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

Over the past three years, China’s automotive market has endured an unprecedented price war. Its scale and structural impact have gone far beyond short-term promotional competition, profoundly rewriting the industry’s competitive logic. According to a report by Nikkei, based on internal research estimates from China’s automotive distribution system, this price war—spanning from 2023 to 2025—has cumulatively wiped out more than 471 billion yuan (approximately NT$2.14 trillion) in industrywide revenue, placing long-term pressure on automakers, dealer networks, and even the supply chain.

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

On February 13, the Executive Yuan officially announced the signing of the “Taiwan–U.S. Reciprocal Trade Agreement” (Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, ART) with the United States. Among the numerous industrial provisions, the most market-disruptive measure is the reduction of import tariffs on “U.S.-manufactured passenger vehicles” from 17.5% to 0%, alongside the removal of import quota restrictions for models compliant with FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards). Several trade and economic scholars have described this move as a pivotal policy “capable of reshaping the structure of Taiwan’s automotive market.” It will not only redefine the competitive landscape of the luxury segment, but also exert long-term effects on the domestic manufacturing system and the broader consumer market ecosystem.

Prices of key rare-earth metals have surged sharply in global markets in recent weeks, reaching historic highs. This trend not only reflects the electric vehicle industry’s long-term demand for high-performance magnetic materials, but also underscores how geopolitics and the expansion of the defense industry are profoundly reshaping the automotive sector’s raw-material risk landscape. As mainland China tightens export controls on dual-use items destined for Japan, structural uncertainty in the rare-earth market has risen again, placing fresh pressure on the EV supply chain.

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

For decades, European automakers have regarded full control over key technologies as a core competitive advantage, striving to lead development internally across everything from powertrains and chassis to complete vehicle platforms. However, as the automotive industry rapidly moves toward the era of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV), this long-standing logic is facing unprecedented challenges. An increasing number of European manufacturers are now reassessing whether it is still necessary—or even feasible—to maintain a high degree of complete independence in software development.

Over the past three years, China’s automotive market has endured an unprecedented price war. Its scale and structural impact have gone far beyond short-term promotional competition, profoundly rewriting the industry’s competitive logic. According to a report by Nikkei, based on internal research estimates from China’s automotive distribution system, this price war—spanning from 2023 to 2025—has cumulatively wiped out more than 471 billion yuan (approximately NT$2.14 trillion) in industrywide revenue, placing long-term pressure on automakers, dealer networks, and even the supply chain.

On February 13, the Executive Yuan officially announced the signing of the “Taiwan–U.S. Reciprocal Trade Agreement” (Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, ART) with the United States. Among the numerous industrial provisions, the most market-disruptive measure is the reduction of import tariffs on “U.S.-manufactured passenger vehicles” from 17.5% to 0%, alongside the removal of import quota restrictions for models compliant with FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards). Several trade and economic scholars have described this move as a pivotal policy “capable of reshaping the structure of Taiwan’s automotive market.” It will not only redefine the competitive landscape of the luxury segment, but also exert long-term effects on the domestic manufacturing system and the broader consumer market ecosystem.

Prices of key rare-earth metals have surged sharply in global markets in recent weeks, reaching historic highs. This trend not only reflects the electric vehicle industry’s long-term demand for high-performance magnetic materials, but also underscores how geopolitics and the expansion of the defense industry are profoundly reshaping the automotive sector’s raw-material risk landscape. As mainland China tightens export controls on dual-use items destined for Japan, structural uncertainty in the rare-earth market has risen again, placing fresh pressure on the EV supply chain.

Against the backdrop of the rapid evolution of intelligent driving technologies in mainland China, Huawei is expanding the penetration of its driver assistance systems across the broader automotive market with a clear and increasingly aggressive pace. According to recently disclosed plans, Huawei aims to deploy its Qiankun ADS driver assistance system in more than 80 vehicle models within this year. This represents a significant increase from approximately 30 models as of November 2024, underscoring that Huawei’s strategic focus in automotive technology is steadily taking shape.

As trade tensions over electric vehicles between Mainland China and the European Union remain elevated, both sides announced this week that they have taken a step forward toward resolving disputes over imports of Mainland China–made electric vehicles. The two parties agreed to adopt a “price undertaking” mechanism to replace, or partially replace, existing anti-subsidy tariffs. This move not only has significant implications for the long-term positioning of Mainland Chinese EV brands in Europe, but also reflects the EU’s policy balancing act between industrial protection, supply-chain dependence, and adherence to international trade rules.

In an era when autonomous driving is highly dependent on digital and electrical infrastructure, Waymo’s recent experience during a large-scale power outage in San Francisco unexpectedly became a real-world test of how driverless systems respond to extreme scenarios. The outage, triggered by a fire at a power substation, disrupted the daily lives of up to 130,000 customers and directly impacted Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service. Multiple vehicles came to a halt mid-journey at intersections or in the middle of roadways, causing tangible disruptions to urban traffic and the passenger experience.

The European Commission has recently put forward a proposal to adjust its automotive decarbonization policy, seeking to relax the rule that would have fully banned the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles from 2035 and replace it with more flexible emissions targets. This move can be seen as the EU’s most significant retreat from its green transition policies over the past five years. Shaped under sustained pressure from Germany, Italy, and Europe’s automotive industry, the proposal reflects the practical challenges and structural pressures European carmakers face in the global electrification race.