implemented as scheduled, Europe’s auto market could face a “head-on crash.” The EU is set to conduct a formal review of the plan, ensuring that debate will intensify.

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.

As the global automotive industry faces the dual challenges of electrification and pricing pressure, two major automakers—General Motors (GM) from the U.S. and Hyundai from South Korea—have announced an expanded partnership. Together, they will co-develop five new vehicle models, covering both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). The collaboration will also extend to shared resources in the supply chain and manufacturing processes, aiming to directly compete with the rising wave of new Chinese automakers in global markets.

For over a century, automakers have handled product quality issues reactively—problems are discovered by consumers, reported by dealers, and then addressed through recalls or repairs by the manufacturers. This approach is not only time-consuming but also costly. Now, with the rise of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and the increasing availability of vehicle data, the automotive industry is ushering in a new era of quality management driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

Among the hottest topics in today’s industry, the application of AI across various fields is revealing the potential to revolutionize existing practices. In the field of intelligent transportation, AI’s potential is particularly vast. At the ongoing ITS World Congress in Atlanta, USA, Sony Semiconductor Solutions is showcasing two smart city pilot projects that demonstrate how its advanced edge AI sensing technology helps local governments improve traffic safety, enhance roadway efficiency, and support infrastructure decisions with high-precision, long-term data—creating new opportunities for both the automotive and transportation sectors.

The European Union’s plan to completely ban the sale of carbon-emitting vehicles starting in 2035 has affected automakers’ new product planning and sparked significant controversy. Recently, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius sharply criticized the policy in a media interview, warning that if implemented as scheduled, Europe’s auto market could face a “head-on crash.” The EU is set to conduct a formal review of the plan, ensuring that debate will intensify.

Chinese tech giant Baidu and U.S. ride-hailing platform Lyft recently announced a strategic partnership aimed at launching robotaxi services in the United Kingdom and Germany by 2026. This collaboration marks Baidu’s first commercial deployment of its Apollo Go service in Europe and represents Lyft’s first major expansion beyond the North American market. The alliance is expected to significantly shift the competitive dynamics of smart mobility across Europe.

As the AI wave sweeps across the globe, energy demand is growing rapidly. Meanwhile, the electric vehicle industry has continued to expand in recent years. When EV batteries reach the end of their usable life, these retired batteries may become a new solution to meet the energy demands of the AI sector. Led by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel, Redwood Materials is working to repurpose these used EV batteries to build the largest second-life energy storage system in North America—an advancement in battery recycling technology.