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Self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles

Self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A Leapmotor electric vehicle is seen on display at the Essen Motor Show in Germany on December 3, 2025. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s oldest carmaker FAW buys US$534 million stake in EV assembler Leapmotor

‘Leapmotor aims to achieve annual deliveries of 4 million units a year in 10 years’ time,’ founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming says.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Mercedes-Benz buys US$191 million stake in Chinese autonomous driving developer

Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s approval for L3 self-driving cars to stimulate slowing mainland market

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Electric & new energy vehicles

BYD ups the ante on L3 autonomous cars, begins testing for mass production

BYD has pinned its hopes on preliminary self-driving technologies to bolster its sales in mainland China.

BYD says it has completed more than 150,000 kilometres of real-world L3 testing. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng, Li Auto given approval to test ‘hands-off’ L3 cars amid slowing market

Deregulation to legalise L3 technology represents a leap forward in commercialising autonomous driving systems in China.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Beijing approves first L3 autonomous cars in leap towards ‘hands-off’ driving

The cars, both pure EVs, can only navigate urban streets and highways in designated areas, according to the ministry.

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China technology

Chinese robotaxi firm Pony.ai bets on ‘asset-light’ strategy for growth

Firm sees working with partners as the best way to expand service in the mainland and beyond.

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A robotaxi by Pony.ai is parked on a road on November 23, 2025, in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images
United States

‘Unusual activity detected’: US woman gives birth in Waymo self-driving taxi

The mother and child arrived safely at a San Francisco hospital, and the vehicle was taken out of service for cleaning.

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China manufacturing

Germany’s China playbook: if you can’t beat them, partner up

More than half of surveyed German firms plan deeper ties with local partners in China to match the rapid innovation cycles of domestic competitors, the German Chamber of Commerce has found.

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Robotics

Xiaomi hires engineer from Tesla’s Optimus team to lead robotic hand development

Zach Lu Zeyu joins Xiaomi as lead of its dexterous hand research and development operations.

International robotics research has been sharpening its focus on dexterous hands – a system designed to mimic humanlike hand and finger movements. Photo: Shutterstock
Electric & new energy vehicles

Volkswagen revs up designed-in-China approach to catch up in EV market

Carmaker says mainland operations can now design and validate new models without approvals from Germany, reducing development time and cost.

An aerial view of Volkswagen Group China Technology Company in Hefei, in eastern China’s Anhui province. Photo: Handout
Science

Chinese team cuts laser weapon, EV part production time from 1 hour to 1 second

High-intensity heating and cooling method speeds up creation of sought-after electrical component.

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Xiaomi

Xiaomi open-sources AI model spanning autonomous driving and robotics

EV and AI initiatives have become an increasingly important part of Xiaomi’s business.

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Made in China 2025

Chinese EV makers accelerate robotics drive for ‘game-changing’ edge over US

Xpeng, Cherry and others expand beyond cars, with humanoid robot Iron winning praise from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Xpeng’s humanoid robot Iron relies primarily on visual data for training and decision-making. Photo: Shutterstock
Baidu

China’s Baidu posts 50% rise in AI revenue despite third-quarter slump

In spite of sluggish advertising, AI operations provide ‘a solid foundation for sustainable long-term growth’, Baidu CFO He Haijian says.

Revenue at Baidu’s core online advertising business declined in the third quarter. Photo: Shutterstock
Sovereign wealth fund

Singapore’s Temasek invests in WeRide, Pony.ai to boost China tech holdings

Temasek’s latest deals reflect the 51-year-old investment giant’s focus on forward-looking technologies.

Artificial intelligence

Tesla, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz win China’s approval to deploy AI chatbots in cars

China has approved the first foreign carmakers to roll out in-vehicle AI assistants, opening the door for wider adoption.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s car industry preps for next-level self-driving: Hesai

Use of advanced hardware will pick up next year, with some carmakers already adopting it to ‘pre-empt rivals’, CFO says.

People pass the Hesai Group booth at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 9, 2025. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images
Huawei

Huawei’s Ascend-powered CloudMatrix platform tops biennial tech innovation list

The system can support up to tens of thousands of interconnected chips to train and run AI models.

Artificial intelligence

CaoCao tailgates WeRide into the UAE as flag comes down on China’s driverless race

WeRide wins UAE go-ahead for driverless taxis as CaoCao joins the race in the Middle East.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Volkswagen bets on EV developed with Xpeng to regain ground in China

The ID Unyx 08 has received government approval to begin production and is expected to enter the market in 2026.

Volkswagen’s fully-electric SUV, the ID Unyx 08, co-developed with Xpeng. Photo: Xpeng
Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla and global carmakers race against Chinese EV rivals at expo

At CIIE, global brands like Tesla and Volkswagen are under pressure to win back market share from local competitors.

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A Tesla Cybercab displayed at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Photo: EPA
IPO

China’s WeRide drives for ‘ubiquitous’ robotaxis after Hong Kong listing

Founder and CEO Tony Han says listing proceeds will help company expand globally as analysts predict robotaxi growth.

IPO

4 Chinese firms’ listing debuts mark busy day for Hong Kong stock exchange

Pony.ai, WeRide and Ningbo Joyson fell at the opening bell, while Vigonvita Life surged.

Automotive industry

Video | Pony.ai set to further open China’s autonomous-driving frontier

Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai is poised to be dual-listed in Hong Kong on November 6, 2025.

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IPO

Nothing in Pony.ai’s way as firm lists in Hong Kong: CEO James Peng

Hong Kong listing broadens investor base as the autonomous-driving company expands robotaxi services in mainland and abroad, founder says.

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A Pony.ai Aion robotaxi is displayed during the 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition on April 23, 2025. Photo: AFP
Semiconductors

Volkswagen to make own chips in China for locally made autonomous vehicles

‘We are moving beyond localised production to mastering the core technologies that shape tomorrow’s mobility,’ VW China CEO says.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s Xpeng touts driverless cars with Alibaba’s Amap to take on Tesla

Company promises three robotaxi models, a humanoid robot and flying cars leveraging a new vision-based AI model.

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