Major automakers in Europe, the US, Japan, and South Korea have recently undergone significant executive changes, with nine leading carmakers replacing their chief executive officers (CEO) over the past year. The leadership shake-up reflects deep strategic shifts at the top and signals structural changes ahead for the automotive industry.
Japanese and South Korean firms are expanding their presence in India as the country strengthens its semiconductor and technology ecosystem. Rohm has partnered with Suchi Semicon for back-end manufacturing, while Hanmi Semiconductor and OLED materials firm Lordin are advancing India plans alongside Micron's new facility.
The global automotive industry is currently navigating its most seismic leadership transition in decades as the Electronic/Electrical (E/E) revolution fundamentally rewrites the rules of competition.
The Chinese automotive market is undergoing an unprecedented transformation amid increasing industry volatility. As new energy vehicle (NEV) penetration rapidly rises, the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) segment continues to shrink. Coupled with ongoing price wars, automakers face fierce competition on retail pricing while imposing stricter cost controls and faster R&D demands on their supply chains.
Suzuki Motor Corporation said it will acquire the all-solid-state lithium-ion battery business of Japanese engineering firm Kanadevia Corporation, as the automaker steps up development of next-generation battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs).
Tesla's Gigafactory in Grunheide, Germany, is being repurposed into a multi-product manufacturing hub after CEO Elon Musk outlined five transformation initiatives to address falling capacity utilization and mounting labor disputes.
BMW introduced the humanoid robot Aeon at its Leipzig production facility in early 2026, a move framed as both a production innovation and a symbolic milestone in the leadership transition to Milan Nedeljkovic, who will assume the role of group chief executive in May 2026.
Primax Electronics' push into automotive, AIoT and robotics signals a strategic shift that should reshape revenue mix over the next two to three years, even as near-term margins face pressure from currency and component costs.
Within the past five years, BYD has overtaken Tesla in sales across more than 20 countries and regions to reshape the landscape in the global electric vehicle (EV) market. This competition reached a dramatic turning point in 2025, as BYD surpassed Tesla for the first time in the UK, while also claiming the title of the world's top annual EV seller.
Taiwan's scooter market declined in February 2026 due to the Lunar New Year holiday, with fewer working days for vehicle registration. Total monthly sales dropped to 44,817 units in February, down 22.55% from the previous month's 57,867 units and 24.37% lower than the 59,258 units recorded in February 2025.
Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy and shipping flows. The move has lifted prices for petrochemical feedstocks, synthetic rubber and plastic components, creating 15-25% raw material cost pressure for automakers and compressing margins.
More coverage
