https://www.scmp.com/rss/326130/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese ride-hailing company CaoCao, backed by Geely, is betting on a heavy-asset strategy to emerge as a leading robotaxi operator, with plans to deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2030 as competition intensifies and self-driving technology matures. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, CEO Gong Xin said the future of robotaxis hinged on an asset-management model built around a closed-loop “trinity” of vehicle manufacturing, autonomous driving technology and fleet... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348985/hong-kong-listed-caocao-hails-fleet-first-strategy-chinas-robotaxi-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348985/hong-kong-listed-caocao-hails-fleet-first-strategy-chinas-robotaxi-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang The breakdown of Chinese tech giant Baidu’s autonomous driving vehicles in Wuhan on Tuesday evening affected services and left many passengers stranded on highways with heavy traffic for hours, hurting the company’s autonomous driving ambitions as it moves to expand its robotaxi business globally. Phone calls for help from affected customers to the traffic police line in Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province, surged from 8.57pm, after many Apollo Go robotaxis stopped in the middle of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348654/baidus-robotaxi-breakdown-wuhan-strands-riders-raises-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348654/baidus-robotaxi-breakdown-wuhan-strands-riders-raises-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers say they have built an 11-satellite network for a jam-resistant, high-accuracy optical navigation system, designed to provide positioning where GPS is unavailable or disrupted, for everything from self-driving cars and drones to deep-space missions. Optical navigation has also been used in the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, helping drones developed by companies such as Asio Technologies and General Atomics operate in environments where GPS signals are jammed. While... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348318/lighthouses-space-chinese-jam-proof-satellite-network-fill-gps-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348318/lighthouses-space-chinese-jam-proof-satellite-network-fill-gps-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:01:05 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi The era of price wars in China’s electric vehicle (EV) market is giving way to a new contest: who can deliver better technology at the same price. On a cloudy evening in March, Shenzhen-based BYD put forward its answer with the unveiling of a battery capable of charging from 10 to 70 per cent in just five minutes – and to 97 per cent in nine minutes. The company said it would apply the technology to models priced as low as 155,000 yuan (US$22,500) while building 20,000 charging stations this... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3348131/how-chinas-ev-makers-think-they-can-outrun-disastrous-price-wars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3348131/how-chinas-ev-makers-think-they-can-outrun-disastrous-price-wars?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese self-driving technology firm Pony AI plans to launch robotaxi services with partners Uber Technologies and Verne in Zagreb, Croatia, spearheading commercialisation of autonomous cabs in Europe amid an accelerated go-global drive. The three companies aimed to operate a fleet of thousands of robotaxis in various European cities over the next few years after achieving consistent performance and safety, Guangzhou-based Pony said on Thursday. Neither the starting date for the service nor the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348026/chinas-pony-ai-launch-robotaxi-service-europe-uber-local-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348026/chinas-pony-ai-launch-robotaxi-service-europe-uber-local-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:31:20 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s two biggest makers of lidar sensors for cars, Hesai Group and RoboSense Technology, have ramped up investments in robotics products as the country consolidates its leading position in building a global supply chain for the fast-growing sector. Shanghai-based Hesai, the world’s largest producer of lidar sensors that help cars map terrain, planned to spend 200 million yuan (US$28.9 million) this year to design and manufacture “eyes and muscles” for robots, creating a new growth engine... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347995/chinas-lidar-giants-pivot-robotics-jensen-huang-praises-chinese-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347995/chinas-lidar-giants-pivot-robotics-jensen-huang-praises-chinese-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:12:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese self-driving technology developers continue to expand outside the mainland as WeRide seeks to launch robotaxi services this year in Hong Kong and Singapore, according to an executive. WeRide’s planned entry into Hong Kong was set to cover both robotaxis and robobuses, said senior director of public relations and marketing Maeve Zhang in a media briefing on Tuesday, without disclosing the operation areas or a launch date. Meanwhile, the Guangzhou-based company said it planned to launch... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3347747/chinas-weride-eyes-hong-kong-singapore-roads-robotaxis-self-driving-giants-expand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3347747/chinas-weride-eyes-hong-kong-singapore-roads-robotaxis-self-driving-giants-expand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:15:08 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Three Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers have raised prices for some models in response to rising supply chain costs, but analysts say the increases are unlikely to be sustained given weakening domestic demand. Xiaomi became the latest manufacturer to adjust pricing on March 19, announcing that its new-generation SU7 standard version would start at 219,900 yuan (US$31,800) – a 4,000 yuan increase over the previous model. Founder and CEO Lei Jun had attributed the rise to aggressive surges in... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347527/three-chinese-ev-makers-raise-prices-analysts-warn-weak-demand-could-force-reversal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347527/three-chinese-ev-makers-raise-prices-analysts-warn-weak-demand-could-force-reversal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Xiaomi’s updated SU7 electric vehicle (EV) is expected to bite into the market share of Tesla and some domestic rivals in China, as demand weakens and regulators tighten oversight. Founder and CEO Lei Jun on Thursday announced official pricing for the new-generation smart sedan, with the standard edition starting at 219,900 yuan (US$31,900) and the pro and max variants set at 249,900 yuan and 303,900 yuan, respectively. The figures are 10,000 yuan lower than pre-sale estimates, but 4,000 yuan... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3347259/xiaomis-new-generation-su7-launch-sparks-fresh-ev-fight-tesla-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3347259/xiaomis-new-generation-su7-launch-sparks-fresh-ev-fight-tesla-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:29:50 +0000 Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Chinese authorities have renewed their push for stricter oversight of the electric vehicle (EV) market, urging carmakers to move away from aggressive discounting and focus instead on technological innovation. The directive comes as domestic manufacturers struggle with cooling demand and the phasing out of long-standing government subsidies. At a high-level meeting on March 17, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347145/china-presses-ev-makers-end-price-war-and-focus-innovation-demand-cools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347145/china-presses-ev-makers-end-price-war-and-focus-innovation-demand-cools?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:50:48 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The priorities outlined in drafts of China’s 2026 budget and next five-year plan overlap heavily with the ambitious projects championed by Elon Musk, including the Starlink constellation, electric vehicles, Neuralink interfaces and artificial intelligence. With Beijing allocating 426.42 billion yuan (US$61.7 billion) for the sector, it is positioning frontiers such as future energy, brain-computer interfaces and satellite internet as China’s future industries, with the nation doubling down on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345576/does-chinas-science-budget-boost-confirm-it-listening-everything-elon-musk-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345576/does-chinas-science-budget-boost-confirm-it-listening-everything-elon-musk-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:03:58 +0000 Themis Qi,Zhu Wenqian Themis Qi,Zhu Wenqian The head of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng said the country should accelerate the development of autonomous driving technology amid slowing sales growth in the sector. He Xiaopeng, founder and CEO of the Guangzhou-based company, said on Monday that the country should skip an intermediate step and move directly to a more advanced version of autonomous capabilities, adding that Beijing should adjust regulations and policies faster to make this happen. He said he would submit this... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3345163/why-wait-china-should-skip-step-self-driving-cars-xpeng-founder-and-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3345163/why-wait-china-should-skip-step-self-driving-cars-xpeng-founder-and-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:33:07 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow WeRide, one of China’s big three robotaxi companies, has cut research and development (R&D) costs by “millions” of US dollars by using artificial intelligence to train its fleet in virtual worlds, its CEO said. While rivals had also developed AI models simulating the physical world, WeRide’s efforts stood out as it was using its world model Genesis to support its global expansion strategy, said Tony Han. “It’s the first real marriage between physical AI and generative AI,” Han told the South... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344817/breakthrough-or-hype-how-weride-aims-steer-past-rivals-crowded-robotaxi-field?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344817/breakthrough-or-hype-how-weride-aims-steer-past-rivals-crowded-robotaxi-field?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 02:00:38 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong’s transport authorities have given the green light for testing autonomous vehicles from the airport island to Sunny Bay and Tung Chung town centre on Lantau, marking the latest cross-district trial of driverless technology. The Transport Department said on Monday that the updated pilot licence – held by Baidu Apollo International – would support the city’s goal of applying driverless vehicles for cross-district use in a safe and orderly manner, as set out in the policy address and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3344372/hong-kong-autonomous-vehicle-tests-move-gear-longer-routes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3344372/hong-kong-autonomous-vehicle-tests-move-gear-longer-routes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:24:12 +0000 Martin W H Wong Martin W H Wong Uber is set to outdo itself on Hong Kong taxi drivers’ meter (of hate) – it is reportedly planning to launch its robotaxi services in Hong Kong by the end of 2026. On the tech side, this is nothing short of a miracle. The Uber robotaxi features Level 4 autonomous driving, deploying real-time AI processing of situational data fed by a comprehensive 360-degree sensor array combining high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar and radar. The human brain, at least when it comes to driving, is no... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343910/uber-robotaxi-uber-sophisticated-tech-and-uber-complicated-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343910/uber-robotaxi-uber-sophisticated-tech-and-uber-complicated-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese self-driving technology firm Pony AI has started mass production of a robotaxi co-developed with Toyota, taking an important step forward in commercialising autonomous cabs worldwide. The Guangzhou-based company said on Monday that 1,000 driverless cabs of this kind would roll off the production line this year, to be deployed in top-tier mainland Chinese cities. The cars will reinforce Pony AI’s plan to operate a total robotaxi fleet of more than 3,000 units in various mainland and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342953/pony-ai-and-toyota-roll-out-mass-produced-robotaxis-chinas-autonomous-drive-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342953/pony-ai-and-toyota-roll-out-mass-produced-robotaxis-chinas-autonomous-drive-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:28:20 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla has begun operating a China-focused artificial intelligence training centre to enhance its cars’ self-driving capabilities in the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market, following Beijing’s deregulation of the technology. Grace Tao, vice-president of Tesla, told Shanghai-based financial news outlet Cailian on Friday that the centre had sufficient computing power to support development of assisted-driving features. However, she did not disclose details such as the centre’s location or... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342726/tesla-launches-china-ai-training-centre-self-driving-race-accelerates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342726/tesla-launches-china-ai-training-centre-self-driving-race-accelerates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:07:39 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong authorities will form a new working group focused on the development of autonomous vehicles, as the government unveiled a raft of innovation and technology-led initiatives in its latest transport strategy blueprint. Other measures announced in the Transport Department’s plan released on Friday include the implementation of real-time adaptive traffic signals and a smart motorway management system for major roads to improve efficiency and convenience. “To further push the development of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3342686/new-working-group-push-autonomous-vehicles-technology-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3342686/new-working-group-push-autonomous-vehicles-technology-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:42:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As Southeast Asia accelerates into electric vehicle manufacturing, industry leaders in the Philippines say their country risks falling behind neighbours that have moved quickly to support the sector, with policy uncertainty raising doubts about Manila’s commitment to long-term growth. Those concerns sharpened last month when President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr vetoed 92.5 billion pesos (US$1.56 billion) in unprogrammed appropriations from the 2026 national budget, a move that also swept up funding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341865/philippines-falling-behind-ev-race-southeast-asia-revs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341865/philippines-falling-behind-ev-race-southeast-asia-revs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla’s falling car deliveries and declining profitability on the mainland have not stopped its Chinese electric-car rivals from imitating the US firm’s transition into an artificial intelligence entity. Xpeng, Li Auto and Nio, dubbed as Tesla challengers over the past decade, have taken similar steps to diversify into emerging technologies and position themselves for the future of transport. These Chinese firms are now building next-generation vehicles, flying cars, robots and chips to create... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341771/how-teslas-ai-shift-prompting-chinese-wannabes-expand-tech-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341771/how-teslas-ai-shift-prompting-chinese-wannabes-expand-tech-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:49:50 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo After testing Tesla’s driver assistance system FSD earlier this month, Chinese economist Ren Zeping exclaimed that autonomous driving’s large-scale real-world implementation was progressing much faster than he thought. Though driverless taxis are so far only being tested in designated areas in Chinese cities, he prophesied that autonomous driving would soon become widespread. “Autonomous driving will erupt in the next couple of years. Large models enable a unified driving paradigm, letting tens... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341532/ai-driving-seat-china-moves-rein-job-displacement-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341532/ai-driving-seat-china-moves-rein-job-displacement-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu New energy, artificial intelligence, electric vehicle (EV) and biotechnology companies will remain the driving force behind Hong Kong’s initial public offering (IPO) market in the coming years, according to the head of bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). “In the past year, dozens of new companies in green energy, automation and other sectors have listed in Hong Kong, enabling them to scale their research and global impact,” wrote Bonnie Chan Yiting, CEO of HKEX, in an... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3340575/new-energy-ai-ev-and-biotech-drive-hong-kong-ipo-growth-hkex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3340575/new-energy-ai-ev-and-biotech-drive-hong-kong-ipo-growth-hkex?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:15:06 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) supply chain vendors are adding another dimension to their go-global drive: designing batteries and lidar sensors for models by international marques that cater to overseas drivers. As leading players like BYD secure mega deals with major carmakers like Ford, Chinese automotive suppliers that once trailed their global peers are now stamping their authority on the EV sector. Chinese vendors were enjoying an overwhelming advantage over their international rivals in... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340467/chinese-automotive-suppliers-speed-localisation-increase-global-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340467/chinese-automotive-suppliers-speed-localisation-increase-global-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 23:30:09 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. BYD’s win, Tesla’s defeat, Ford’s pivot: the widening gap in US-China EV markets After years of competing head-to-head with China in electric vehicles, the United States is now widely seen as falling behind – a reality increasingly acknowledged even within Detroit. Read the full story... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340062/teslas-defeat-harvards-success-trump-top-global-risk-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340062/teslas-defeat-harvards-success-trump-top-global-risk-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Wency Chen,Xinmei Shen Humanoid robot guides, stair-climbing robo-vacuum cleaners and exoskeletons for hikers were all among the exhibits at the world’s largest electronics show as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly finds a role in the physical world. Chinese companies made up about a quarter of the 4,000-plus exhibitors at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), underlining how the country is at the forefront of developments that could turn AI-powered robots into mainstream household items. The large Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3339813/humanoid-robot-guides-hiker-exoskeletons-ces-2026-round?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:11:13 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Jensen Huang took the stage at the CES trade show in Las Vegas this week to make the clearest pitch yet for Nvidia’s autonomous driving technology. In doing so, the CEO’s vision for vehicles that can drive themselves edged into the terrain of major customers like Tesla and its boss, Elon Musk. Huang’s remarks sparked a widely watched – if notably polite – indirect multiday exchange between two of the most influential figures in technology. It also sharpened a central question about autonomous... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3339482/nvidia-tesla-chase-same-self-driving-goal-different-paths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3339482/nvidia-tesla-chase-same-self-driving-goal-different-paths?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 06:21:00 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin After years of competing head-to-head with China in electric vehicles, the United States is now widely seen as falling behind – a reality increasingly acknowledged even within Detroit. When asked about the topic recently on a podcast, US carmaker Ford’s own CEO said: “There’s no real competition from Tesla, GM or Ford with what we’ve seen from China. It is completely dominating the EV landscape globally and more outside China.” For much of the past decade, the global electric vehicle market was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3339104/byds-win-teslas-defeat-fords-pivot-widening-gap-us-china-ev-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3339104/byds-win-teslas-defeat-fords-pivot-widening-gap-us-china-ev-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:49:15 +0000 Mark Andrews Mark Andrews China’s car industry is expected to stagnate this year as it tries to catch its breath after years of growth. New energy vehicles (NEVs) are likely to continue increasing their market share but growth will be much lower than in recent years, with the penetration rate reaching around 60 per cent. “Involution” was the major theme last year, and despite efforts by the government and manufacturers, the situation is unlikely to improve until the second half of the year, due to a tepid economy and a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338636/innovation-and-exports-will-winnow-chinas-car-industry-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338636/innovation-and-exports-will-winnow-chinas-car-industry-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hesai Group, the world’s largest maker of vehicle lidar sensors, has struck a partnership with US chip giant Nvidia to help develop an autonomous driving platform, as the Shanghai-based firm pushes its global expansion to serve more international marques. Hesai said on Tuesday that its light detection and ranging sensors – which use laser beams to measure distances to objects – would be supplied to support Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion platform, which is designed to meet the level 4 (L4) self-driving... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338909/nvidia-chooses-chinas-hesai-lidar-sensors-hyperion-autonomous-driving-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338909/nvidia-chooses-chinas-hesai-lidar-sensors-hyperion-autonomous-driving-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:27:36 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese automotive chip designer Black Sesame Technologies’ Huashan A2000 chip has passed reviews by US authorities, paving the way for its global roll-out. Built on the advanced 7-nanometre process, which was ready for mass production in January 2025, was subject to US scrutiny “due to its ultra-high performance”, the company said in a post on its website on Monday. “Following nearly a year of technical clarifications and communications”, the chip passed “relevant reviews” of the US Department... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3338742/chinese-automotive-chipmaker-black-sesames-huashan-a2000-clears-us-review-hurdle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3338742/chinese-automotive-chipmaker-black-sesames-huashan-a2000-clears-us-review-hurdle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:32:10 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng When hailing a car on Uber, riders usually choose between economy and premium options. But in certain areas in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, the first choice that flashes on the screen is “autonomous”. The availability of driverless cars underscores the urgency of the nation’s push to promote clean energy and reduce dependence on oil and gas. At the forefront of this effort are Chinese robotaxi developers, which see the Middle East as one of their starting points for global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3337979/how-chinese-robotaxi-giants-are-steering-middle-east-towards-driverless-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3337979/how-chinese-robotaxi-giants-are-steering-middle-east-towards-driverless-future?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 03:00:11 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng The former autonomous driving unit at DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, is gearing up to serve the heavy vehicle industry in 2026, in the latest example of Chinese innovation spilling over from Big Tech firms to start-ups. Chinese self-driving tech firm ZYT plans to move into heavy-duty lorries and unmanned logistics vehicles, expanding its footprint from city streets to highways, as the race for commercialisation intensifies in the sector. The Shenzhen-based company, known as Zhuoyu, will... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338311/former-dji-self-driving-unit-seeks-edge-adapting-drone-tech-lorries-logistics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338311/former-dji-self-driving-unit-seeks-edge-adapting-drone-tech-lorries-logistics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Stellantis-backed Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology has become the first Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer to receive investment from a state-owned enterprise amid the strong popularity of its affordable intelligent cars. FAW Group, mainland China’s oldest carmaker, has agreed to acquire a 5 per cent stake in the Hong Kong-listed EV assembler for 3.74 billion yuan (US$534 million) by buying an additional 74.8 million shares at HK$55.29 apiece, according to a stock exchange filing by... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3338006/chinas-faw-buys-us534-million-stake-leapmotor-ev-firm-sees-deliveries-jump-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3338006/chinas-faw-buys-us534-million-stake-leapmotor-ev-firm-sees-deliveries-jump-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:31:46 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Mercedes-Benz on Thursday said it completed the acquisition of a 3 per cent stake, worth 1.34 billion yuan (US$191 million), in motorcycle maker-turned-autonomous driving systems developer Chongqing Qianli Technology, three months after the deal was first announced. The transaction involved Mercedes-Benz Digital Technology, the German carmaker’s tech unit, and Shanghai-listed Lifan Holdings, which transferred 135.6 million shares of Qianli at 9.87 yuan per share. Before the transaction, Lifan... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337719/mercedes-benz-acquires-stake-chinese-autonomous-driving-developer-us191-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337719/mercedes-benz-acquires-stake-chinese-autonomous-driving-developer-us191-million?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Nearly 270,000 cars with self-driving systems that allow drivers to be “hands off” under certain conditions will be sold in China next year as Beijing allows carmakers to build such vehicles, according to Daiwa Securities. This volume is projected to represent about 1 per cent of China’s total new car sales in 2026, as the expanding adoption of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is poised to stimulate the world’s largest automotive and electric vehicle (EV) market amid waning... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337224/chinas-approval-l3-self-driving-cars-stimulate-slowing-mainland-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337224/chinas-approval-l3-self-driving-cars-stimulate-slowing-mainland-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 23:30:12 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) leader BYD has reinforced its push to build and sell more cars fitted with level 3 (L3) autonomous driving systems after Beijing took its first step towards deregulating the technology. The company collaborated with authorities in Shenzhen, where it was based, to test some of its cars ahead of mass production, according to China Business News. BYD confirmed the report, adding that it had completed more than 150,000 kilometres of real-world L3 testing. The company... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336841/byd-ups-ante-l3-autonomous-cars-begins-testing-models-mass-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336841/byd-ups-ante-l3-autonomous-cars-begins-testing-models-mass-production?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:11:51 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Two leading Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, Xpeng and Li Auto, have been granted licences to test their level 3 (L3) autonomous driving technologies in designated urban areas, the latest sign that Beijing is encouraging wider use of advanced driver assistance systems amid a slowing automotive market. The green light came just one day after the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) gave another two carmakers – Changan Automobile and BAIC – approvals to start assembling new... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336664/xpeng-li-auto-latest-get-approval-test-hands-driving-amid-slowing-car-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336664/xpeng-li-auto-latest-get-approval-test-hands-driving-amid-slowing-car-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:45:56 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Beijing has approved China’s first two cars with level 3 (L3) autonomous driving capability, taking a leap towards widely deploying self-driving technology in the world’s largest automotive market. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced on Monday that Changan Automobile and BAIC were given the go-ahead to build electric vehicles (EVs) that would allow drivers to be hands off in some circumstances. But the cars, both pure EVs, could only navigate urban streets and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336522/beijing-approves-first-two-l3-autonomous-cars-leap-towards-hands-driving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336522/beijing-approves-first-two-l3-autonomous-cars-leap-towards-hands-driving?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese autonomous-driving technology firm Pony.ai is betting on an “asset-light” strategy and newer generations of low-cost driverless cars to drive growth for its robotaxi operation as the company expects to break even by 2030. Under the asset-light model, Pony.ai would team up with third-party companies – such as taxi operators or ride-hailing platforms – that would fund the deployment of its robotaxi fleet, according to Leo Wang Haojun, chief financial officer. Instead of taking on the full... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336235/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-bets-asset-light-strategy-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336235/chinese-robotaxi-firm-ponyai-bets-asset-light-strategy-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Self-driving Waymo taxis have gone viral for negative reasons involving the death of a beloved San Francisco bodega cat and pulling an illegal U-turn in front of police who were unable to issue a ticket to a nonexistent driver. But this week, the self-driving taxis are the bearer of happier news after a San Francisco woman gave birth in a Waymo. The mother was on her way to the University of California, San Francisco medical centre on Monday when she delivered inside the robotaxi, said a Waymo... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3335967/us-woman-gives-birth-waymo-self-driving-taxi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3335967/us-woman-gives-birth-waymo-self-driving-taxi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:05:18 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu German companies are accelerating efforts to partner with Chinese rivals, conceding in fresh survey results that the local competitors appear poised to seize the lead in global innovation. While business sentiment among surveyed German firms in China has seen a slight uptick, optimism has been tempered by fierce price competition and a nationalist “Buy China” push, according to findings from the German Chamber of Commerce’s 2025/26 Business Confidence Survey. About 56 per cent of surveyed firms... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334907/buy-china-trend-price-wars-push-german-industry-localise-seeing-rivals-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334907/buy-china-trend-price-wars-push-german-industry-localise-seeing-rivals-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:00:24 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Xiaomi has hired a former engineer from Tesla’s Optimus team, Zach Lu Zeyu, to join the Chinese tech giant’s robotics initiatives, as the talent grab in the industry intensifies. Lu, previously a senior robotics engineer focused on the Optimus humanoid robot, joined Xiaomi last month to lead the Beijing-based firm’s dexterous hand research and development operations, according to his LinkedIn page. During his two years at Tesla, Lu worked on the design for dexterous grasping and manipulation, as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334353/xiaomi-seeks-helping-hand-former-tesla-engineer-robotics-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334353/xiaomi-seeks-helping-hand-former-tesla-engineer-robotics-development?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Volkswagen Group has ramped up its “all in” strategy for China, banking on local development capabilities and a new electric vehicle (EV) architecture to fight back against domestic rivals and regain its leading position in the world’s largest vehicle market. The German carmaker’s China operations are now able to design and validate new models without going through approvals from headquarters, reducing development time and costs to respond quickly to local needs. On Tuesday, the company... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3334159/volkswagen-revs-designed-china-approach-catch-local-rivals-ev-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3334159/volkswagen-revs-designed-china-approach-catch-local-rivals-ev-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:54:17 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Chinese scientists have reduced the production time of dielectric energy storage capacitor components to just one second, enabling scalable, temperature-stable storage for hybrid electric vehicles, radar systems and high-power lasers. Unlike other methods that can take from three minutes to an hour depending on the product quality, the team’s flash annealing technique heats and cools at a rate of 1,000 degrees Celsius per second, allowing for rapid synthesis of crystal films on a silicon wafer... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333662/1-hour-1-second-chinese-team-slashes-laser-weapon-and-ev-part-production-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333662/1-hour-1-second-chinese-team-slashes-laser-weapon-and-ev-part-production-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Xiaomi has open-sourced a new foundation model that integrates autonomous driving and embodied artificial intelligence, as the Chinese smartphone and electric-vehicle (EV) manufacturer seeks to enhance its AI capabilities. MiMo-Embodied, which comes after Xiaomi’s first large language model MiMo launched in April, was described as the “first open-source vision-language model” that combined autonomous driving and embodied AI tasks. Technical reports and project files are available on platforms... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333787/xiaomi-open-sources-ai-model-spanning-autonomous-driving-and-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333787/xiaomi-open-sources-ai-model-spanning-autonomous-driving-and-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:30:13 +0000 Daniel Ren,Julie Zhang Daniel Ren,Julie Zhang Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers from Xpeng to Chery Automobile, leveraging their technological and manufacturing strength, are intensifying efforts to build humanoid robots as they position themselves as potential game-changers amid Beijing’s ambitions to gain an upper hand over the US in the hi-tech sector. Guangzhou-based Xpeng said it envisioned sales of 1 million units by 2030 after its next-generation humanoid robot Iron won praise from Tesla CEO Elon Musk early this month. He... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3333310/chinese-ev-makers-accelerate-robotics-drive-game-changing-edge-over-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3333310/chinese-ev-makers-accelerate-robotics-drive-game-changing-edge-over-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:30:10 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese internet search giant Baidu on Tuesday reported a 50 per cent increase in artificial intelligence-related revenue in the three months ended September from a year ago, which was the bright spot to an otherwise lacklustre financial quarter. The Beijing-based company’s third-quarter revenue declined 7 per cent year on year to 31.2 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion), owing to sluggish demand in its advertising business, while its net loss hit 11.2 billion yuan on asset writedowns. While its core... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333305/chinas-baidu-posts-50-rise-ai-revenue-despite-third-quarter-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3333305/chinas-baidu-posts-50-rise-ai-revenue-despite-third-quarter-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 13:43:55 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, opened positions in two of China’s leading autonomous driving companies in the third quarter of this year. The state-owned company bought about 1.4 million shares of WeRide and 14,500 shares of Pony.ai in the September quarter, according to its 13F filings released on Friday. The total value of the shares was around US$13.7 million. Temasek has a history of investing in autonomous driving companies. These included... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3332916/singapores-temasek-invests-weride-ponyai-boost-china-tech-holdings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3332916/singapores-temasek-invests-weride-ponyai-boost-china-tech-holdings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 07:09:38 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Tesla, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz have become the first foreign carmakers approved to deploy artificial intelligence chatbots in their vehicles in China, marking a potential acceleration of Beijing’s vetting process for AI services. The Cyberspace Administration of Beijing said in a notice that it registered the “Mercedes-Benz virtual assistant” as a generative AI service on Tuesday, the same day the Shanghai cyberspace administration approved Tesla Shanghai’s xBot service and Volvo’s local chatbot... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3332674/tesla-volvo-and-mercedes-benz-win-chinas-approval-deploy-ai-chatbots-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3332674/tesla-volvo-and-mercedes-benz-win-chinas-approval-deploy-ai-chatbots-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:26:25 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Preparations are well under way in China’s auto industry for the next generation of autonomous-driving features, even before Beijing clears the regulatory road ahead, according to the chief financial officer of the world’s largest maker of automotive lidar sensors. Hesai Group is prepared to supply its light detection and ranging sensors – which employ laser beams to measure distances to objects – and other technologies for premium models with level 3 (L3) self-driving capabilities, Andrew Fan... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3332536/chinas-car-industry-gears-next-level-self-driving-tech-sensor-maker-hesai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3332536/chinas-car-industry-gears-next-level-self-driving-tech-sensor-maker-hesai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:30:09 +0000