Aker Technology said AI and electric vehicle demand are driving faster shipments, with automotive products accounting for 51.88% of sales in the first half of 2026. The quartz component maker also said its 312.5MHz product is scheduled to sample in the fourth quarter of 2026.
LED lens manufacturer Ledlink Optics reported record monthly and quarterly revenue in September and the third quarter of 2026, respectively, driven by sustained demand for automotive optical lenses and steadily increasing shipments of precision structural components for AI servers.
LG Group is preparing to test five commercial components developed by LG Electronics, LG Innotek, and LG Energy Solution (LGES), including cameras and batteries, aboard a CubeSat carried as a secondary payload on South Korea's fifth Nuri rocket launch. The mission aims to assess whether commercially available components can operate reliably in space.
Samsung Electronics' System LSI division is reportedly planning a retreat from the automotive application processor (AP) business and launching a major restructuring, with a future focus on high-margin areas such as image sensors and mobile system-on-chip (SoC) products. Analysts say Samsung is seeking to improve profitability in its non-memory businesses through a selection and concentration strategy after years of losses at System LSI and its foundry operations.
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) and European automakers are pressing the European Commission to delay localization rules for EV batteries under the draft Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), warning that Europe's homegrown battery supply chain is still too weak to support the plan. The push comes as ACEA warns that local battery production may fall short of demand, potentially leaving some EVs ineligible for incentives under a rushed law.
Chinese automakers are expanding rapidly in the UK, with their growing presence beginning to influence government policy as well as market competition. Chery's Jaecoo 7 was the UK's best-selling model in September, while Chinese brands' share of the market rose from 15.8% in August to about 23% in September.
Samsung SDI is simultaneously expanding its lower-cost LFP supply chain and advancing its next-generation all-solid-state battery roadmap, signing separate agreements with POSCO Future M and EcoPro BM as it broadens its battery chemistry portfolio.
Honda Motor said on October 5, 2026, that it had developed core technology for a magnetic-coupling wireless power supply road system with Taisei and other partners, setting up on-road testing on Japanese expressways as early as fiscal 2027. The work reflects continued research into battery electric vehicle technologies even as some automakers scale back parts of their 2020s electrification plans.
SpaceX launched its Starship super heavy-lift rocket on September 28, successfully reaching orbit for the first time and deploying 26 Starlink V3 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Each Starship mission can carry up to approximately 60 Starlink V3 satellites. Although neither stage was recovered, both splashed down at sea and the satellite deployment was successful.
As Chinese battery makers accelerate their push into sodium-ion batteries, South Korea's three major battery manufacturers are moving quickly into the emerging technology, seeking to avoid repeating their late entry into lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Formosa Automobile, a member of Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Group, unveiled the new-generation DAF XF long-haul tractor on October 6, introducing 35-ton and 43-ton models for heavy-haul and container transport as it targets a 20% share of Taiwan's heavy-tractor market. The company plans to begin fleet trials of electric trucks in 2027, with a commercial launch targeted as early as late 2028.
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